The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1895-05-22
OUR NEWEST HOLIDAY.
A Western Republican journal Discusses
Jersey and Lincoln.
St Louis cilObe.Democrat. tRep.,

st Louis Globe Democrat. (Rep.l
The fact that New Jersey Is one OF the
first States to make Lincoln's birthday
legal holiday has curious interest when
considered in connection with that States
attitude toward him when he was alive.
In 1860 Lincoln carried every free State
except New Jersey. He swept the entire
North with the single exception of that
State, getting a majority of so, 900 in New
York over the combined opposition, OF
60, 900 in Pennsylvania, OF $4,000 in
Massachusetts and securing long leads 10
the rest OF the free States save in the one
Commonwealth mentioned. Lincoln, In
deed, secured four of the seven electoral
votes Of New Jersey, but that was because
many Douglas men refused to vote the
entire fusion ticket in the State, consisting
OF the three Douglas, two Breckenridge
and two Bell electors. The three Doug
las electors had an average Of about 4, 800
votes over the Lincoln representatives, but
the cutting of the Breckenridge and Bell
electors by the Douglas faction reduced
their total below the level OF the Lincoln
men and gave Lincoln these four votes in
the Electoral College.
In the war election OF 1864 New Jersey
again went against Lincoln. Twenty five
States voted that year, and all except three
declared for the Republican or National
ticket. New Jersey was Que OF these
thrce, the others being Delaware and Ken
tucAy. Eleven States, all in the slavery
region, OF course, did not vote. Three
slave Slates-Maryland, West Virginia
and Missouii-in addition TO Delaware
u In
and each Of these chose Lincoln electors.
Maryland gave Lincoln 5000 majority,
West Virginia l3, 900 and Missouri Al ,000
New Jersey gave 1000 majority to Nc
Clellan. Once more New Jersey had de-
elared against the sentiment of its section.
1t is true Lncoln's majority in 1854 was
small 10 some of the Northern States.
| While il was $4,000 In Massachusetts, II
was only 1000 In New York and but 90,
| 900 10 Pennsylvania. Still New Jersey g
course was surprising and not readily cx-
| plainable.
New JERSEYS conduct in 1864 was sur
prIsipg because she had not been rock
ribbed Democratic Stale along to that
time. In the days of Wing power she
| usually declared for that party, and she
did not turn against 1t until 1862, when II
was on the eve of extinction. Douglas
immense personal popularity-the popu-
larity which enabled him in the Lincoln
Senatorial campaign in 1853 in Illinois TO
defeat the secret hostility of the Buch-
anan administration and to give tempo
rary setback to the Republican party and to
the forces of Observation-Disclosures New
jerseys attitude in 1860. In 1864, how
ever, the contest was not really between
the Republican and Democratic parties,
but between patriotism and treason, ma
tionality and anarchy, civilization and
barbarism, and New Jersey arrayed her
self or the latter and evil side. However,
in making Lincoln's birthday legal boli.
day she is doing something in the way OF
making amends for her misconduct toward
him when he was in the flesh. Perhaps the
recent Republican renaissance in that State
| is the cause OF her change of heart.