The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-10-12
Our state Electfon-Possibilitio
the Canvass.

parties and in other places we learn that in
the canvass now in progress in this State both
sides are absolutely sure Of success. There never
was before such unanimity of the people in
favor Of either side as there is now in favor Of
both sides. There never was such enthusiasm
for candidate nor such liberal contributions
for election expenses as have been brought
out by the influence Of Mr.. Tilden's name,
nor were there ever before so many voters
brought over from the republican side as will
now come over to support this nomination.
There never was such enthusiasm on the
part of the public as Dix's nomination stirs
the Custom House and Post Office never
came down more handsomely. and the num-
Der of regular old democrats Of eighty years
fidelity brought over by the attraction OF the
republican ticket never was SO large
in former years. Mr.. Tilden's famous
services in the suppression of Tammany
roguery are wildly remembered and will rally
the honest masses of the people to his sup
port. There is no doubt that early in the war
General Dix sent a telegraphic despatch to
somebody down South directing that in a GER
tain contingency he should ''shoot 'em on the
spot" and, though this has been mentioned
several times, and, though nobody was shot
on that particular spot. and, though it is
argued that anybody could have sent o tele-
graphic despatch to that effect, yet the
magical influence upon the public mind of
these thrilling words has not passed away;
and, therefore, the honest masses, even though
it puts them under double duty, will also rally
to General Dix's support in fact there will be
more honesty and virtue brought out in this
election than has been seen at the polls lately,
and there will be more success altogether and
larger majorities on both sides than were ever
known before.
We rejoice over these sanguine anticipations
Of the friends of the candidates. We are glad
that they are happy. But with due respect to
their perceptions we believe they know next to
nothing of the likelihoods of the canvass. AT
the present moment the balance is SO little in
clined to one side or the other that an acct
dent may be decisive, all the virtue, public
morality and talent of the candidates to the
contrary Notwithstanding. Another event
like that which recently occurred at New Or
leans would ruin the hopes Of Mr. Tildens
friends. Even a succession of those small
outrages in the South against the
peace and rights Of the negro-outrages
which the republican party seems
to deliberately cultivate with a full
comprehension of the results they have on
the minds of the generality of the Northern
people-would arrest absolutely the movement
of revolt against the corruption and misrule
of the republican party that was till lately in
such favorable progress in this State as well as
through the whole North. It seems hard, no
doubt, to democratic statesmen and patriots
and it will sound queer to believers in the open
and direct results Of popular election as an
expression of the intelligent will of the people.
but it is true, nevertheless, that the choice of
Governor in this Empire State will depend less
upon whom the peoplemay deliberately prefer
in calm comparison of the two candidates
than upon whether some negro in an obscure
corner Of Alabama or Mississippi or Texas in
week from now shall vaguely threaten to
| shoot some ons or to burn haystack, and
shall in consequence get his dusky throat cut,
lations who have come to his assistance. That
is one Of the great pivots on which majorities
turn just now. As one blast on the bugle-
horn of the Highland bushwhacker was worth
thousand men, SO one negro jugular in
Georgia at this critical period is equal in
value to ten thousand votes in Northern
State with population as large as ours.
Sever that jugular only, and it shall
60 hard if Attorney General Williams Will
not get out the troops, and if in
geniously framed telegraphic dispatches
do not make it appear that the firing on Fort
Sumter was child's play to it. Doubtless the
democrats can comprehend how plainly the
relations of the South to the government have
been turned over to the Attorney General by
the President, and they should be able to per-
ceive that the one object for that unprecedented
course was that the lawyer should, In the Ian
guage of the Streets put up a job" for the
Southern people and entrap them into acts
that might destroy in the North the chances
of the only party from whom the Southern
people can expect any reasonable sympathy
or fair treatment. All this they have been
slow to act upon, however, and they
have not yet apparently warned the
Southern people that their true course in poll
tics is to play dead till election day comes; to
repress every natural impulse; to keep down in
dignation and Impotence; to ''play 'possum"
with Indian stoicism, and put all their revenge
in their votes Because they have not warned
| the South of this an accident in Arkansas NAV
beat Mr.. Tilden.
On the other hand, perhaps, few more
letters on the subject of retainers, or few
more of the check books of reconstruction
might be very heavy burden for General
Dix to carry. There is too much common
sense in the country for the people to
be imposed upon by the poor device