Year: 1868

Tne fadicnls ana the FeOpie-FrOSpects IOr


the Presidency.


Oregon is normally republican State, but
this year it has gone completely over to the
democrats In the previous election it had
about its usual republican majority, giving
that decision on political issues that is
natural with population supplied in great
degree from regions having the most active
sympathy with the radical spirit; yet this
year it gives an Enthusiastically definite majority
to the other side. This is very significant
fact in an election in such State, coming
Immediately after the party with which it
usually acts has put its Presidential candidates
in the field. Kentucky is another State whose
people have recently given formal expression
to their political predictions. The election in
this State has taken place since the naming of
the Presidential candidates on both sides, and
Kentucky not only goes for the democrats-we
should expect that-but 1t goes their way by
such an overwhelming majority as indicates
that other political opinions have hardly force
enough there to keep themselves alive. Here,
then, are two States that have gone to the demo-
Gratis after their people have been able to per-
ceive the drift of Presidential movements.
One is an old slave State, not, however the
most fercely democratic of the slave States
even in the old times-a State that did
not nominally go with the South in the war,
but had its sympathies that way, yet was
thought to be safely enough organized to do
better for the republicans than in previous
years. The other is free Northern State,
peopled by that sort of community that
our political history shows is always the
readiest to be aggressive, to take the side of
any party that calls itself the party of pro-
gress, and that is naturally much less suscep-
tible of conservative influences than older
communities.


From these facts of the situation it is evil
dent that the popular impulse against the radi
Gals, which began two years ago and seemed to
culminate in the fifty thousand majority against
that party in the Empire State, has yet lost none
of its momentum. 1t was deeper than most men
thought. 1t had fast hold upon the ultimate
convictions of each man, and thus became the
positive purpose of the mass, and 1t is doubt
full If there is any power to stop its progress.
The nominations have had no effect upon
it. The sudden recognition Of the radi-
calls that they had gone too far in their
assaults on everything dear to the people, and
their consequent halt, came too late. The
promise of honest government that they make
in presenting the name of Grant, the assu-
rance that their future views Of national neces-
sites shall be taken from the standpoint OF the
commander who saved the country-all this Is
quite unheeded. So is the threat from the
other side, given with the name OF Seymour,
that everything shall be construed in favor OF
the men who endeavored to break the govern
ment to pieces. Popular will goes forward
blind to all, conscious only Of Its stored up
determination. Individuals are nothing. There
is no charm in any name. The contest OF
great principles must be carried to Its final
result. Such is the popular temper. Only
the deepest sense Of the outrages against the
country and its laws, as well IS against
humanity practised by the radical leaders,
could have brought the people to this mood
and wrought the conviction that no other dan
ger is 90 great as for that party to continue in
power. Perhaps, also, there is another thought
active in the case. There is q widespread
uneasiness under the burden Of taxation in
volved by the debt; and though both parties
tend towards reputation, the people will have
their revenge on the men who made the
debt, and who therefore put the country in po-
sition to require reputation. Revolutions
always repudiate the debts of civil war. Such
reputation is the basis Of compromise, for
neither one side nor the other will consent to
repay money borrowed to put II down. Repu-
diation il, then, very likely the ultimate bourne
Of this impulse against the republicans, and we
shall yet see Congress elected strictly to re-
| pudiate the debt. In the meantime the same
impulse must act consistently In sweeping re-
publicanism from power at all intermediate


points, Of which the Presidency is very i'm


portant one.


II seems consistent with all the facts, there


fore that the reaction against the radical legis-


lation and reconstruction shall 70 on 80 Il


began, sweeping State after State, and finally


sweeping the nation snd giving 10 smother