Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-12-07
The Great Republican "vIctory."
Hopkinsyllle New Era.


The great cry of victory" which
has been raised along the Republi-
can lines since the November cleo
tion, and the bOasting and arrogance
of the Republican pre- S, can only be
accounted for upon the hypothesis
that the leaders of that party had
regarded II as dead beyond all hope
of resurrection, and were therefore
not at all prepared for the spasmodic
evidence of vitality which II mani
tested in some localities at the late
election. The exultant whoOp
raised by the Republican press and
politicians can be attributed, wo
say, to no other cause. because there
is nothing whatever in the result Of
the election to give them substan-
tial comfort or encouragement.
1t is as well known as anything
can be that the great flight on tho
fifth of November was made for SUI
premacy In the National House Of
Representatives The issue was
not the election of q State ticket or
Legislature, or q number Of State
tickets or Legislatures, but the bat
tie was fought on National issues
for the control of the lower branch
of Congress. This fact, we repeat,
cannot be disproved, concealed OF
evaded. Then, since the smoke OF
the conflict has passed away and
time has been given to take n calm
review Of the field, let us SEQ who
has indeed won the day.
At the beginning Of the Forty
fifth Congress the Democrats had n
majority of seven. They will 90
into the FOrty-sixth Congress with
a plurality vote over the Republi-
cans of 10; a majority over the COM
bined Republican and Greenback
vote Of IA, and a majority over all,
dividing the Greenbackers between
the two parties according 20 their
known predilection, Of 20. In this
estimate we have counted as Re
publicans those Greenbaclkers who
have announced their purpose 20
vote with that party on general Is
sues, and Uicc UerSd. This count In
cludes among the Democrats Iadd,
of Maine, Gillette, Of Iowa, and
Stevenson, of Illinois, all of whom
can undoubtedly be relied upon.
We put down as simon pure Green
hackers, Do La Matyr, Of Indiana
Murch, of Maine Weaver, Of Iowa,
Forsyth, Of Illinois, and Barlow, OF
Vermont. On questions other than
finance the first three would vote
with the Democrats and the last
two with the Republicans.
Thus Il will be seen that the Re
publlcans will begin work IN the
Forty-sixth Congress with thirteen
less than they had at the commence
ment ofthe present Congress. They
went before the country backed by
the money and patronage Of the
Government, determined, if posi-
BILE, by fair means or foul, TO gain
control Of the House. They knew
the Senate was hOpelessly lost To
them, and that unless they could get
a majority i'm tho next House they
would have no showing whatever
to win In 1880. EmbOldened and
spurred on by the desperation Of
their condition, they made the very
best fight Il was possible for them
to make and were decisively de-
feated, as we have shown above. If
the result affords any comfort to tho
heart, we rejoice To
know that the time has come when
that party, oppressed by "A sense CT
Its own misdeeds and realizing its
of public trust, appre-
aiates the Justice Of and bows with
To the command Of tho
people which bids 10 forever depart
rom place and power.