Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1879-10-09

On next Tuesday the people OF Ohio
vote for State officers and members of the
Legislature. 1t is an important election,
in part because of the offices to be filled,
but largely because of the national signi-
ficance of the result This is the view
taken of the contest at home and aboard.
There has been "a good deal of bOasting
on both sides as to the result, and both
sides claim victory with confidence, so
far as surface indications go. This is
always the case. No party can afford to
give up contest in advance. If this were
done there would be no confidence, and
no real contest. But now that the work
of the campaign has been substantially
done, and little remains except to poll
the vote, and see that it is polled honest
ly and truly, nothing is to be gained by
vain bOasting. Therefore, as we shall
not haYe an opportunity to address our
readers again until after the election, we
propose at this time to forecast the re-
suit.
The Democrats are not now, and have
This for several reasons. First the ac-
ton of the extra session of Congress dam
aged the party in the estimation of the
people of the North, while the conduct
of the Legislature disgnsted a large part
of the Democrats and Greenbackers and
all the Republicans of Ohio.
Second, the leYel headed Democrats,
NClA' Il " ing " llO lS bltC ClllOONt-
ment of all that is unsound in finances,
was nominated, conceded his defeat.
On the other hand Republicans from
the first have been confident of success,
because they deserve it, and further, be-
cause the political elements are in their
favor.
1t is true the Democrats have, within
the last three weeks, under the manipula-
tions of their leaders, picked up courage,
and their vote on next Tuesday will be
larger than it would have been a few
weeks ago. Extra exertiOns, too, have
| been made to carry the Legislature.
It is not worth while for the D emo
cratic leaders to deny that they have Sc
cretly given up the State ticket, and that
| whatever hope they have is in their
! ability, by hard work in close districts,
| to carry at least the Senate and possibly
| the House of Representatives. To this
| end they are willing to trade votes for
the State ticket for votes for legislative
| candidates, giving odds of two and even
| three. 1t is hardly probable, however,
| that Republicans will be found inconsid-
| crate enough to make such trades. To
| do so, under the circumstances, would be
a political crime. If there ever was a
time when Republicans should vote
| straight tickets, it is now.
We do not deem it necessary to consult
| the details of recent elections to produce
| evidence of the confidence we feel as to
| the result. We are aware that Ohio has
| for several years been close State, and
that frequently since 1870 the Democrats
have carried it; but there has been no
such election since the close of the war
| as that now pending. We rely now for
success largely on the patriotism of the
people of Ohio, and this has never failed
| in any great emergency. During the
hard times through which we have passed
there was great deal of dissatisfaction.
| The Republican party being in power,
it was held responsible for the disasters
that fell upon the country, and thousands
of good Republicans switched off into
new party organizations, and many voted
| with the Democrats. The latter pre-
tended that they would, if placed in
power, extriCate the country from its
| difficulties, and they claimed that as the
war was over, and the Southern States
were back in the Union, a change in the
control of the government was desirable.
| This seemed plausible, and a great many
Republicans concluded TO take the Demo
Gratis at their word, while others followed
the greenback fall8cy. In this way the
Democrats managed to get control OF
| both houses of Congress, as they did also
of the State of Ohio, aud they came near
| capturing the Presidency in 1876. They
obtained sufficient control to enable them
to show what they would do If they had
full control, and it is this that has rekin-
died the patriotic fires throughout the
North, and it is upon this largely that we
base our estimate of Republican success
on next Tuesday.
In conclusion, it remains for us to say
that unless the Republicans carry the
State by q, 600, and the Legislature by a
good working majority, we shall be dis
appointed, and we feel confident that
there will be no such disappointment on
our side.-Ctss. Gazette Of yesterday.