Year: 1876

| The reckless efforts of the rebel De-
mocracy to capture the Presidential Of
flee have suffered decisive check. The
nation is at last awake to the alarming
fact that the thirteen late slave States are
again the masters OF the Democrat par
ty. With their electoral vote largely in
creased by the abolition of slavery. tho
leaders of the rebellion since their defeat
in the field have so far destroyed the
freedom of the ballot that they entered
this campaign claiming to hold in their
hands the whole of the 1873 electoral votes
of the South and they called upon their
Northern allies to contribute a. moro to
make their assault upon the Presidency
successful. From the beginning OF the
campaign they have attempted to cover
up and evade the real issue. Adopting
the doctrine of hard money in the East
and of imitation in the Wost, they hnvc
shown themselves willing to sacrifice the
public faith and the national finances 10
gain control Of the Government. Under
the mask of pretended reform they have
attempted to cover up the reckless
schemes by which the Democratic House
of Representatives sought to strike down
the laws that marked the boundary be.
tween treason and loyalty, and 10 open
the National Treasury to the greed OF
rebel claimants. Their methods of con.
ducting the campaign have been, and
still are, assassination and intimidation
Republican, voters in the South, and as-
sassnation of character in the North.
Behind all their pretentioas has been
seen their relentless hostility to the
amendments of the Constitution, and 10
the laws enacted to settle the great ques-
tions of the war by making the Union.
freedom, and equal rights permanent e'c-
mcnts in our national life. Every inch
of the ground they have fought with des


peration, and with more reckless and
corrupt use of money than was ever
before known in American politics. But
the nssalants have everywhere lost
ground. From seven States in which
elections have already been held the re-
ply has come in language which cannot
be mistaken. In Vermont the Republi-
cans elected their ticket by minority OF
%, 900, gain over last years vote OF
over 10, 900. In Maine the majority was
$4,000, gain of about $1,000 over the
last years vote. In Now Jersey and
Connecticut, though tho elections were
for township officers only, the Republi-
can gains were no less marked. Colora.
do, tho latest born OF the Union, over
coming Democratic majority OF 1900,
has presented, ns her first Offering to the
nation, Republican State government,
two Republican Senators, and n Ropub.
lican Representative in the Forty-iifth
Congress, with u guarantee of three cleo
toral votes for Hayes and Wheeler. In
Ohio the Republicans have nearly doub-


led the majority of last year, and have
gained five members of Congress. In
Indiana they have won from the Democ-
racy four members of Congress and gain
ed l0, 900 on tho last majority, making Il
comparatively easy for us to carry that
State in November. These elections
have cleared tho sky, and have so dis
closed the aspect of the field that we can
now SEQ the strength of the opposing
f0rcos, and determine at what points tho
Gnal victory will be won. The people
have discovered the treacherous and cor
rupt designs of the rebel Democracy,
and are rallying again 70 save the fruits
Of the great victory over the rebellion by
sustaining the party which was true To
the Union in its supreme hour OF peril.
and which is still tho guardian Of it% hon
or and peace. 1t is now evident that no
great Northern State will obey this rebel
call for volunteers. But still the contest
is close and dangerous. There must bo
no pause, nc rest, no abatement Of effort
until our victory Is assured. The people,
animated by the same spirit which has
saved the nation in so many hours oIdan-
ger, and inspired by their recent victo-
res, will devote the remaining days OF
the contest TO the work OF saving their
country from the new danger that assails
it, and will mike the Centennial year
memorable for the final triumph Of Un-
ion over the party Of treason and obstruc-
tlon.-RepH6iic.