Year: 1876

Doubtless it is "a weapon iirmer set and


"better than the bayOnet;o y and doubtless when


it "falls like snow flakes on the sOd" 1t does


"executc the freeman's will as ightnings do


tho will of God" We are not about TO dis


pute the truth of the late Mr.. Perpont's


beautiful lines to that effect. The senti-


ment of the poem and the flow Of the lines


have commended themselves for whole


generation to the patriotic heart of the aver


age American citizen. The belief is general


that the huttering down Of ballots from the


hard hands of honest citizens, as to-day they


are Auttcring down in NCw-Hampshlre, is not


only impressive as spectacle, but tremendously


suggestive of the majesty Of free institutions and


the grandeur of sclf-gOvcrnment. To-day
they are executing the freeman's Will Ill New
IIampshre. To the rbad and worldly minded


perhaps executing it literally, as hghtnings
| do the will of Cod" by blasting and
destroying the popular belief i'll a pub
lie conscience at any rate executing


it. And it is spectacle of profound
interest. For the State of New-Hamp-


shire itself, of some, though minor interest !;
for whichever way tho election tuins,
in 30 far as the choice of State officers


and Legislature il concerned, 1t does not
seem that there are any issues In
volved whose importance is overshadOwing.
Whichever way it turns, the State will prob


ably be fairly gOverned-as fairly as any
State can be that has annual Overturnings
of this sOrt-and the life and liberty and


property of citizens will not in any event be
jeoparded. 1t is a question which of two


men shall wear the title of Governor, and who
shall be sent 10 Concord to tinker the laws


and be conspicuous for season as members
of the Legislature. This ia Of no great
consequence, but it is the annual ex-
citemenU and sensation, and the people
do enjoy it. Outside of the State 1T Is
important as indicating to the speculative


mind of the average politician the effect upon


the popular sense of recent political events.


From all political centers, and especially from


the pivotal point of our politics, the National
Capitol, eager eyes will be stretched toward


the State TO learn the result. Not that any


body outside the State cares two straws who


is to be Governor, but that everybody is
anxious TO know how the first State leads of
in the Presidential year.


Whichever side WINS or makes gains, it will


be heralded throughout the country as n great


victory, as a forcrunner of the Presidential


election, as q harbinger, as a rebuke, and as
all sorts of things which have loud and hol-
low sound, OF have foam and frOth on the top
of them. They began it indeed last night


when some lonesome precinct in the backwOods


which votes early and casts dozen votes
was triumphantly carried by the Republicans.
So tonight there will be much greater rejoic-
ing and iolifcation by one side or the other
over the great victory. The weapon that


descends like snow flakes on the sod and exc


cutes the freeman's viii will have done its


work. and we shall know of course precisely
what the freeman's will is. That is TO say, We


ought to; but shall wei Upon what
arguments is this verdict to be


rendered. What have been the appeals
| to voters upon which We may suppose
| them TO be making answer in the tiuttering
ballots of tO-day7 OF all the stump speeches


and the newspaper appeals we have but one


report, and that is that neither party has
urged by it's orators and organs It's own claims


upon public confidence upon anything done
that merits it, but that each has insisted upon


the unwOrthlness of its opponent. Never was
choice of ovi s 50 BADLY presented. Each
has denounced the other neither has dared go
20 tho people Oh its own record and Its own
claims to be trusted. Well might the inde-


pendent voter In New Hampshire, il there be


one in the State, after listening TO both sides


In this hot controversy, say with Miltons
lost spirit, "Whichever way | turn Is


"Hcll." The strife has been on either


side to stir up the gorge of the people


against the other. When one has been accused


of misdoing, the answer has been that the
other either had done or would do IL oppoItu-
nifty offered, much worse. Like the Connect