Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-04-16

went Democratic, owing to weak NO.
mlnatons and apa!ketic voters on the
Republican side. They looked upon
their victory in Chicago as straw
which showed that the wind out West
was blowing Southerly. They fondly
imagined that, having ptured the
citadel OF Western Ref ubli anlsm, all
the remaining works would give way
| and, by getting the local forces in con-
troll, the way would be made easy for
the National campaign, and they
would have no difficulty in returning
Democratic President. The returns
show how bitterly they were d sap
pointed. The Republicans have swept
Ohio, and thereby fred the first gun
with telling effect. They not only
carried their old stamping ground, but
have taken the old Democratic strong
holds, leaving not a peg upon which
the Bourbous can hang hope. ln
Michigan they whipped the Bourbons
and crazy Fiatlsts combined and swept
the State by nearly 10000 majority.
Illinois Iowa, Minnesota, Connecticut,
aud Maine, though the elections were
scat erlug, they have lost no ground,
but on the other hand have advanced
their colors nearer t. the enemies
works. In Ohio and Michigan, where
the contest was most general aud lm-
portant In its significance. the fight
was made squarey upon National is
sues, and these two great States voted
10 1879 the way they fired from 1861
to 1865. IT the Bourbons in Congress
could derive any comfort from the
elec ion in Chicago, wherein the gov
erumeut only was concerned, it remains,
to be seen how much comfort they
will derive from the great and powell
full State of Ohio, where the battle was
fought squarely upon the National is
sue. and where something besides the
interests of home government, were at
stake.
The elections of Monday settled
some vital points. The Democrats of
OHIO in their platform made the issue
National cue Ii was forced upon
the Republicans. but they boldly ac-
cepted it aud won. aud thus foreshad-
owed the result of the National cou-
test They felt that it was the fnal
struggle between the Southern Con-
fedeiacy and the United States, aud
they went into the struggle with the
same spirit and enthusiasm that char
acterlzed the loyal men of the North
when the first shot Was fired at Sumter
1t was the first warning to a Solid
South that the North also is soidify
ing. 1t was a reminder to the South
ern Brgadiers that they have not yet
captured the Capital, though Ben Hill
Ia an absent moment utters the
thought that is nearest his heart when
he speaks of the body of which he is
member as the "Coufederate Senate"
1t was an emphatic declaration to tie
South that the North will not allow
the uontederacy to take possession Of
Congress or the Government with the
purpose of controlling them, to coerce
the President. or to dictate to the
Northern people. it expressed,
through the ba!iot-box, the determina-
tion not on y to the people OF Ohio,
but of the whole North. th t the few
remaining vestises of the War legisla-
| ton shall not be erased from the sta
tute-books. aud that the safeguards Of
| an honest election shall not be broken
down, in order that the revlvlng Con-
| feieracy may obtain control of the
/ Government If tie Southern Briga
dlers and th T: Northern Copperhead
allies are capable Of understanding the
political drift of this election, they will
read in its overwhelming result that
the North is not yet ready to pay the
Rebel war debt, to peuslon Rebel
soldiers, or to pay Rebel war claims;
that the lapse of time since the close
Of the War Of The Rebellion has not
obiterated the recollection Of South
ern treason against the Government; !;
that it will not admit the right of the
secession which the Brigadiers are
now so boldly affirming npcn the floor
of Congress, nor the infamous doctrine
that State Sovereignty is superior to
National; that the safeguards Of the
ballot box shall be retained, and that
every citizen OF the South shall have
the free exercise Of the right of sui
frage which is guaranteed him by the
| Constitution. These are the lessons
of the elections on Monday, and, while
they ought to encourage the Repnbll-
cans in Congress and the President to
stoutly resist the revolutionary schemes
es of the majority, they ought at the
same time TO warn the Soufh that the
North has once more ordered 1T to
halt. Chicago Tribune, april 9Th.