National Republican., 1880-09-02
ArrrR Two MoNrug cANvAss.

within lew days after the Cincinnati |
convention had nominated q union soldier
to lead the rebel hosts we took n view of
the political situation as it appeared to
well.iniormed and candid politicians. At
that time we surrendered the solid south
to the democracy, thus giving HANCOCK n !
start of 135 electoral votes. The enthusi-
asm of the brigadiers in the Cincinnati
gathering seemed to assure the country
that in the great struggle impending the
south would lay'aside all minor questions
in order to give to its chosen candidate the
united voice of that section.
The votes of California, 6; Colorado, 3; !
Illinois, 81; Iowa, II; Kansas, 3; Massachu-
sets, 10; Minnesota, 8; Michigan, IL Ne.
braslSa, 3; New Hampshire, 8; Nevada, 3;
Ohio, % Oregon, 81 Pennsylvania, 80; Rhode
Island, 4; Vermont, 8; Wisconsin, 10; total,
159, were generally conceded to the re-
publicans, assuming that there would be
no defections-for there were some who
feared that the long and bitter preliminary
struggle which preceded the nomination of
General GARFIELD had weakened the allie
glance and permanently soured the tempers
of hosts Of republicans.
There were left then in the doubtful
column the states of Connecticut, 6; Indi-
ma, 10; Maine, 7; New jersey 9, and New
York, 3j; total, -. In these states we con-
ceded, in common with all honest political
observers, that the struggle would be long
and hotly contested, with few indications
MS to the result to be relied upon as more
than hopes and guesses. We had little
expectation that we would be able to claim
any Of them with confidence until after
the votes had been counted in November
Two months canvass gives us an experience
Of the drift Of public sentiment sufficient
to change our opinion of the outlook ma.
terinlly.
The south instead OF closing up to the
support of the democratic party with an
clan which comes of the assurance of vic
tory, shows ugly splits if not absolute
gaps IN its line of battle. Virginia has two
democratic electoral tickets in the field,
which, despite the agonizing appeals from
democratic advisers north, south, east and
west, show no signs of closing. The repub-
and united. The chances are decidedly
favorable to the success of the republican
ticket in the opinion of such observers as
BUELL. Of the Sunday Capital, the Charleston
Ne,rs and Courier and the New York Herald.
Georgia has held convention full of dis
cords, which has resulted in placing two
democratic state tickets in the field. In
-. a
Two democratic gubernatoral candidates
are canyasslng against each other with
more than partisan bitterness. 1t is true
that in both of these states there is an
apparent unity on electoral tickets for
HANCOCK, and there is no reasonable ex-
pectation of carrying either for GARFIELD
yet the condition OF intestine war cannot
fail TO be demOralizing to the democratic
party in these states and elsewhere.
On the other hand, in the north the re-
publicans have developed within the past
four weeks an enthusiasm which has sur
prised the most confident. Their claims
upon the 159 votes ut first noted have be-
come absolute certaintes, while they are
justified now in adding the votes Of Maine
and the 10 of Indiana, raising their total
Of assured votes to Isl. We believe now
that if the party was content merely ia
win, the campa ign committee could safely
spend the balance of its money in Con-
pocticut whose o votes are all that are
needed to give GARFIELD a majority of two
In the electoral college.
The circumstances, however, under which
the vote Of the states is to be counted are
such as warn the republicans to 90 before
the two houses with such preponderance
Of electoral votes as will offer no tempta-
tion TO the democratic majority to tampeJ
with the returns. Consequently we will
not be satisfied with less than solid
north, and the same drift of opinion which
assures us Of success in other states is oper-
Ating to carry us TO great victories in New
York, New Jersey and Connecticut
The blowing Of democratic trumpets over
the alleged union of the discordant democ
racy--discordan only because Of greed fol
the spoils-does not disconcert the republi
can leaders of New York. In fact, many o
the shrewdest of them believe that TIVE
democratic city tickets, with but one elec
toral ticket, would be greater peril to re
publican success than will forced har
mony between the democratic spoilsmen
in which neither party is satisfied. VIII
KELLY ticket and n TILDEN ticket fol
mayor and aldermen every ward would be
Taked rs with fine-toOthed comb for dem
ocratic voters, and the result would be The
largest vote ever cast, and every diverse
democratic city ticket would mean vote
for the HANCOCK electors. With but one
ticket in the field, and that n KELLY