The Hawaiian gazette., 1874-12-02
Comments on the American
Elections.

As may be inferred, the American papers dis
cuss the political situation in the United States
in variety of moods. A few extracts will il
lustrate the public feeling:
The Boston papers unite in ascribing the de
feat to Grantism and the abuses which have crep
into the Republican party in this State, and 1T
apparent sympathy with corruption. The defea
of Butler and Aver is hailed with satisfaction
even by the Republican press. Butler takes i
coolly, and say to-day that If the Republican
party can stand its losses, think can bear my
share" The City of Gloucester gave Hon. g
P. Thompson, who defeated Butler, a grand con
gratulatory ovation on the evening of Nov.
consisting of procession, music fireworks. can
non, illuminations and big meeting, where
speeches were made by leading politicians.
The New York Erening Post says there wa;
no serious conflict in New York State on the
financial question, and it does not believe that
the result OF the election shows any inclination
on the part Of the East to accept the Democratic
financial and free trade policies of the West. 1t
denies that the home rule principle has been the
cause of the Democratic success here. 1t con.
slders that the great and general Republican de-
feat means that popular Impotence with the
party that has had full control since 1860 is ex-
hausted. For five years it managed affairs so
successfully and well that it deserved popularity
but this abated during the next FIVE years. The
single issue Of the war was succeeded by varied
issues of reconstruction. And IN this unfamiliar
and complicated business the Post thinks the
party made many mistakes. The people were
tolerant of the mistakes and pardoned them.
The party is now near the end Of its third FIVE
years of power. 1t depends wholly upon itself
whether they shall be the last. The Post thinks
the chief blunder has been the growing indifer-
ence Of Republican leaders to public opinion,
which is a sign of weakness. On the whole it
does not consider the Republican defeat Demo
cratic victory. The people simply took the
change, but not the Democrat.
The same paper says, Washington special
states that the result of the elections yesterday
gave a complete shock to the Administration,
and to Republicans generally, proving so different
W "uat nau OcCu anticipated AbuOuSu Tue ue-
feat is overwhelming, enthusiasm does not seem
to prevail. The members of the Administration
regard the defeat of yesterday as evidence of the
widespread dissatisfaction with the policy pur-
sued on the part of many Of the members of the
party, which has been engendered by Republican
newspapers. They do not attribute the result
to any permanent change, bat accept it as a want
of confidence and demand for better legislation
There is great anxiety felt to get complete re-
turns, as only partial ones have thus far been re-
ceived. General Buffers defeat is more talked
of than the loss Of twenty other members of
Congress, and his friends are very much depressed
The New York Times says the result of the
elections will not be surprise to anybody. The
Times did all possible to avert the defeat, but
the Republican leaders we're deaf to advice or
remoDstranee. Unless the Republican party is
conducted with greater wisdom and good fortune
during the next two years the Times predicts
Tilden will be Grants successor.
The Louisville Courier Journal regards the
result as az overwhelming revolution, not mere
revolt but says the Republican party is still
power in the land. and must be met by policy
national and positive, not negative, on all the
leading questions of the day. 1t says the danger
and weakness of the Democracy is that the sc-
cident Of success has caught it with many uncsr-