The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-03-04
THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

Probably there are not two more inhu-
entail Republican journals in the country
than Harpers' Weekly and the n \.
Times. Each, in its sphere, has contrib
uted powerfully to the support Of its par
ty. The former (Harpers',) in its issue
of last week, in review of the Polit-
ical situation" frankly says:
The Republican party is in great peril.
The most sanguine Republicans hardly
suppose that if the election were to take
place next month, a Republican Presi-
dent would be elected. Nothing is palmer
than there must be a radical change or
the result is fatally sure.
So decided and thorough partisan
journal as Harpers' Weekly, would not
have drawn this picture of its party's
condition, if the facts did not warrant it.
The Times, in an article entitled
estate of Parties" describes the wonder
full revolution that has been wrought
within two years, and the disasters
that have overtaken the Republican party
after having been SO long in power. 1t
says that two years since, when the last
installment of United States Senators was
chosen, the Republicans elected eighteen
Of the twenty-four, the Democrats elected
but FIVE, and in one case louisiana the
election was disputed. Of the number
chosen to take their places this year, the
Democrats elect fourteen, the Republicans
but ten, while an Independent party IN
California elects one. But this calculation
of the result was based on the idea of the
election Of Republican in Wisconsin.
On the contrary, Democrat or an indie
pendent Republican, the nominee of
Democratic caucus, has been elected to
the u. s. Senate from that State, since
the Times submitted its estimate.
A still more marked change, continues
the Times, has occurred in the State Leg
islatures, taken as whole. In 1873 the
Republicans held majority on joint ballot
in twenty-six of the thirty-seven States,
and the area of their political supremacy
included the whole of the Eastern States,
all the Middle States, and all the West
ern, if we except Missouri from that class.
The Democrats had but ten. These were
the five "border States" as they were
called during the war, Delaware, Mary
land, Tennessee, Kentucky and Missouri;
the Southern States of Georgia, North
Carolina, Texas, Virginia and West
Virginia. Louisiana is omitted from the
calculation. This year the Republicans,
on Joint ballot, hold but twelve of the
State Legislatures the Democrats have
twenty-one the Independents have one,
and in two the Independents hold the
balance of power, in both cases inclining
toward the Democrats. This change has
been effected by the loss from the Repub
lican list of the Eastern States of Con-
necticut and New Hampshire the
Middle States of New York, Pennsylva-
MIA and New Jersey; the Western States
Of Indiana and Ohio, and the Southern
States of Arkansas and Florida In the
same connection, the Times notices an
other fact as indicative of the current Of
political events, viz: The Democrats
have the entire Governmental Gov
ernor and both branches of the Legisla
ture-in sixteen States the Republicans
I,a,,o N ef,ufI.r -,,,,,..,r,,,.v -, r;,o Stata.
and the Independents in one. But there
are eleven of the thirty-seven States in
which the Government is divided, and in
nearly every case the division is made by
the Democrats or opposition coming into
possession of that part of the Government
which has last been submitted to an cleo
ton.
The Times might have added to its
formidable array of facts that the infu-
ences which have wrought the foregoing |
results have reduced the Republican
strength from 100 majority in the present
National House of Representatives to
of seventy-two.
These facts as presented by the highest
authorities in the Republican party,
justify the conclusion that sit
IS in great periI"-particularly as revolu-
tions originating from substantial causes,
never go backwards AS this change is
rich with promises of deliyerance for the
iown-trodden Southern communities, they
must take care that it be not imperiled
oy any indiscretion of theirs.