The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-08-08
NORTH CAROLINA.

The Chicago Tribune grayely assures, US
five days after the election in the Old North
State, that "neither the exact dimensions
nor The real import of the recent victory"
in-that State scan be fully appreciated UNI
til it is considered at what odds the battle
was fought, and against what gigantic OBJ
stacles the supporters of Merrimon had to
contend" When we recolect that the 4
Tribune holds itself out, not oyer-preten-
tiously, as one of the great metropolitan
journals of the country, hardly second in
continental influence to any of the eight or
twelve-pagc dailies published in New York
city, the character of its leading editorial of
Monday last somewhat dampens the enthu-
siastic quality of our admiration for Amer
lean journalism. 1t was pretty well UNDER
stood here as early as Saturday night that
the contest in North Carolina was so close
that neither party could afford to claim a
victory, although the dispatches up to a
late hour that evening more clearly indi-
Gated D Republican victory than the most
enthusiastic LIBERAL with any sort of a
head for figures, could possibly claim for
his own party.
And yet the Chicago Tribune, holding
its advanced position as first-class
Thunderer" in the great Northwest, ex-
patiates upon the result, the Monday fol-
lowing, in the language we have quoted, and
says of the most important Liberal
triumph" that " it is the keynote Of the
campaign" 7an
We give the Tribune the credit of being
an able, discriminating, and generally sa-
gacious newspaper. There is certainly no
lack Of ability in its editorial columns. But
when it heralds defeat as the keynote of
the campaign, and predicates that defeat
upon the impervious quality of the colored
columns brought into the fight, I'VE are led to
suspect its ability as leader, as well as its
more admirable pretensions in the Journal
istic field of enterprise. In explaining
how the Liberal" victory was not more
complete and crswning, it inadvertently
states that the Grant voters were made up
almost entirely Of " negroes, carpet-bag-
gers, office-holders, and their dependents"
and that the balance of the vote was given
for the Liberal" ticket. Now as the
white vote of the State exceeds the colorcd
vote by some forty thousand, the number
of "carpet-baggers, office-holders, etc."
must have increased with astonishing rapi-
dity in the last two years, or since
the State was carried by the Democrats by
between four and five thousand majority in
1870. . 4.H..atI ia r SIZE.
The fact which we especially commend
to the consideration of the Tribune is, thai
the six thousand votes gained by the Re
publican party in North Carolina, since thu
party lines were last closely drawn there
must have come and did come from Tho
more intelligent white vote of the State, ant
not from that class ''who, short time ago
ito use the language of the Tribune,) were
plantation hands, intensely ignorant anC
prejudiced." This fact is patent upon th,
face of the election returns, and it effectu
ally settles one important question connect
ed with the Presidential campaign; an(
that is, that the nomination of Mr.. Gree
ley has not only not occasioned any serious
break in the Republican ranks, but it ha,
not concentrated and cannot concentrate
the Democrat strength of the country as
united element in his support. Bear ii
mind what the Tribune, more than an,
other paper, has led US to consider an es
sential condition Of success in the Creole,
movement, that the Baltimore nomine
must carry the solid Democratic vote Q
the country, and, in addition thereto, draS
off not less than half million of Republ
can votes, properly distributed Throughout
the several closely contested states. Tn
less Mr.. Greeley can do this he stands n