The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-11-10
T THE BATTLE.
LOOKING OVER THE FIELD.

80 ~ a me-
REVOLUTION IN POLITICAL SENTIMENT AMI
OPINION.
Now that fuller returns are at hand, more
general and conclusive expressions are in
Obliged in by the press throughout the coun-
try. A comparison of the Eastern and
Western comments are peculiarly instruct
i've at this time, as indicating the true mean
ing and value of the late election:
The Cincinnati Times is very kind hearted:
AS is but natural for the organs of a party
which has so long been crushingly defeated,
and was so lately heart broken, the demo-
cratic journals are jubilant. and indulge
extravagant hopes. They greatly exaggerate
the Importance of their victories, and I'M
doubleday misinterpret their meaning, in
assuming that the people a suddenly
become so enamored of the democratic party
as to be eager to restore it to power. Time
viii disclose the true meaning of the late
elections to be quite otherwise. Meanwhile
let the democratic jubilations proceed.
The New York Sun speaks thus of the
writing on TIE wall: The indignation of
the people as expressed through the ballot
boxes yesterday has shivered Grants adj
ministration to atoms. The overthrow is
complete and terrific. : = When the re-
suits CT this great contest are fully ascer-
tanned it will probably appear that
they are due not so much to
democratic gains as TO republican losses.
We fancy that it Will turn out that the stay
at-home republicans did the business for
Grant. If this proves to be so it will afford
an instructive lesson to the democrats, OF
which it will be wise for them to take heed.
1t will be their true policy to so use the
power with which the people have
entrusted them as to bring these dis
gusted republicans to ther side. They
will do well to remember that some things
were settled by the late war past recall.
Among these are the thirteenth, fourteenth
and fifteenth amendments to the constitu-
ton, which those republicans who have
enabled the democracy to win this amazing
victory will not permit to be disturbed.
Glory enough for n day.
The Rochester Democrat is still sanguine
of ultimate success for the republicans: One
thing is certain. The campaign of 1874 will
not be decisive upon the campaign of 1876.
1t looxs as if the democracy would have
control Of the Forty-fourth Congress,
and of a number of State legis-
~latures, in which they raye rarely had ma
l~jorities. BY it's mistake we shall profit.
We shall, in turn, play the part of the critic,
and it will be singular ifthe party OF Bour-
bon instincts and reputation doctrines
does not itself proclaim disaster in the hour
of success. The republican party still
1 lldllLdluS It's uVku uDou JlO llLtlllEtllCtO "
the people. 1t begins to-day the battle of
1S76-a battle which will be earnestly
fought, but whose issue we believe, under
the new6nspiration it will receive, can not
be doubtful. For the present let democracy
shout itself hoarse over its spasmodic tri-
1mph, while republicans, profting by the
severe, and perhaps needed, lessons it has
| received, begin to perfect the plans for the
contest before it. We lose no heart, and we
shall give no quarter.
The st. Louis Democrat has only enough
courage to remark of its own election: The
republican party has been defeated very
generally in the November elections. The
peoples movement in this State, whether
it has succeeded or not, has apparently Of
tered a stronger and more successful resis-
| lance to the wave of democratic reaction
than has been made even in Massachusetts
by an organized and disciplined party.
Thus far, returns from this State
| show in the aggregate decided gains
but they are not sufficiently full to
warrant any estimate OF results. When we
| consider, however, that republicans else
where have lost heavily--so heavily hat
even the old Bay State elects a majority OF
democratic Congressman, and is supposed to
nave elected a democratic governor-the
supporters of the peoples ticket in Missouri
have reason to be proud of their work.
They have at least arrested the tide of
Bourbon victory, and if they have not sue
ceeded in redeeming the State, they nave at
least the right to boast that they nave done
better than the republicans of other States.
The Cincinnati Gazette don't seem to care
long enough, and he will hang himself" The
democracy AVE now got the power they
want. They may be safely trusted to make
a -. Al -
democracy to legislate or govern well. We
| believe the errors, or rather the crimes, they
| will commit will be such as To make the re-
publican party fair In comparison to it
even if the republican party were as black
as it's opponents claimed. The young men
allegiance. 3 3 8 Men talk of a party
being repudiated by the country The
words are rather misleading. The fact sim
ply is, that almost every man in the coun-
try belongs to one party or the other. All
the population that is done is done by the
shifting bodies of voters. They change from
one side to another as they Judge best. This
year they have gone against the republi-
cans. But the great body of the republican
party still stands firm, n the vote on
which the democratic party can rely with as
suranceis still substantially the same as ever.
The important question is, will the great
silent vote, and will this floating vote that
this year went for the democracy, be per-
manently alienated from the republican
party? As we said yesterday, we believe
the republican party has it in its power to
get back the whole of the vote lost this year.
If it profits, as it can, by the severe lesson
received on Tuesday, it certainly will.
The Chicago Tribune discusses the result
according to the probabilities of the future:
What will be the outcome of this tremen-
dous victory of the opposition 1t is too
early to make safe predictions. Two years
ago the republicans achieved a similar vic
tory, and it turned their heads. They fan
cied that nothing could disturb them
in the possession and use of the
power they enjoyed. They carried things
with a high hand. They passed the salary