The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-10-22
The Press and Banner
Wednesday, Oct. %. 1879.
Recent Republican Successes.-Do they
Affect the South?

Recent Republican Successes.-Do they
Affect the South?
Maine, Iowa, Ohio-score three for the
republicans, and put down o round o for
the Northern democrats. Such IS the
state of the great national game OF poll
tics Mt the present time--not a very cheer
ing thought for the national democracy.
The loss to that party of the great State OF
Ohio certainly is a g%rievous one, regard
it in what light they may. 1t will nee
essarily give the republicans throughout
the North great encouragement and con-
fdencc in the elections in other States
while the democrats will suffer from q
corresponding encouragement and ner-
yousncss. The man who draws iirst
blood greatly increases thereby his
chances Of whipping his adversary :
and what is true in pugilism is true III
political party-warfarc. Unless some
grand mistake is made by the Northern
republicans in future elections, such q
mistake which we confess we have small
hope of seeing them make, the victory IN
the presidential election Of 1880 will be
gained by the republican party, We
publish in another column the comments
of the press on the recent election. our
readers will find there that different peo-
pie have different opinions about the re-
suit in Ohio just as they have different
opinions about apples and onions. One
thing is certain, however, the democracy
has lost Ohio tho republicans have car
ried the elections there by a majority OF
at least II, 900. This majority is not large
for that great and populous State u al
ter a campaign of unexampled activity
on the part of both democrats and repup-
licans, a miss is as good rs q mile, ana a
majority of II, 900 is rs good as majority
of 7o.o OO. 1t counts as much in the pres
idential election.
What does tho republican victory
mean ? Not the triumph of republican
over democratic principles it is not a
question of soft-money against hard
money =; paradoxical though 1T may seem
it Is not a defeat Of democrats by rcpuo-
licans 1T is something more serious and
more significant. 1t is the emphatic dec
lar,tion that there is o United North as
we'll as a Solid South it is the legitimate
fruit of the sectional legislation and
bloodv-shirt and shot-gun.sspeeches Of
the extra session. Professionally and con-
sistently the Northern republican lead
ers have assured the people that a demo-
cratic administration meant the rule OF
the Solid South. The people were asked
if they were willing to submit to South
ern domination, the conquerors to the
conquered, the loyal to the rebel {; and
the people Of Ohio and of other States
have answered at the ba~llot-box that they
cannot brook the rule of the Confederate
B%rigadiers, that they WILL not have these
men to reign over them. This truly IS
the serious lesson to be learnt from the
recent elections. We believe there are as
many democrats in Ohio to-day as there
were last year, but Northern democrats
as we'll as Northern republicans have a
wholesome and constant dread of the
South, and the instant the power of the
South is seen to be in the ascendant they
join with their republican fellow-citizens
in forming q United North. Blood is
thicker than water, sectional feeling is
stronger than party fealty and geoSraph-
ical connections more enduring than par
ty principles. There Is no doubt about it;
and we of the South should open onr
eyes and look this grave fact in the face.
How will the recent elections affect tho
South? On the whole we think the eff
feet Upon our Southern elections will be
favorable, on the following grounds:
/. By making the issue 81 in the prcsiden-
tial election less doubtful, by making the
success of the republicans almost certain,
the recent elections have precluded the
necessity Of carrying the presidential war
into the South. We in South Carolina,
therefore, may we'll look fora more peace
full campaign next year than we should
have if the opposing forces were more
equally matched and if the republicans
REQUIRED to count in this State or Florida,
Louisiana. If they required any
Southern State. South Carolina would be
the one, being small and easy 10 manip-
ulate. But as much money and much
work would be needed for this, the repub-
licans will not expend either if the pres
idential election is decided at the North.
We need peace and quietness next year
in South Carolina much more thar we
need the election of a dllnocratic presi-
dent, and if the recent elections have, as
we think, decided the presidential cleo
ton in favor Of the republicans, for this
We should be measurably thankful.
2. Another reason for considering the
effect favorable to the South is that the
Ohio election greatly diminishes Grants
charces, and greatly increases Sherman's
chances Of nomination. For the same
that renders the Southern States
unnecessary as republican allies, Grant
is unnecessary as the republican candi-
date. The republicans will not r~e-elect
him il they car get on without him. On
~ in the event of a close and dubious
struggle would Grants great popularity
be required Us an element of success. But
now the republicans may pretty conf
IDENTIFY count on electing their candidate,
and as Sherman is the administration can
didate, we may look for his nomination !;
and to us of the South, Sherman would
be more acceptable than Grant.
Sixty Per Cent.
We are reliably informed that the death
rate of the prisoners sent from the South
Carolina Penitentiary to work on the
Greenwood and Augusta Railroad has
been siyty per cent, including those who