Year: 1872

The election in North Carolina appears for
tunately, to have passed off peacefully, so far
at least as is known up to the present time
The result is yet in doubt, although the indi-
cations point to an increased conservative vote
over that of 1870, when the democratic candi-
date for Attorney General was elected by
nearly five thousand majority. The counties
where the heaviest negro vote is polled, and
where facilities exist for frauds such as have
been charged as In contemplation, have not
yet been heard from. At the same time
some of the strongest conservative counties
are still wanting, and with the meagre returns
at hand it is unsafe to hazard a prediction as
to the result 1t seems incredible that the ad-
ministration republicans can have suffered
defeat in State where every advan-
tage has been on their side; where
they have concentrated gigantic efforts
to ensure success; where they have held
majorities ever since the close Of the war,
with single exception, varying from nine to
twenty three thousand. Yet, as we have said,
there appears TO have been steady increase
thus far in the conservatives majorities over
the vote Of 1870, and hence it is not i'm
probable that the State may have declared
itself in advance in favor of the reform move
ment in November


If this should prove to be the case it will
no doubt be regarded generally as settling the
Presidential contest. Indeed, the republicans,
by the vigor and bitterness of their canvass,
have signifed their conviction that a defeat in
North Carolina at this time would render their
ultimate success hopeless Senator Wilson
himself has admitted in his speeches that the
election of the republican State ticket was es-
sential to the cause of President Grant; that
without it there would be little hope for the
administration. Under these circumstances,
and in view of the fact that the whole ma
chinery of the election, the entire federal and
State patronage, the courts the military, the
police and the United States marshals were in
the hands of the republicans, we cannot think
that the administration has been overthrown.
To credit such q calamity would be to believe
that the Presidential election is destined
to be a deluge sweeping away the
existing powers and making complete revo-
luton in the government If, however, the
result should be as foreshadowed from the
general tone of our dispatches, it will be due
to the unfortunate policy of the political imbe-
Giles who surround and control President
Grant due to the refusal Of the administra-
ton republicans in Congress to allow the
country to return to peace due to
their attempt to crush the white citizens
of the Southern States under the heel Of
military power and negro rule; due to the
incendiary appeals Of Boutwell, and others to
the passions of the negro race; due to the
unfortunate foreign policy of Secretary Fish;
due to the financial blunders of the Secretary
of the Treasury, who has forced our credit in
Europe, depleted the country of gold, and kept
up imaginary balances in the national Treasury
by fictitious returns


The HERALD has warned President Grant
that he could not adhere to these incompetent
and dangerous advisers and hope to retain
that support which the people have hitherto
been glad to extend to him. When chosen to
the Presidency four years ago he received
the votes of large majority Of the citizens of
the United States, because they believed that
the soldier who had displayed so many good
qualities in the field could not fail to
be guided in civil life by principles
Of straightforward honesty and genuine
patriotism. The people thought that the gen.
eral who had held on his steady course in def
ance Of the politicians-whose impudent inter
meddling had nearly made the war for the
preservation of the nation failure-would be
equally firm as President in resisting their
narrow minded policy. They were not pre-
pared to see General Grant yield him
self into the hands of these men
and suffer them to falsify oil the
past record of his life. IF North Carolina
has really rebuked his administration, it is be-
cause he has suffered it to be controlled by
the political adventures who have reversed
oil the principles he cherished before his elec-
ton. He promised peace to the South
ern States; his political adherents have
given them the rule of negroes and
carpet-baggers and the law Of the bayo-
net He promised universal amnesty to
those who had laid down their arms and
accepted the consequences of the war; his
administration has kept them, as long as it
dared prescribed under pains and penalties.
The HERALD, as an Independent paper, has
supported the administration, as it will always
support the government chosen by the major
ity of the people; but it has pointed out these
fatal errors fearlessly and persistently, and if
President Grant had needed its warnings and
followed its counsels he would not now be
awaiting in fear and trembling to learn
whether State with ON average republican
majority of fifteen thousand has really arrayed
itself on the side Of his opponents.


It is possible that all is not yet lost, but that
the large negro counties may after all give
Il,