Litchfield enquirer., 1878-07-25
Senatorial Prospects.

MT. Wm. d. Barnum IS preparing TOT tn( campaign of November next with, we regFe to say, an excellent chance of success. Hi preparations are of that quiet, adroit kine which show little on the surface. Neverthe less there are many indications which prove tc one at all usedto watching MT. Barnum's strate gY that he is on the alert, and quietly setting that machinery in motion through which h' has heretofore won his successes. AS we re marked, last fall, the Republican success ol TT helps rather than flinders Mir. Barnum'i game. He is very glad to have Republicans believe that they are almost sure to win; and Democrats that they are almost sure to lose in the coming election. Such anotion not only slackens the efforts of his Republican oppo nents it kills all effective Democratic opposi ton, by placing him in position where he can say to his own party, '1 can carry the next House and no one else can"
 Moreover a Senatorial contest in a State like Connecticut; wherea few voters, in few towns, decide the contest; is peculiarly adapted to the Barnum style of attack. A change of ten votes, each, in twenty towns, will give him a majority on joint ballot in the coming legisla- ture. If our recollection serves US, he put a little more than $20, 900 into the hands of the Democratic State Committee in the spring of '76, besides what he spent through his own special agents A similar sum- shrewdly ex- pended, next fall, will ensure him a Democrat ic House, unless the people become thorough ly aroused to the shamefulness of this kind of dealing with our most important public offices. The percentage of purchasable voters varies greatly in different localities but how many towns which ordinarily give less than g ma jority to either party could withstand the pres sure of $500, per town, of Mr. Barnum's mon- ey? A legislature is not carried by scattering money broadcast, but by special efforts especial towns.
 But, says the over-confdent Republican, we are almost certain of majority in the Senate; we carried the State on the popular vote, last fall Mir. Barnum has lost much of his local strength, and is heartily dsliked and distrusted by the better men of his own party. To all this the answer is obvious: Under the joint ballot law, it is the complexion of the House, not of the Senate, that determines the choice of an United States Senator. Were the people to vote directly for or against MT. Barnuu, he could be beaten, in spite of the length of his purse but they do not vote for or against MT. Barnum. They vote for the nominees of the caucuses which a few leaders manipulate in the interest of Mir. Barnum. These nominees say nothing about him. They run on thelr in- diyidual merits. It is only after they reach Hartford, next winter, that they will develope into out-spoken Barnum men.
 Then, too it is said, both Houses are now Republican. True, the Republicans have a majority of three in the Senate, and of twenty six in the House. They may hold their Senate majority, but how is it with the House? {? The Republicans now have 21 Representatives in Litchfield county to 20 Democratic In the spring of '76, when the legislature which chose MT. Barnum was elected, there were 13 Re publicans and 28 Democrats sent to the House. If Mr. Barnum can maneuver as successfully in 78 as he did in '76, he will wipe out at least half of the hostile majority of 26. in his own county. Wegive below the list of towns in this county which have changed on representative vote since April '76, with their respective ma- jorities in the presidential election of that year. and on the sheriff's and senatorial vote of last fall:
 NAs