THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE AMERICAN ELECTIONS.
Nv-E are disposed to think that the friends of good govern- ment in the United States are a little exaggerating the consequences of the elections of Tuesday. They have ended in a nearly complete victory for the Democrats, who have carried New York and Pennsylvania by unprecedented majorities, and have captured so many seats in Congress, that they will have for the next two years a majority exceeding forty in the House of Representatives. They have not, however, carried the Senate, though they have increased their strength there till they are equal in number to the Republicans, and the balance of power will rest with two Readjusters,—that is, advocates of Repudia- tion,—from Virginia. These men will, it is stated, when- ever the honest payment of debts is not in question, vote for the Republicans. The President, moreover, remains in power till 1885, and can veto any law not passed over his head by a two-thirds majority, which is, under the circumstances, unattainable. We do not ourselves see a millennium in this result, which is probably due in part to the revolt of the Germans against the teetotal ideas favoured by the Re- publicans, and in part to the weariness of politics often witnessed in intermediate elections. It is certain, however, that many acute and experienced Americans believe that the sole cause of the Republican defeat is the indignation of the respectable members of the Republican Party at the intrigues of the wire-pullers, and that the Republi- cans will reform themselves upon the basis of dismissing the professional politicians, and allowing the free elec- tion of respectable men. We earnestly hope they may ; but we have heard of these reforms till we are weary, and can see no expedient, short of a change in the Constitution, which will deprive the Senators of their hold over patronage, which is the first source of corruption in the Union. They would have defeated President Garfield, and they have not crippled President Arthur, who plays into the hands of the political Ring. We may, however, as outsiders, take too gloomy a view of the prospects of Reform, and gladly publish the _optimist view of an intelligent and experienced American observer, only premising that, in our judgment, he -hopes too much from a movement the first result of which is to elect the party friendly to slavery, to secession, to " soft money," and to the distribution of spoils among the victors.
"No event," writes our American informant, "in Ameri- can politics since the election of Abraham Lincoln to the Presidency of the Republic, in 1860, is so signifi- cant as the Elections which took place in thirty-three States of the Union on Tuesday of the present week. The result of these elections is, indeed, a revolution in the politics of the great constituencies of the Northern States. So complete and overwhelming are the majorities of the Democratic party in New York and Pennsylvania, following so closely upon the defeat of the Republicans in Ohio, that the wayfaring man, though a 'machine politician,' need not mistake the meaning of this result.
"After the death of President Garfield, Mr. Arthur began to lay the wires to be his own successor in the White House, and certainly used a wise discretion in making appointments to office. Indeed, his political friends accused him of half- hearted fealty to his old principles and comrades of the ' Stalwart ' section of his party. Howeyer, it was not long before he began to show his colours, and the 'Half Breeds' were given no quarter. For the first time in the history of the American people, their President took personal part in the management of the State Caucuses ; and, indeed, virtually made the nominations of the candidates. Judge Folger is now Mr. Arthur's Secretary of the Treasury. It is well known that it was Mr. Arthur's wish and plan to place this most important portfolio in the bands of his personal friend and chief political supporter, Mr. Roscoe Conkling, of New York. But the public sentiment against such an appointment was so strong, that even so bold a dema- gogue as Mr. Arthur shrank from so venturesome a move. When the time came, however, for the political party to meet in Convention, to make nominations for their State officers, the political Bosses were on hand, with the shameful spec- Wale of the President of the Republic at the head of their ranks. Mr. Arthur had his wires to pull. Judge Folger is a very reputable man, and has always stood well with the people of his State. Here is Mr. Arthur's opportunity of displacing his Secretary of the Treasury, and of giving his post to Mr. Conklin. He thrusts Mr. Folger upon the New York State Convention, and by means both fair and foul he receives the Republican nomination for Governor. In Pennsylvania, Senator Cameron, known as 'Boss' Cameron, runs the political machine, and he named a personal friend and henchman as the nominee of the Republican Convention in that State. The very best elements of the Republican party in both these States could no longer brook the open and shameful interference—indeed, dictation—of these 'Bosses,' and have cast their votes for the Democratic candidates, and they have been elected by overwhelming majorities. In both these great commonweaths, the Demo- crats have been wise in their day. In Pennsylvania, they nominated as their candidate for Governor, Mr. Pattison, a man who has shown great executive force and probity as a municipal officer of Philadelphia. And under the weight of his pure name, partisan barriers have been broken down, and the reign of 'Boss' Cameron has been brought to an end. In New York, the Democrats nominated Mr. Cleveland, of Buffalo, a man above reproach, and the 'Half-breed' Repub- licans have broken with the Stalwarts,' and cast in their lot with the Democrats, and elected their candi4ate. The old-line Garfield newspapers gave to the Republican candi- dates just the support that was kure to damn them. It was faint praise. In all the States, the Demo- cratic gains have been unlocked-for and enormous. The significance of this result must be gratifying and re- assuring, to all well-wishers of the American Union at home and abroad. It means the death-knell of 'machine politics for all time—certainly for a long time—to come. It does not, mean the overthrow of the Republican Party, or its principles. These are dear to the intelligence and the loyalty of the American people. The Republicans are the advanced party, not only in politics, but in every department of life. The education, the wealth—indeed, all that may be deemed culture, or that can be made to stand for the well-being of the Republic—have been in the keeping of the Republican Party, since the heroic services of Charles Sumner, W. Lloyd Garrison, Mr. Seward, and others, who staked the battle and won the victory of freedom which made Abraham Lincoln—the greatest American—President of the Union. At the bottom of these reverses of the Stalwart ' clique, is resentment at the almost indecent way in which President Arthur has ignored or altered the reform policy of General Garfield. One by one, the old Cabinet of Garfield have been driven out, and only one is loft,— Mr. Robert Lincoln, who, it is well known, was never in full sympathy with the honest and reform administration of the martyr President."
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