The New York herald., 1876-10-12
Election Reflections.

/
the result is not decisive I; the majorities are
so small that even il both States shall prove
to have gone the same way neither the de-
feated nor the victorious party will feel the
result as final, or even as having an i'm
portant bearing upon the November elec-
tons. As there will be lull in electioneer-
ing for few days before the political gale
sets in.iD the East, and, indeed. all over the
country, we take this occasion to offer to the
leaders of both parties few serious words
of advice.
The situation is thus:-Both parties have
put forth their utmost efforts, each choosing
the line Of argument and appeal which Its
leaders thought the most likely to affect and
convince voters. Both chose false issues
and avoided the true and real issues OF the
day-those which are in the minds of the
sober and intelligent voters Each dealt
largely and almost exclusively in abuse OF
| the other side in forebodings OF ruin TO
liberty and disaster to our institutions II
the other should win. Both sides brought
to bear the trickery of political campaigns,
and neither chose to make its appeal upon
any broad or statesmanlike ground The
inconclusive result should be gratifying to
every American citizen who would like TO
see on election decided on principles, and
not on false issues and by tricky devices and
appeals to ignorance and prejudice. And
the result is inconclusive, and will be so,
even if the republicans carry both States by
such insignificant majorities as the results
MAKE certain. But the moral to both sides
is plain enough.
The republicans founded their appeal on
what is popularly called the "bloody
shirt" With the exception of Mr.. Schurz
and Mr.. j. D. Cox we remember no prom
inent speaker in either Ohio or Indiana who
brought into prominence those reforms
which the country needs. Civil service.
currency, economy, respectability, oil went
by the board, and press and speakers urged
only and continually the danger of
''united South" the danger of rebel war
claims, and attempted to arouse the old war
fever, the feelings Of bitterness, hostility
and suspicion toward the Southern whites.
Now, of course, this was done deliberately.
1t was no chance work. In July there was
still reason to hope and even to
believe that the 'bloody shirt" would
not appear in this campaign. Sud-
denly and simultaneously it was raised
in both States by all the republicans,
without cause and without any reason
except one-that they believed that, on the
whole, this was their strongest card. The
field of argument lay open to them to
choose. They could have planted them
selves on civil service reform. on currency
reform, on general good will and confidence,
but they preferred an appeal to dying and
dangerous passions that seemed to them
their surest, and, we must believe, their only
way to success.
Well, it has failed them. Substantially
their campaign with the 'bloody shirt" is
defeat 1t was desperate enterprise, set
on foot by the anti-reform wing Of the party,
which assumed command and had its own
sweet will in the campaign. It was the
plan of battle of the Chandlers, Mortons,
Logans, the 'swar horses" Of the republican
side; and the subordinate leaders, not even
excepting poor Mr.. Schurz at the last fell
obediently into line and fought it out, and
substantially got beaten. Undoubtedly they
deserved it; but will it teach the republican
party no lesson? Will not Governor Hayes
and those leaders Of his party who desire re-
form now see that the old appeal to the
''bloody shirt" to prejudice, hatred and un-
reason is q failure, and that it is high time
for them to oust the false leaders, to return
to the true issues and question and make
their struggle for November upon these?
| Two courses are now open to the republi-
cans. They may 60 on as they have begun,
| or they may at once and finally cast
off the ''bloody shirt" and base their
appeal to the people on distinct pledges
of reform and good government If they
have the courage to do the last they have
| still q hope of success for there is no doubt
that while there is universal demand for
"a change" a considerable part of the voters
would prefer this "change" to come about
under republican federal rule. If the re-
form wing of the party should now come
forward and take possession of the party ma
chinery, vigorously and decisively inspire
its councils and efforts, and shake off the
Southern demagogues like kellogg, Packard,
| Spencer and Chamberlain /; if they should
proclaim good will and cut loose from the
authors and supporters of notorious abuses
at Washington and in the South, then they
| have still chance of success. But if, on
the other hand, as seems much more likely,
the party goes on as it has begun, then it
seems to us its fato is sealed. 1t will
be compelled in that case to encourage still
more its basest elements everywhere and to
proceed to extreme measures in the South
in support of the rotten republican leaders
there We may expect to see the President
| ordering troops into South Carolina, Louis