The New York herald., 1876-09-08
The Presidential Contest VIII BE
Decided in Indiana.

| yellow visaged youth, WAS sent to Toulon to
assist in the siege, the young artillery officer
perceived, with the quick intuition of genius.
that the whole plan of operations was a
blunder, and that instead of direct assaults
on the town the forts should be taken on the
high ground which commanded the harbor,
which would compel the English to with
draw their feet and render the city unten-
able. Being admitted to a council of war he
urged this view. and pointing on map to the
Ha'aeur de Grassc. on which Fort Eguillette
was situated, the impulsive youth exclaimed.
''There is Toulonr A stupid old general
who could not see the merits Of the plan
whispered to the officer at his elbow, ''The
young man does not seem very strong in his
geography" supposing that Bonaparte
had misconceived the location of the
out the position which would make
it untenable In the present siege Of the
White House the October election in Indi-
ana is the Fort Eguillette. We suppose
there is no politician on either side who is
80 stupid that he does not perceive this, or
who owould fancy th1 it is either geograph-
ical or chronological blunder to say that
the Presidential election is likely to be de-
cided in the State of Indiana on the second
Tuesday in October.
This statement needs to be taken, how
ever, with the same limitation MS the ex-
clamation Of the young artillery officer that
Toulon was on the heights that commanded
70 har nod
whether those heights were held by the
French or the English. If the French could
take them the fall Of Toulon was certain, but
their retention by the English by no means
insured their permanent possession of the
town. So Ito carry out the paralleD
the loss of Indiana by the democrats is the
loss Of the whole campaign, whereas the
failure of the republicans in that State would
still leave them very good chances of elect
ing Hayes in November. It makes great
difference to party whether it loses both Of
the important October Statos or only one.
The republicans are in no danger Of losing
both, and may not lose either; but the
democrats are certain to lose Ohio, and the
very utmost they can hope is to break the
force of the republican victory in that State
by saving Indiana
The democratic party has virtually ad-
mitted that all it's chances of success are
staked on its ability to carry Indiana in
October. At the very outset it organized its
campaign on that basis. The st. Louis Con-
vention put great deal at hazard in the
country at large in the hope of strengthen
ing the October canvass in Indiana It
was solely with a view to Indiana
that it lowered the tone of its plat
form, dipped it's flag to the infationists,
and inserted the stupid demand for o repeal
Of the Resumption act. 1t was because it
deemed success in Indiana indispensable
that it weighted the ticket with Hendricks
as counterpoise to the hard-money views
of Tilden. 1t was with an eye on Indiana
that that congregation Of incapables," the
democratic House, passed its foolish bill and
Governor Tilden emasculated his letter of
acceptance After making those foolish
sacrifices of principle SO damaging in every
other view than their effect in the October
States, the democrats cannot deny that they
have made Indiana the grand hinge of their
campaign, expecting to gain more by sue
oess in that State than they would lose by
dandling the rag baby. But if Indiana goes
against them in spite of these unmanly con-
cessions they must reap the double conse-
quences of defeat in all the October States
and Of their idiocy on the money question.
If they carry Indiana their prospects will
still be anything but fattering if
they are defeated in Indiana Hendricks
will prove milestone tied to the neck of the
party, sinking it deeper than ever plum
met sounded" II they lose Indiana they
will be badly beaten in New York, and the
whole party will 60 to wreck Demoraliza-
ton and panic will set in as soon as it is
known that Hendricks has been thrashed in
Indiana, and our great reformer, with whom
no is unequally yoked. will find that
''Othellos occupation s gone.
The Indiana State election will accord
ingly be the central point Of interest until
its result is known. Both parties are exert
ing themselves there with the energy of
desperation, and until within the last week
or two it seemed to be u neck and neck rnce
But every turn of affairs operates
against the democrats The miserable faseo
in New York. which shows that Tilden has
lost the reins In his own State, is calculated
to have depressing effect in Indiana The
wise things done by the democrats of other
States, as well as the idiotic things, operate
badly for tho Hendricks canvass. Even the
nomination of Charles Francis Adams,
strengthening and cheering as it is in the
Eastern States, is q set back to the Indiana
infiationists Mr.. Adams is the hardest of
hard money men, and the shouts of jubila-
tion raised by the Tilden organs over his
nomination will refute the greater part of
the stump speeches addressed to the follow