Litchfield enquirer., 1876-11-02
CONN ECTICUT.

 remember that he will be inevitably in- fnenced, more or less, by party prejudi- ces, and he should make dne allowance therefor. Last week we gave what seem to us reasons for preferring Hayes to Til den on national grounds. How does the matter stand as regards state issues ? Which is the party of reform in Connecti cut?
 It may be claimed, in the first place, that the Democratic party has been re- gently given power among us by the peo- pie, because it is better entitled to popu- lar confidence than the Republican party. A brief survey of facts will, we think. de- monstrate the fallacy of that idea.
 In the spring of 1860, after bitter fight, Gov. Buckingham was only reelected by majority of 800. Then came on the war with largely increased Republican maiori- ties. A good many Democrats who be- lieved ID vigorous war policy left their party because they saw that it was con- trolled by anti-war men like Eaton, Burr and Seymour. Naturalizations, also, the great Democratic source of increase, fell off during the war. With the return of peace, however, crowds of foreign-born voters were added to our electorate, and, in 1866, Gov. Hawley narrowly escaped defeat. Then the state turned over and gave Democratic majorities in the spring elections of '67 and '68; but the legisla- ture remained Republican. The success of Gen. Grant, and stringent registra- tion act, evened the popular vote, and saved us the legislature till 1872. In that year the New Haven bolt against Hawley. and the candidacy of MT. Greeley, demor- alized the Republican party. In the presidential election of '72, indeed, Dem ocratic disgust with Greeley gave us the majority; but in the spring of 1873, we not only lost our state ticket, but our hold of twenty years on the legislature. Since that time the state has steadily gone Democratic. We do not imagine that Liberal Republicanism has material ly affected the popular vote; but it has certainly given the Democracy many doubtful towns, and thus strengthened their hold on the legislature. The real oc- casion of the growing power of the De- mocracy lies in the increase of the foreign vote That alone more than accounts for their present majority
 We have no desire to hide Republican short comings, and frankly confess that, here in the Fourth Congressional Dis. trict, where the Democracy have increased their majority more than anywhere else in the state, the political demoralization dates back to the shameful nomination of P. T. Barnum by Republicans in '67, and to the counter of Wm. H. Barnum by the Democracy. From that time to this, the money and the influence of the latter have been steadily running up Democratic majorities to such an ex
 tent as to have controlling influence on the result in the state at large. As nat ural consequence MT. Barnum has be- come the Warwick of the Democracy, He has the making of Democratic candi. dates and control of Democratic policy in Connecticut much as Simon Cameron has the control of the Repub lican nomina , tinns and rartv nnliey in Ponnauluania
 parties that is one of the crying evils O. our times. We consider it the first duty
 of Pennsylvania Republican to repudi
 ate the men and measures of Simon Gam
 eron. The interference of New York
 Custom House politicians with Republi
 can conventions should be repressed with
 indignation by the honest Republicans ot that state. Patient endurance of such
 wrong has all the evil effect of complicitJ
 with the wrong-doer. We cannot con- ceive how the independent voter in Con
 necticut can so misconceive his duty as tc
 support party plainly subservient to the
 The first condition of his support
 should De that they should purge them selves of so corrupting an influence. party which gives only barren honors te men like Charles R. Ingersoll and Rich ard D. Hubbard, and bestows its posi-
 tions of greatest influence on men like
 Wm. W, Eaton and Wm. H. Barnum, ii 7 not party that deserves the support o , the reformer. Let the voter remember that we must estimate party not by tht class of officials to whom is given appar ent power but by those who have the req power The weakest governor in the } United States is the governor of Connect. . icut; and the strongest legislature in the United States is the legislature of Con . necticut. What we ask, therefore, is tha
 the Democracy oi Connecticut be judged , not from the governors they elect, who control nothing--whose veto, even il 8 scarcely an obstacle to bad legislstion- : but by the legislatures they elect, and tn, 3 Senators and Representives they send tt 3. Congress. Let the candid voter conside, . these questions, and vote accordingly - Has the Democratic party since it's ad k vent to power in this state elected weak CT or stronger legislatures than were cho
 sen under the Republican regime? Hav, , ! those legislatures been of better or worse ? repute as regards corruption? Have the,
 strengthened or weakened the judiciary
 What has been their feeling towards oul 5 public school system? In short, have tn, 3 estimable men of the party--lts 1ngersolls
 Hubbards and Wells-most influence witl ,. its legislatures, its conventions. and it, state committees. or corruptionists ik' n Barnum. and demagogues like Eaton? If l as the Democracy claim, there IS need o t a change of parties in the administration I of national affairs, is there not at leas o as great need of a change in the admin i istration of state affairs here in Connect 8 icut?
 In urging these considerations we make | l~: