Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-10-20
Matrhnan & gnnr,raL
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1880.
Ohio $50 Indiana.

The names of the two states which stand
at the head of this article have been in
tensely and anxiously familiar during
these late autumn days to the lips and
the thoughts of every person in the pation
arrived at the age of discretion. They have
been emblazoned in startling headlines and
stood sentinel over prophetic leaders on the
editorial page of every newspaper from one
end of this broad land to the other. Not
since war time, during the great battles
that eliminated in Lees surrender, has there
been such feverish solicitude over the result
of a contest and such strained interest to
catch the first tidings of the verdict which
the ballot-box at Tuesdays sunset held
within its grasp. What signifed this burn
ing interest in an event, respecting which
the thought even of an adverse decision
brought pallor to the cheek of loyal men,
aud filed the breast of stalwart manhood
with gloomy forebodings2 This and nothing
less--the consciousness of the death grapple
with relentless power, defeated at the
polls in 1860 and overthrow at Appomat-
tox in 1865. During the last four years, as
during the four years of war, the issue OF
the contest has trembled in the balance.
Men have watched with anxious gaze the
vibrating of the beam, which has main
tanned nearly dead level since the gauge of
battla xpao form alIy dal;varad in tho aarly
summer months. Into the scale of freedom
these two great commonwealth of the
loyal north have now thrown their decisive
weight, and its disloyal fellow kicks the
BEAM The outcome of the last grand
struggle in November, around which the
hopes and fears of the loyal hearts have CEN
tered, is clearly foreshadowed by the result
of this election, and joy and thanksgiving
Richmond swells through the north. The
issue of the pending presidential election
has been practically decided in Ohio and
Indiana, as the fall of Richmond was the
precursor of Appomattox. Great things
were expected of Ohio. A favorable result
there, reacting on New York, was the main
chance on which Republican success was
staked.
Indiana, in spite of some favorable indi-
cations, and the conviction that in a fair
election the state is as surely Republican as
Ohio and Illinois, was generally conceded
to the Democrats. If they experienced any
disappointment on election day in the way
of favorable results, Republicans were pre-
pared to bear the affection with becom-
ing resignation and deposit the advantage
in bank to draw against in November. The
Republicans, possessing Indiana, are situa-
ted like business man with strong bank
account. But the unlooked-for accession of
the Hoosier state to the Republican column
brings with it a danger not unlike that which
befalls an individual endowed with unex-
pected riches-a tendency to stop work, a
disposition towards Incidence, an inclina-
ton to sit down in false security and enjoy
the conquests already achieved before the
final victory is won. Learning wisdom from
the past, the Republicans will not lay down
their arms or relax single effort till the
great final triumph in November is securely
within their grasp,