Year: 1874




All the indications from New Hampshire
are that the average four thousand majority
Of the republican party in that little State is
melted away. Last year Governor Strew 8
majority over Weston was 2,0O7 in 1872 his
majority over Weston was 2167, and in the
present canvass Weston is ahead, 50 far as the
figures are received, while the only towns not
heard from are those that last year gave their
majority for Weston. Ii these towns only re-
peat their former vote, therefore, the demo-
cratic candidate will receive the larger number
OF votes but the appearances are that these
towns will sympathize with the other towns all
over the State, and show an increased demo-
cratic or smaller republican vote, in which
case Weston may get majority of all the
votes cast Unless a candidate receives ma
jority Of the whole vote cast there is no
election, and the choice of the Governor
goes to the Legislature. Although the
democrat leads his competitor, it seems
he fails to get large enough
vote for election-in which event the
constitution of the Legislature will be the
important topic for the citizens Of the Granite
State. But the actual choice Of the Governor
is of less importance to the country at large
than the significant fact Of the sudden dis
appearance of the regular republican ma
Jority; for the indication of the popular vote
is the same even though it fall little short of
election, or even if the republican candidate
should get SO small majority as is still
possible for him. Whether O democrat be
elected by hundred votes or fail by hun
dred votes, the republicans have lost that
confidence on the part Of the people that has
given them for many years an average ma
jority of over four thousand in small State.
And the loss is apparently not due to apathy,
for the vote seems likely to sum up pretty
full one. In 1872 the whole vote was rs, 1886,
and in 1873, 67,S18; but the present vote will
apparently reach at least 1900 to $4,000.
Thus the detection is not because the snow
storm kept the farmers away from the polls,
but because they have moderately changed
their minds and voted the other ticket.


1t looks very much as if the quiet farmers
we're disposed to do o little unloading" on
their own account Properly, the movement
to unload" as it was proposed by General
Grant, was a movement to be effected by the
republican leaders. It was their duty, as the
President limited, to relieve their party Of the
''dead weights" and ''monstrosities, and if
the people could see the least disposition on
their part to do it they might be satisfied to
wait and hope. But as no such disposition
is apparent, as the people can see no other
prospect in the future than that they must
continue to bear the weight Of corruptions
and false issues and jobs, then there seems to
them no other course open but to do COR them
selves what the politicians are loath to under
take, and give the whole burden dreadful
dump into the waters of oblivion. But there
is notable difference between ''unloading''
as the people are liable to effect it and
the unloading" we might expect from
the politicians. If the politicians had
had the sagacity to see what was very
clear to the President, that their only hope of
retaining the peoples favor was to do the peo-
| ples will, they might have relieved their party
of the odium that threatens to fall upon it by
Enthusiastically cutting away al the objection
able measures to the support and maintenance
OF which they were committed, in their own
interests; and by such course, by the exhibi-
ton of disposition to meet, and not to defy
popular opinion, they might have retained the
confidence Of the country. 1t was for them to
reform and amend their party, and SO to keep
it in relation with the will OF the people. But
when party leaders fail in this duty the people
seldom fail in theirs, and they assert their su-
premacy in q way that generally leaves little
doubt Of their meaning There is but one
way in which the people can make their power
felt in amending party, and that is by going
over to the other side; and that is the tend
was no inducement on the other side. 1t is
not attraction that has changed the vote. but
repulsion. The leaders Of the party are loath
to drop their "dead weights" and the people
intimate that unless it is done they will drop
the party.


Exactly how many votes we're lost to the
republicans in New Hampshire by the various
causes of dissatisfaction respectively it would
| be idle to consider but when we contemplate
the number Of these we can readily believe
that they might explain even a greater change
than has taken place. Hard times always
make certain capital against q party in
| power and this has done great deal, and in
this case very justly, because the government
is definitely reponsible for it all, since its
imbecle administration Of the finances was
the main factor in making the panic. New
Hampshire also believes in freedom and in
self-government and cannot have contemplated
with satisfaction the events in Louisiana, sus-
tained as they were by the President and by
his strongest supporters in the Sem
ate. We doubt, also, whether the farm
ers liked very much the humilating
issue OF our late misunderstanding
with Spain, for they are q patriotic people
and cannot have taken particular pleasure in
seeing the American eagle dragged through