The New Orleans Democrat., 1876-02-08

.IN
Sanguine partisans of either side
would claim more than we have given
them here, while cautious ones would
put q half dozen or more States in the
doubtful list.
The fact that New York is, with q
single exception 1ndiana), perhaps,
the only State in the Democratic column
which could not be depended upon to
cast her vote for almost any candidate
likely to be nominated, gives plausiblllty
to the argument that would prove her to
hold the key to the position. This argu--
ment would be perfectly sound and would
make it necessary to admit that New
York is the vital point on the political
theatre of war, and must be treated &C
cordingly, but for one important fact
which the Manhattan clique studiously
keep in the back ground. That fact Is
the October elections in Ohio and lndi-
ana, which, preceding the Presidential
contest i'm November are the real battle
ground upon which the fate OF the Pres
idency is to be decided. The moral effect
Of the October elections in these States
this year will be so enormous as TO en-
tirely overshadow any peculiar predi-
lections which the Manhattan Demo
Gratis or any other clique OF Democratic
voters may have cherished.
The New Workers may point us to the
fall i'm the face Of q defeat of their
friends i'm Ohio; but in weighing this
point we must remember that the can
vass in these States was then carried on
upon different platforms, and that local
questions and the personal strength of
candidates for State offices served large
| ly to affect the result in each case. Thus
there can be no doubt that the unfortu-.
nate nomination of Gen. Samuel
Cary for Lieutenant Governor lost
the Allen ticket the votes of enough
brewers and restaurant keepers alone to
more than account for the adverse re-
suit. Yet i'm the fttce Of this, and while
the majority against Governor Allen
was 50 small as apparently to give little
prestige to the victors, the moral effect
of the result was SO great as almost
to put New York in doubt and
to reduce the Democratic majority
there many thousands below that
of 1874. We assume that this fall
ing off was result of the Dem
ocratic defeat i'm Ohio in October, be-
cause the Democracy of New York had
tho same platform with which they made
their campaign the year before, and we
supposes Governor Tilden's friends
would resenv the alternative that his
administration had during his year in
office decreased the strength of his party
o the extent of thirty-five thousand
votes
Next fall the Democracy OF all the
States will be standing upon one plat
| form and ranged under one banner
The encounter with the Republicans
similarly arrayed in October will, in all
probability, presage that Of November.
Both parties will put forward their ut
most strength to carry the State cleo
tions in Ohio and Indiana, and the whole
| country will rpOar1 the SfruOOle fhcre
as decisive. II Ohio, which is
probably the most evenly bal
anced Of all the States, pronounces
for the Democracy in October we
shall have no difficulty in adding to her
twenty-five electoral votes, thus taken
from the Republican column as set down
above, the ten Wisconsin, the eight
Louisiana, the nine New Jersey, the five
New Hampshire, the three Oregon, and
50 that it will make no sort OF difference
what New York may do. But il the Re-
publicans carry Ohio and Indiana, we
shall lose all or most Of those close
States, and New York into the bargain
| A thorough examination, therefore,
Of the deceptive theory put forward by
the World leads irresistibly to the con
clusion that Ohio and Indiana are the
strategic points Of most vital import
ance, and that sound wisdom dictates
that both the platform and the candi-
date must be made acceptable to the
Democracy Of those States. We will
not presume to name the man or men
who unite the necessary qualifications
It is evident, however, that the man
who can make the strongest run for the
Presidency this Centennial year must
be sought for in the Mississippi Val
ley.- WnshngtOn Hernld.