Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1875-10-15

gave US birth.
The Old North State forever!
ST TOD.
|
THE OHIO ELECTION.
The indications are that the Repub-
licans have carried the State of Ohio
in the election on the 18th for Cover
nor and members of the Legislature.
What their popular majority will be
when the returns are complete, it is
now impossible to conf lecture. The
political canvass which has just closed
in that State, has. been the most ami
mated that has ever taken place, except
in the year of a Presidential election.
There are two causes which have
co-operated to make the Ohio con-
test 80 strenuous and of universal
interest outside of the State. One of
these causes is the change OF the an
nual election in Pennsylvania from 90
tober to November, thus making Ohio
the only great State which will afford
a preliminary test of the strength of
parties in the next Presidential cleo
ton. The other cause is the new and
absorbing issue which the contest
brought prominently before the entire
American people, and which has threat
ened the humiliation Of the old party
lines.
IF the Republicans have carried
the election by a very decided ma
jority, the result will no doubt have
great influence in the shaping Of party
platforms for the Presidential cam
paign, and will probably force the
Financial Question from the promi-
hence which it has assumed in the
Northwestern and Northern elections
that are now transpiring. The De-
mocracy of New York, Nebraska and
Massachusetts refused to take sides
with the Democracy of Ohio and Penn
the election in Pennsylvania is over,
the campaigns in these States will be
watched with increasing interest until
their close. While the financial ques-
ton may thus be kept out of the ma
tional platform in the Presidential can
vass, it will nevertheless still continue
to agitate political parties in the differ
ent States throughout the Union. The
fearful shrinkage in values, the general
prostration of trade and commerce,
and the manufacturing interests, will
continue to keep the public mind in a
state of anxious inquiry for solution
to the difficulties that have tied the
hands and hampered the energies of
the entire people. Whatever may be
the results in those States over which
the great Northern money-centres ex-
ert $50 powerful an influence as to
amount almost to absolute. control
when put to a trial of their utmost
strength, the Southern people viii find
no difficulty in maintaining a solid,
though passive resistance to a return
to specie payment, until the country
shall be in a better condition for it.
If the vindictive policy of the Grant
Administrations had not been pur-
sued against the Southern people,
if they had been let alone to build up
again the fortunes which the war had
swept away, if Grant and Congress
had not kept, during the whole,of his
Presidential career, an army IN the
South at an aggregate cost Of more
than 81, 900. 900, 900, in order to pre-
vent the Southern people from ever
again recovering their wealth, this
81, 600, 600, 900 would now have been
in the Treasury. or, which would b rave
been still better, in the pockets of the
people, and the South with her vast
agricultural resources and the recu-
perating energies of her people, would
long since have added to the national
wealth an amount which whould have
made the resumption of specie pay
ment as easy as it was for Mr.. Chase
to issue his first batch of greenbacks.
But this was not done-the vindictive
policy was pursued-the South was
punished as no conquered people were
ever before punished-her best citizens
were forbidden all connection with
public affairs, even local government,
the little wealth that was left them.
and all that their never dying energies
we're exerted to recreate and re-estab-
lish, were placed under the arbitrary
coptrol and at the mercy of corrupt le-
gions who wrenched all political power
from the former master and placed it
in the hands of the former ignorant
slave. And as an inevitable conse-
quence we see threatened bankruptcy
to the whole country. If the South shall
be let alone, five years will not
pass before the products of
Southern soil will bring to
the United States period of pros
perity which will justify us in discus
sing the propriety of the resumption
of specie payment. Until then let the
specie remain in its vaults.
The declaration of Gov. Allen that |
specie resumption in 1879 was a "bar-
rem ideality," struck a keynote which
has echoed over all the land. The
New York Day Book. commenting on
this remarkable phrase, says: cit is
AZ absurd to talk about specie pay
ments as to talk of a railroad to the
moon, and yet there can be no healthy
business or real prosperity until spe-
lie standard is restored. Think of it
the "South" produced, directly,
md indirectly, more than two-thirds