Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1874-11-13
The November Elections.

Our dispatches have already detailed
the results of the elections in the several
States on Tuesday The gains for the
Democratic party must have far exceeded
the most sanguine expectations OF its
leaders. OF course they had reason to
hope for the election of their State ticket
in New York, and, judging from their
successes in Indiana and Ohio in Octo-
Der, to look for accessions to their
strength in New Jersey and Pennsylva-
mia. But that such a staid old Republi-
can commonwealth as Massachusetts,,
which had elected no Democrat as Gov
ernor or member of either house of Con-
gress since there had been Republican
party, should now not only elect Demo
crat as Chief Executive, but send five
Opposition members to the lower house
of Congress, is one of the marvels OF
politics. No man can demonstrate alb
solutely the reasons for this popular
convulsion any more than he could for
that which occurred in October. OF
course the issues of temperance and
anti-temperance and the effects for good
or evil growing out of the late temper
ance crusades cut no insignificant figure,
| taking over to the enemy thousands of
| Germans who had formerly acted with
| the Republicans. OF course dissatisfac-
! ton with specific acts of legislation, State
| or National, or of executive admins
| tration, State or National, might have
eliminated at last in local expressions of
| discomfort. But, in our judgment, the
almost universal avalanche of popular
| insanity in behalf OF the Democracy man
| ifested in the late elections was preclpl-
tated largely by the industrial and tinan-
| cial stagnation and embarrassments of
the people Rightfully or wrongfully
the dominant party has been held re-
sponsible for this condition of affairs.
In an article published by us immediate
ly after the October elections we showed
that in the grain-growing States OF Ne
braska and Iowa, where the people had
realized good crops and handsome prices,
and were financially content, they were
politically content, as was proven by the
increased Republican maiorities over the
preceding year; while in the States more
largely devoted to manufacturing, like
Indiana and Ohio, where capital and
labor were idle and discontinued, there
was political discomfort and revolution,
The November elections seem to con-
firm this theory, for in New York, New
Jersey, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts
Republican candidates have been over
whelmed remorselessly, while in Mlchi-
| ! gan, w lSCOuSlu anu ISpubilNdi
nominees have more nearly received
their party strength. -.
| These important reverses to Republl
canism, and especially the loss to the
party and the country of the next House
, of Representatives, are calamities be-
yond estimate. They will serve to EN-
: bolden the rebel outlaws of the South tC
| fresh acts of barbarity upon Union blacks
{ and whites alike. They will encourage
/ the craven Northern allies OF treason t(
new efforts to nullify the guarantees o.
the amended Constitution. They vii
have the effect to strike a staggering
blow at the national credit at home ant
A abroad. But if these immeasurable evil
4 shall ultimately result in rOusln5 y.
!. Republican party to the dangers whicI
0 menace the Government through Demo
r cratic domination in the executive a
s well as legislative departments; II, Il
a brief, the loss of the National House Q
J. REPRESENTATIVE in 1874 shall serve 7
} save the election of President and bot
e houses of Congress In 1875, through tina
J. patriotism in presence OF peril which ba
IS so many times during the last fourtee
g years saved the Republic, the loya
e masses of the North and South can al
e ford TO bear the humiliation and morul
~ cation of the present visitation OF adVei
slty --Iater.O Ocean.