The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1880-12-18

The number of votes in the United
States has nearly doubled in the last
twenty years. Six Presidential cleo
tions have taken place in this mem
orable cycle, beginning with the civ
il war, and ending with the Great
Fraud and Garfield. The aggregate
votes of the two extremes are as fol-
lows:
Total, 1890. .................9,192 ,595
Total. 1860. ...................4,5 76,S53
Mr.. Lincoln was in large minor
ity of the popular vote when elected
in 1860. The Democratic party split
in two parts at the Charleston Con
vention of that year, and opened the
door for the success of the republican
candidate, with the following result:
1860.
Lincoln ........................ ,ooo,3oZ
Breckenridge. .................. S45, 1853
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 5o9, 5Sl
Lincoln's minority, 407,342.
At the next election the rebellion
was on it's last legs, and the Demo
Gratis nominated Gen. Mcclellan for
their candidate,upon the foolish plat
form that the war had been failure.
The figures below make it plain that
the people did not concur in that par
tisan opinion:
Lincoln ............,..........2.216,O67
Mcclellan ........+. ..........1, sos, 725
Lincoln s majority, 407 ,342.
Unfortunately for the country, Mr..
Lincoln was assassinated at the OPEN
ing of his second term, and he was
succeeded by Andrew johnson, who,
in attempting to carry out the policy
of his predecessor, quarrelled with
Congress. and embittered the rela-
tions of parties.
Fresh from success in closing the
rebellion, and gathering into his own
hands the laurels won by the heroism
of great army, part of which had
been cruelty sacrificed by obstinacy
and ignorance, Gen. Grant was nom
mated in 1868.
A strong sentiment in the North
pointed to the selection of Salmon p
Chase as the most available candi-
date for the Democrats at that time.
But Gov. Seymour, against his own
judgment, was, by sharp trick in
the Convention, put in the false posi-
ton of accepting what he did not de-
sire, and of thus rejecting the man
whom he preferred as offering the best
chance of success. His defeat was
foreshadowed from the hour that the
Convention made this blunder, though
it was less crushing than had been
anticipated, as is shown by the re-
turns:
Seymour .......... ..2,9O9,6l3
Grants majority, 305,4 5S.
The corruption and rascalities dur
ing Grants first term led to an or
ganized revolt among the best repub-
lcans, who also desired to cut loose
from the extreme views of leaders
who encouraged the worst elements,
and opposed any proper restoration
of the Union.
There was q great opportunity, by
combination of this disattectcd
branch Of the party with the regular
Democracy, to achieve memorable
success, and to arrest the dangerous
tendency of the extremists. A faction
of the sO-called Liberalists undertook
to force candidate on the Cincin-
natl Convention,against the declared
preference of the party who had to
furnish the votes.
The attempt failed, and Horace
Greeley was nominated, against his
own belief that the true ticket should
have been Davis and Curtin. The
end of that contest will not soon be
forgotten. 1t is summed up in the
almanacs in these totals:
1872.
Greeley .............2, S34, O9
O'Connor NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 20, 4OS
Black, Temperance........ 5,60S
Grants majority, 727,975.
In 1876 President Tilden was elect
ed by large majority of the popular
vote, and of the Electoral Colleges,
but was defrauded of the office. He
not only overcame the three quarters
| of a million which Grant had receiv-
ed in 1872, but he got quarter of
million over Hayes, and one hundred
and fifty-seven thousand over all the
candidates, as follows:
1876.
Tilden ................ ..........4,2 84. 757
Hayes. .......4, O33, $50
Cooper. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. S1,74O
Smith, Temperance.......... 1922