Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1880-09-24

General Garfield's votes have huctuated
from year toyear. His highest vote in the
first series is % )lS7, in 1868; his lowest 1353S, in
1870. His highest vote in the second series is
200l2, in 1876; his lowest is 1851, in 1874. But
the total vote of the State is almost equally
tiuctuating. The State vote in the first period
varies from $4,000 in 1862, to SIS, ,7Ss in lo6S. In
the second period the variation is from 44S,s7S
In 1873, to 6j9,1Tl in 1876. There is no marked
difference between the district and the State
fluctuations. At the same time it is well
known that district that is overwhelmingly
in favor OF one party, like the Nineteenth,
generally varies much more than one that is
nearly equally divided.
1t will be seen that there is large falling
off in the Republican vote of the district in
the years 1873 and 1874. Garfield had -, 1883 in
1872, Noyes 12,545 in 1873, Garfield 12,59l In
1874 Hayes 20, ,49l in 1875.
1t will be observed that this falling off was
greatest in 1873, when General Garfield was
not II candidate. Governor NOyes had forty
six fewer votes in 1873 than General Garfeld
had in 1874. The falling of in the Republican
vote of 1873 and 1874 was not confined to this
district. There was similar falling off all over
the State and Nation.
At no time since 1860 has the strength of the
party reached so Iowa point as in 1874. In
Ohio the Republicans lost the First. Second,
Third, Fourth and Twentieth Districts. They
came near losing the Eighth, Tenth and Sew
enteenth The total vote of the State was
G2043 less than it was in 1872, and l22,3i5 less
than it was in 1876. And so it was all over
the Nation. In the Forty-thiro Congress,
elected in 1872, the Republicans had major
ity, over the Democrats in the House of Rep
resentatives of lO3. In the Forty-fourth Con-
greSs, elected in 1874, the Democrats had ma
jority of sixty in the House over the Republi-
cans.
This change of 1853 in the relative standing
of the two parties in the National House OF
Representatives marks the vast political
change that took place all over the country
in the years 1873 and 1874. We do not here
discuss the causes of this change. Whatever
they were they explain the falling oA in the
Republican vote in this Congressional district
in those years.
movement in 1872. AS editor of the Tribune
MIR. Greeley had large influence on the West
ern Reserve, and as a Presidential candidate
he drew Off large vote from the Republican
party. These Greeley Republicans formed a
class Of tiuctuating voters for several years
By 1878 most of them had returned TO the
Republican party. In the same period Green
baclkism sprang up and made inroads on the
party. Accordingly, for the most part, the
defectiOns of lSI, 1873, 1874 were not the result
of dissatisfaction with General Ga Held; they
were rather due to the general causes named
including the commercial crisis and the hard
times which followed il,
In 1875 the Republican party began to re-
cover the lost ground in the Nation, in Ohio
and in this district. The next year Garfield's
vote was the highest that he has ever received
with a single exception, the vote of 1853.
That the fluctuations in General Garfeld's s
vote are due to general causes is still further
shown by his vote in 1870. In that year he re-
cetved only 1850, only l,OOO more than in
1874. No doubt that vote would be referred to
Credit MObier and the other charges had it
not come two years before the public had
heard OF the Credit-Mobilier Company.
4. While it is perfectly clear that the
fluctuations in General Gartield's votes are
due to general causes, we do not hesitate TO
state that, for time, the charges against him
made considerable impression upon the Re
publicans of this district. 1t is sensitive and
Jealous constituency. General Garfields rela-
tions TO Credit Mohilier, the increase OF snla-
ries, and the De Golyer case were not at first
properly understood by the people. Efforts
were made 10 break down his public reputa-
tion and drive him from Congress. ANY man
who remembers the state of the public mind
in those years, and who understands the con-
ditOn of things in aCongressiOnal district that
has been represented by one man for twelve
years, will readily appreciate the influences
that were combined against him.
A history of these efforts is here in place.
March 20, 1873, a Trumbull County Republican
Convention met in Warren to nominate del
egate TO the State Constitutional Convention.
This Convention passed a resolution denounc-
ing General Garfield for voting for the RE
trOactive Salary bill" and calling upon him to
resign. Is is now falsely asserted that this
was Congressional Convention of the Nine
teenth District. IL was a County Convention,
called for county purpose, and without any
district affairs. 1t sat three weeks after the
passage of the "Salary bill" General Gar
understood by but few, II was gen
orally believed that he had drawn the
back pay, and it was this belief that led the
facts were that General Garfield had not
drawn it, but had ordered 1t covered into the
Treasury March ~, four days before the
Trumbull County Convention met. lad this
been known at the time the resolution would
never have been adopted. When the facts
came out the members of that Convention
generally regretted their hasty action. They
are now earnest supporters of General Gar
field almost 10 man. Four of the five men,
bers of the committee that drafted the resolu-
tions are supporting him warmly, and the
Presidential preference of the other is un-
known. So much for the history of this
Trumbull County Convention.
AT no time did a Nineteenth District Con-
vention pass other resolutions concerning
General Garfield than resolutions of approval
and Endorsement. Still, an attempt was made
to defeat his denomination in 1874 After the
opposition had done its utmost General Gar
field was nominated in a full delegate con-
vention by 100 votes to "a blanks. His vote at
the ensuing election was fOrty-siX greater
than that which Governor Moves received in
the same counties the year before. After his
nomination an Independent candidate was
nominated. In the election the Independent
candidate received 3,427 votes, the Democratic
candidate 6,2i5, GARFIELD l2,50l.
The votes cast for the Independent candi-
date can be divided into three classes;
Votes of anti-Garlield Republicans; votes of
dissatisfied Republicans, most of whom had
been Greeley men in 1872; votes of Democrats.
That the Independent candidate received
many Democratic votes Is shown by the fact
fell considerably behind the Democratic cam
didate for Secretary of State. In some town
ships the entire opposition vote was cast for
the Independent candidate.
Two years later a few interested men again
attempted 10 organize an opposition 10 his re-
nomination. How signHlly this attempt failed
Is shown by the facts that no name but Gar
held's was mentioned IN the Convention, and
that he was nominated by acclamation, An
"Indepondent' Convention was now held