The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-11-12
Aifhmond 1ispatlh.,
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS IL, 1878.
Wisconsin.

We were not little surprised at the re-
suit OF the recent elections in WISCONSIN,
GRANTS majority in that State last year was
over $4,000. In the late elections the re-
publicans were defeated. The opposition
elected both the Governor aud majority Of
the members of the Legislature. we
knew. of course, that this result
had rot been brought about by the old
Democratic party in It's dotagc and feeble
ness but We did not know what had brought
il about. A Wisconsin correspondent OF the
New York Times lets us into the secret. In
a ve.y candid letter this Republican tells the
whole story. The party in opposition to the
Renrhlicans in that State called itself Z" the
Reform party"-a title which may mean
ANYTHING or nothing-one thing in ono place
and another thing in another place; and, in
deed, it appears that one OF the objects OF
this reform party was anything but what
some people consider desirable "reform."
The Reform party, at any rate, carried the
State by large majority. Now let us learn
why.
The first and most prominent Of the causes
which led to this revolution was prohlDl-
tory liquor law. There are many foreign
CTS. particularly Germans, i'll Wisconsin, ana
there. as elsewhere, the Tcutonic clement Is
very apt 10 manifest itself in favor OF free
lager and other beverages. We can well un-
dcr>;and that any party which depends for
=. fhn
prohbitory liquor law is in danger OF de-
feat al every election. This, as the Times
correspondent remarks, is question Which
doc, not require much argument. Every
body understands it, or at least understands
VIVA, he wants to do about it, and all the vo-
tiers feel more or less interested in the sub
jcct-somc on one side and some on the
other, i, is true, but generally with ma
iority in favor of large liberaity in super
yi>irc the drinking habit, of the public.
The Democratic cand idatc for Govern
oy"-the Reform Candidate-iS Il farmer,
and "no doubt member of a grange"
These are two other good reasons. On the
State ticket were two Norwegians and no
German. Then CARPENTER, the leader of the
Republican party, defended the salary-grab
and the Credit Mobilier. Still other good
reasons.
In conclusion, the correspondent of the
Times INDUCES in the following encouraging
reflections:
But while spasInodic return Of strength
is possible to the Republican party, it is evil
dent 10 your correspondent that that party
may az we'll prepare itself to 90 the way Of
all parties whose mission has been fulfilled
and iabors closed. While the opposition is
uggrcgating and consolidating and harmonic
ing It's strength it may be subjected to oc-
cssiopal defeat by this old party in its spas
modic struggles against dissolution, but it
Will be only as the expiring effort Of Rode
rick Dhu in his contest with Fitz James.
Its dagger will soon find bIoodless sheath,
and the end will come. Such was the his
tory OF politics as the old Democratic party
was passing away. Such us naturally the
history of all parties. The slavery question
and all its kindred questions are settled.
We either want new parties or we want
none at all. And, as we are not yet at the
end Of human progress, the probability Is
we want parties, aud therefore new ones,
and new ones will be formed on new issues.
Such results as this under discussion are evil
dence OF transition. For q time politics
will be uncertain and doubtful, but form
and shape will come out of chaos. The
moral is, that it is time the patriots Of the
Republican party ceased beating the cid
straw. and girded on the armor for the new
struggles which are imminent"
In this transition state, the people will
perhaps lodge night or two with and par
take of the Inequalities of the oranges, and
then 90 on their way towards the formation
of a national party based upon issues that
will be worthy of the new day and genera
tior.