The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-10-09

Now that the early enthusiams of
our Democratic friends over what
they supposed was victory for them
In Maine has exhausted itself, and
they have settled down to take such
comfort as they may out of the fact
that the Republicans at any rate did
not make the great gains they expec-
ted. il may be well 70 consider just
what Significance an election In
Maine has. Two years ago Maine
gave the country just such u surprise
rs that Of q fortnight age. In 1877
the Republicans had polIed over 81
Der cent Of the total vote and elected
their Governor by more than IL 900
majority. In September, 1878, like
lightning out of a clear sky came the
news on election night that the Re.
publican candidate for Governor was
in minority or the total vote and
there had been no election by the
people. Later it appeared that the
Republican ticket had polled only
about As per cent of the whole vote
and was in a minority of over 1900
votes, while the allied Greenbackers
and Democrats had majority of IL
Un joint ballot in the Legislature,
which gave them the State officers
Some people can remember with
what howls of triumph the Demo-
Gratis all over the country received
this news, and how they prognostica-
ted from it sweeping successes for
their party IN Ohio and Indiana In
October and in all the States voting
in November. They were much
more jubilant and confident then
than they have been over their pres-
ent escape. Well, after all their talk
about the tidal wave beginning in
Maine and sweeping the country, in
creasing their majority in Congress
and annihilatlng the Republicans.
what happened? Just this: In
Ohio, which in 1877 had gone Demo.
cratic by over $4,000 plurality, the
Republicans carried the State by 8
plurality of 3,154 F.; in Indiana, where
at the previous election they lack ed
about 5000 Of majority over all,
they were in minority on the full
vote of over $4,000; in all the North.
ern States there were great Republi-
can gains in November. Connecticut
was redeemed with the gain of Re.
publican United States Senator, and
the Democratic majority in Congress,
which, on the heels of the Maine
election, they claimed would be
largely increased, was considerably
reduced. and all along the line Re-
publicans were rejoicing over their
great and almost unexpected sue
cesses. The affect of the Maine cleo
tien was very different from what
tho Democrats had so confidently
hoped and predicted. This year,
though tho result in that State has
been falling OF in the Fusion ma
jorit, Of over $4,000 votes since 1878.
and a slight reduction in the major
ity Of their combined vote of last
year. which was about 500. there has
been the same skylarking and high
goings on among our Democratic
friends as In 1878. This year, as two
years ago. they are predicting the
most sweeping Democratic successes
in the other States on the strength
Of what they have done in Maine. Is
there any good reason or sound basis
for this exuberanc3 Is not the
effect of their grand victory upon the
country in 1879 just criterion of the
probable effect OF this election, which
can hardly be called victory. but is
more properly hairbreath escape ?
If the effect OF 10000 Fusion major.
ity in Maine in 1873 was to increase
Republican and diminish Democratic
majorities everywhere in the North
and West, and sensibly diminish the
Democratic majority in Congress.
does 1t seem probable that the loss of
that entire majority and the election
of Fusion Governor by bare plu-
rality will influence any more pew.
srfully the results in other States =?
IT the Republicans were not staln-
peded by their great defeat two years
ago, is 1t likely they will be by this
almost drawn battle? But then our
Democratic friends always did have
. way of "hallooing before they were
out of the woods"
General Hancock says: "When
rebellion was crushed, the heresy of