The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1876-04-19
The Columbia Election.
There are some wholesome less

to be drawn from the recent election
in Columbia. There were three
tickets in the field, headed respec-
lively by Stanley, Agnew and Ensor.
There was, indeed, one with DR..
Gciger as it's leader, but it had no
strength from tho start. Ensor
claimed to be tho regular republican
nominec-a claim disputed by Ag-
new and his supporters. Capt.
St'tnlcy was nominated on "Citi-
IONS " ticket, upon which there were
the names Of several prominent
colored republicans-among them
Henry E. Haync, the present secrc-
tary of state. Politics appeared not
to have entered much into the con-
test, and nearly everybody seemed
prompted by u desire to sacrifice
political preferences to the good Of
the city. The election was expected
tobcuuito close, and each side laborcd
hard for the asccndoncy at the polls
The result has already been stated
Asnow WIS elected by q small ma
jority over Stanley. It is asserted
that democrats, to a number far
larger than was necessary to turn
the contest in favor of Stanley,
omitted to. vote: The position Of
the city dailies. tho Register and the
GHion- n-Xer0Id, WAS somewhat re-
markable. The latter, though always
III outspoken republican Journal,
.rcpudiatcd tho different republican
nominations, and advocated the Citi-
IONS ticket The former, on the
other hanI, .persistcntly cschewed
the subject Of the election till within
few days Of the time for voting,
when it discussed tho respective
merits Of the different candidates,
but seemed to occupy decidedly
neutral ground. In the local
column there WAS an occasional re-
mark that would lead to tho conclu-
sion that the Stanley ticket WAS the
Registers choice, but the position
of the paper was decidedly that of
neutrality. The dilemma Of our
worthy contemporary was doubtless
IN embarrassing one. It has from
its first issue advocated II "straight-
out course on i'll occasions, and has
sharply criticised all holding a
different view--not emitting to com
ment III strong terms upon the action
of the conservative convention of 1874
in announcing us the platform of the
party honesty and economy in the
state government. It would doubt
less have been difficult for the
Register, having taken such posi-
ton, to advocate II ticket in which
the "straight out" principles it had
enunciatel were very wisely ig
norcl. This must account for the
Registers hlkewarmn css in con
! test than which none was ever more
fraught with Importance to the
people Of Columbia. We have no
doubt that the paper could have
welded II powerful influence upon
that very class of voters who's c
omission TO vote caused tho defeat
Of Stanley and most of his board OF
aldermen. The Register is IN OK
ccllcnt newspaper It's editorials
arc always we'll written, lively and
leadiblc, while the local department
is under the management Of q gen
tlcman who has shown rare talent
N his line. With large circulation
, among the intelligent classes in Go
l'mbia, it could surely have done
mnch to further the cause of tho
people, and possibly, nay, very
! probably, have turned the election
in favor of Stanley. But perhaps
we are mistaken.
Ihe lessons to be learnt from thu
defeat of Stanley by very smal
majority are-that there is no moro
dangerous practice than that Of re
naming away from the polls on tho
occasion of m important election
that where politics is left out of the
contest, it is the duty of all to use
their influence for that set of cancli
dates whose election is most calcu
lifted to promote the public good
and that there should in every sucl
contest be such IN organization O.
the good people of tho community
as that not single vote may be lost
At a town meeting in New Eng
land, recently, an old farmer spoke
strongly against making large np
| preparation for the schools, sayin2
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