Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1875-10-20
A Partial Reaction.

A Partial Reaction.
The returns Of last weeks elections II
Ohio and Iowa indicate Il condition OF al
fairs that will make the presidential con
te,t of next wear very Interesting one IL
both of the great parties Inc vote
1874 was a certain prophecy that II n" re-
action came. the democratic candidate To-
nrrsiden, in 1876 would win by an lm
mnnse majority in the electoral e"lt2'
The Ohio and Iowa people have take
such , stand rs to make things uncertain
The campaign of 1872 WAS Il bad one
for the republican party. While 1t wa,
an overwhelming victory SO far rs numbers
were concerned it is now apparent tina
the marty lost more of value that year than
i oainel. Horace Greeley and the mayor
tv Of republicans who went into the liberia
movement were old time members Of ih'
,,,r,v. men who had thought and worked
for honest government. Their los, to tine
party VS. not made up by The more nnm"r-
ous class whose vote, that year out mum
berrd theirs. and attached themselves t"
the winning side The acce~sions of 49,
were mainly then who had NJ we'll defined
rcpublican,m in them and who dislkcd
Greeley for the very things his old time
republican associates les l,ectrd him for
These wandering voters Travelled back IL
larre numbers to the democracy when
thit party WAS no longer voting for an old
republican.
The great minority of that year had Il
bld effect too upon the worse elements OF
the PARTY in Congress. They got Il notion
that the country would endure salary
grabs and Ike things The result WA
that the vast majority of the last presiden
tial yerr disappeared and by November q
last vcir the now famous tidal wave ,
had borne the opposition to power in mos
of the great States of the North
\ failure on the part Of the new corners
into power to understand that they Were
put there to do something better thnn THEN
predecessors did, and their Willingness to
endangrr the business of the co. ntIy fol
the sake of catering to Il lot If propl" wh'
were intitt oni>ts by profession and wh'
hld reputation in their hearts and vote
in their hands, have caused the late CHECK
To democratic victories
The Ohio election is a check it is not III
overthrow The talk about gains from
the vote of 1873 is a drlusion. Then Allen
had 4 plurality Of 81; now Hayes has Il
maioritv of 5000 more or less rs the otficia
figures only will dctcrmine. But tive
years ago the prohibition and liberal Tt
publ can candidates pollcd \ vote Of NOR,
thtn 10000 each The great bulk o
these votes have been given t. Hayes thi.
fall. But compared with the election of
wear AGO the result of last week doe.
show :, better feeling toward the republ
can party. for in 1874 on IL straight can
vass the democrats elected their S 1t,
ticket by over II 900 majority. From tn.
where William Allen lies stranded the E,l
i considerable but it isn't down Il pre-
ripice
In Iowa an increased republican ma
Iority is also a good sign; whether the
Signs shall fail will depend on what til,
republican, purity within the next few
months convinces people it really mean:
II 10 if continued in power. The old an'
hitherto unfailing element of Il foolish OPP
poncnt is not certain to come in to he'll
us Tile defeat of Allen may put Tildel
and his sort of democrats forward into til,
leadership Of thrt party and if it does
the decks of the republican ship must b'
cleared for action.
The voting on the second of Novembr,
Will throw more light on the reaction 9
which we hear SO much Just now W,
do not expect that it wi then he seen t.
be of such magnitude rs to do more tla1
to put both parties on their COOL behlvi I
That it is like to be great enough 10 ,t
t'lIl is good fortune for the country.