Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-10-11
The Result i'm Ohio.

lnC IACSult HI Oi'O'
II the earlier reports are to be relied
upon as correct, the republican party has
suffered defeat in Ohio. in the State cleo
ton of Tuesday, and the democratic can
didate for Governor, Richard NJ. Bishop,
is elected by majority varously estimat-
ed from five thousand TO ten thou
sand. The political complexion of the
LEGISLATURE is not exactly known--news
from the western reserves must come in
before that can be definitely ascertained-
but the alarming probabilities are that
that too has passed into the hands of our
political opponents. This Legislature,
elected for two years, will choose a sue
cessor to United States Senator Stanley
Matthews, whose term expires in March.
1879. And just here we notice one OF
the principal causes of defeat The re-
publicans of Ohio do not cordially APP
prove of the substitution of time-serving
policy and expedients for the clear and
manifest principles so long held by the
party, and which have heretofore given ii
life and claim for life on the sutfrages
of the American people. As Stanley
Matthews personifed and illustrated in an
intensified degree this idea of subservien-
cy, he became conspicuous in the cam
paign, and this champion gusher of the
nineteenth century has been laid out stiff
and stark in his winding sheet, ready for
burial in the political grave which his own
hands have dug.
There were other causes contributing TO
defeat, such as the multiplicity of parties
and factions, the conglomeration OF
platforms and principles, and the entire
absence of all principle. There was Sam
Carey's "Natlonal organization the
Greenbae kers the Prohibitionists; the
Workingmen's party; the striking ele-
nents. and various other organizations,
more or less distractng and discouraging
to republican prospects. These, with the
veteran General Apathy" so apt to be on
hand during an off year, had. combined,
the effect to lead to the result stated.
By no torture of language can the re-
suit be reckoned as an endorsement Of the
Presidents Southern policy. This policy
was clearly and conspicuously made an
issue in the Presidents own State, and
the people have put their seal OF con-
domination upon it. We say this, not to
find crumb of comfort in the midst of
defeat, but because it is fact in
political history. They of his own house
hold, must part company with him in
their opinion on the wisdom of the
policy. 1t was a gigantic mistake to
make this the chief issue of the campaign.
There are common grounds upon which the
party could, unitedly, march on to victo-
ry. Twice the leader Of the republican par
ty In their Gubernatorial campaigns, Mr..
Hayes has triumphed on platform
In which the entire party and the
loyal men of the country have full
faith; the victory was reiterated when he
was sent to Congress. and to fill the Pres
idential chair. But, on Monday last, from
forty thousand to fifty thousand republi-
cans in Ohio, did not see their way clear
to come to the polls, when their votes
would be reckoned as an approval of
line of policy in which they had no faith.
They are none the less republicans for
that, and the temporary defeat of the
party reveals the mistake made in the early
campaign in Introducing an unnecessary
and distracting element, and making
bald issue of an experiment that the
republicans everywhere are willing
time should test. The result in Ohio is no
indication that the State has hopelessly
drifted into the hands of the democracy.
And among the Presidents warmest SUP
porters, in his good intentions and pur-
poses, among the truest friends of repub-
lican principles. will be found those, who,
on Tuesday last. could not endorse a poll
cy which at the present is but an ex-
pertinent. Had that question not been
made the leading issue, the State would
have remained as true and as stalwart as
Maine.