Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-11-08

THE CHANGES OF Il YEAR.
The elections OF 1878 and 1874 left the
democratic party far in advance of the po-
siton which it had for many years occupied
From being minority that had long been
growing more and more nearly hopeless,
until in 1872 it seemed to have become alb
solutely so, the democracy had gained a
strict party control in twenty-tour States,
two more were in opposition to the repab-
licans. and the latter had retained but
eleven States The elections which have
been held in 1875 tell different story.
The democrats retain party majority IN
only seventeen States; the republicans
have clear party majority in seventeen
of the remainder; of the other three New
York gives strong majority OF both
Houses of the Legislature to the republl-
cans, and two States are doubtful. The
democrats in twelvenonth have lost
Pennsylvania, Ohio and New Jersey, IN
the middle of the Union, Massachusetts
and New Hampshire in the East, Wiscon-
STA in the West, and California on the Pa
cific coast In the same period the repuo-
licans, besides recovering the States above
named, have practically regained their
hold in New York; have formed an alli-
ance with honest democrats in Maryland
that would have defeated the regular dem
ocratic ticket. if it had not been for the out
rageous frauds and violence in the City of
Baltimore, and have made important local
gains in other States. On the other side
of the ledger, the democrats can only
show one change to their advantage-that
in Mississippi, and there they have made
their gains by methods, which. If they are
to be continued and extended to other
Southern States, will cost the democrats
more than they will profit them, and will
undo for the South much of the good which
it has attained during the past three or
four years.
These changes are important. not only
with reference to the actual notifications
in the State Governments, which they
have brought about, but still more with
reference to the light they throw on the
next Presidential canvass. The probable
course and result of that canvass present
different appearance to day TO that they
presented year ago, and one which it
seemed to us must be much more encour.
aging to any intelligent citizen, whatever
may be his political associations. The
democratic victories of 1873 and 1874 were
not due to any special merit in the policy
or candidates of the successful party. On
the contrary, in nearly every section where
the democracy won important advantages,
its platforms and the men who were placed
upon them were characterized chiefly by
a peculiarly impudent demagogism. Nor
was this the worst In Pennsylvania the
party presented, as the fruit of its success,
Senator Wallace, tricky and unscrupu-
lous partisan politician of the lower type;
in Connecticut, it sent Eaton to the Sem
ate, and in Missouri, Cockrell-one Con-
federate raider, the other Northern Sc
cessionist; while in Missouri. Ohio and
Indiana il boldly placed in its declaration
of principles the pernicious and disgrace
full doctrines of initiation and repudiation-
doctrines which this year it repeated in
Ohio, and proclaimed for the first time in
Pennsylvania.
No reasonable man could say that the
prospect that party was about to gain
possession of the National Government
the career of which presented these char
acteristics was cheerful one. BY all le-
ultimate modes of inference, it appeared
certain that If the democratic 'triumphs"
were to be followed by the election of Il
democratic President and Congress, the
country would enter on course of confu-
sion, corruption. and humiliation such as it
had never before experienced. except dur
ing the domination of the slave power from
1850 to 1860. Every possible danger that
threatened representative government IN
the United States, saving such as grew out
out of slavery, was involved in the advent
of q party such as the democratic party
was from 1872 to 1875. If it was to con-
troll the National Government, the coun-
try could only expect the rule of dema-
gogues who stuck at nothing to secure
power. and to whom purity of govern.
ment and the maintenance Of the national
honor were of no value whatever.
From the gloomy prospect which thus
opened before it. the country is now prac-
ticalIy safe. if the republican leaders have
the sense and the virtue to do their whole
duty. A Democratic National Admins
tration is no longer among the probabili-
ties, hardly among the possibilities, of the
immediate future. If that party is to re-
trieve in any substantial degree the losses
of the last year. it must be by rejecting
the reckless and criminal policy of the
past. and by combination with elements
of opposition to the republicans for which
no pretext ought to be, or need to be, felt.
And if the republican leaders will inter-
pref with frankness the signs of the times,
and be faithful to the sentiment and opin
ion of the great mass Of their own patty,
a republican administration in 1877 is as
certain as anything in politics can be. To
such a course. with such result, every
consideration invites them. 1t is now per-