Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-10-11
Other Election Lessons.

The elections on Tuesday had other lessons
besides those to which we called attention yes
terday. One is that the people of this country
are as thoroughly determined, now as ever, not
10 intrust the government to that party which
has opposed a constant and passionate resist
ance TO all the measures found necessary TO pre-
serve the national exis tence in great crisis, and
to secure the fruits of its sacrifices and struggles
They do not believe in wholesale conversions OF
reconcilement by resolution. They judge of in
tentions by acts rather than by professions, and
tried by this standard, the democratic party has
given evidence enough that it is TeactiOnary and
dangerous, so far as it has the power TO do mis-.
chief The election in Georgia, last week, fur
nished additional evidence of this, and, doubt
less, had its influence in the great states which
voted on Tuesday.
Another lesson is that calumny and personal
abuse are most Enthusiastically weapons of po-
litical warfare. They were never used more
recklessly than in this canvass. President
Grant himself, his wife and family have been
most cruelty and indecently, as well as falsely
libelled in the various Greeley organs day after
day, without shame or reason, until many by no
means ardent admirers of the president were
moved by their regard for justice and candor 10
something like enthusiasm in repelling these
malignant and inexcusabe attacks. Other
conspicuous republicans were assailed in the
same manner with all the weapons that
malice, ingenuity, and unscrupulousness could
supply; murderous missiles were used when
such were at hand, and when these gave out,
mud and filth took their place. Greeley's part-
sans have fought their campaign almost entirely
with these weapons, and their chief has not dis
dained to use them himself. They are probably
not capable of shame for their injustice and
| falsehood, but their miserable failure will per.
haps convince them that they have been foolish,
as well as base, and of that error they may re-
pent.
We cannot say that the republican press has
| altogether escaped the influence of the evil ex-
ample of their opponents, and abstained in all
| cases from answering railing with railing; but
we can say with confidence that no republican
paper which has come under our eye has ap-
preached the bad eminence of caumny and Vi
tuperation occupied by two or three conspicuous
organs of the Greeley party, and that, as gen
eral thing, the republican newspapers have been
| SOlHSNudl I6LaIhduig iIte rum uIcitNdut pCl-
| SonalitieS, and have discussed the issues of the
canvass with a reasonable degree of fairness and
dignity. How honestly they have dealt with
| their readers may be inferred from the COM
parative accuracy of their forecasts of the
elections that have already taken place.
| They moderated their majority in al
most every instance, while Greeley and his
partisans of the press were trying to deceive
their friends with the widest predictions, which
were either deliberately invented or else the re-
suit of reckless guessing without taking any
trouble to get at the truth. "0hio, know is with
us, said Mr.. Greeley in his speeches. owe are
sure of Indiana" 81 know we cannot fail to
carry Pennsylvania" He knew nothing of the
| kind, bat his organs echoed his words and pro-
| fessed to have information which ensured a def
mite number of thousands of majority in each
state. They possibly succeeded in deceiving
themselves, and certainly bewildered and
alarmed a good many credulous people with
their brag and buster, but elections are not car
ried in that way, as the Greeley managers are
now perhaps beginning dimly to perceive.