The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1872-08-14
Our Agents in Charlest
The Lesson of North Carolina.

The result in North Carolina, con-
ccding the election of a Caldwell
the Republican candidate for Cover
nor by majority of 1900, falls 50
far short of Radical expectations:
based upon past successes and the
efforts Of tho present campaign:
That It may be esteemed y defeat
rather than q victory.
Since tho war, tho State hus bee''
essentially Republican. In 1870 ln-
deed the Democratic Attorney Gcncr-
al was elected by q majority of near
" 5000 through divisions in the
Republican ranks, but in every other
year tho Republicans have carried
tho State by majositics ranging from
nine to twenty-thrce thousand. H.
1868, tho Republican candidate for
Governor, received over eightec"
thousand majority, and in tho same
year Grant carried the State by over
twelve thousand majority.
This year it was expected that the
Republican triumph would have boen
oven moro signal. The whole State
and Federal patronage was pressed
into the service of the administration;
the terrors of the Ku-Klux law were
held over thousands of white voters
10 keep them away from the polls;
whilst the negro population forming
two.ffths Ct the whole voting popu-
lation, were rallied to tho support of
Grant by false stories, that Conscr-
yativo victory would result in their
re.euslayemeut and disfranchiso-
mcnt.
Yet what has been the result Of all
the gigantic cxcrtions which have
been made? Upon tho State ticket,
instead of twenty thousand Rcpub-
lican majority only Of some y OF
1900; whilstit IS conceded that the
Democrats have elected five out OF
eight Congressman, and have carried
the Legislature, thus securing a
United States Senator in place of the
Republican incumbent.
The inferences to bo drawn from
the policy adopted in the Old North
State, and the sober lesson which the
campaign teaches is thus we'll set
forth by the New York Hsrosa. A
few more such victories will ruin the
party everywhere.
"The practical effect of an attempt
to keep open tho wounds Of the war
10 revive the hatrods of slavery ard
TO raise dangerous issue between
The negroes and the whites has Lccn
to bring disaster upon the republicans
in q State where two-ffths Of tho
voters are colorcd men, 1t will be
still moro fatal elsewhere if pe:sevcr
ed in by the friends of the adminis
lration. The whole country outside
the political supporters of the admin
istration "right OF wrong" is opposed
TO the harsh and extraordinary meas
ures that have been impos
ed by Congress on the Southern State:
and put in operation by the President
This opposition will be. increased by
the efforts of the Republicans to force
1he rule Of negroes and earpct-bag
gers upon that section Of the country
and by the practical evidence Of its
evil effect upon the negro mind. Ii
is recognized everywhere as wicked
and dangerous experiment; as Il rcck'
Jess act that is likely tas bring disor.
der and bleodshed on The Southern
States. The Republican politicians
who are surrounding the administra
lion ana leading ii into all manner oi
peril must b. able to see that the pol.
icy pursued in North Carolina last
week cannot be again successfully
practised, and that if attempted it
will sound the death knell Of tho par.
ty. The reverse they have now met
with should teach them prudence,
unless they are wiltul!y blind to the
warning it conveys. Their present
check, we are told by their organs,
will only serve to spur thom On to
greater exertions; but their work
will be proftless unless their tactics
end policy are radically changed.
President Grant. must surely see
the dangerous position into which
these unwise advisers arc leading him,
"Four years ago, on his own merit
as o General and man, he carried
North Carolina almost without an
effort by oyer twelve thousand ma:
lsrity. This year; with the aid OF al
the patronage, with an army around
the. ballot boxes and with unlimited
means in tho hands Of his party, he
either loses it altogether, or saves the
State ticket by o few hundred votes
after suspiciously delayed canvass,
the honesty of which will be seriously
questioned. He ought to-day to have
doubled his majority of 1868 in the
State. Ho would have done SO had
he adhered to the generous sentiments
,od +o,yorJa thn Snuth when