The Abilene Reflector

Confessions of Defeat.

The New York Tribune, which cannot be accused of any lukewarmness to the Republican party, and whose political knowledge and editorial judgment is in no sense behind that of other papers of its party, gravely declares that the Electoral Votes of the Southern States are certain to be cast for the Democratic nominee. It does not arrive at this fact by roundabout reasoning, but concludes that such will be the fact from the force of current events. It knows why the South is Democratic, and is wise enough to see that there is nothing in the recent history of the Republican party which is likely to produce a change. For this faithful assertion of a self-evident truth that paper is now being roundly denounced as conceding the election of a Democratic President. The Republican, of this city, worried at the announcement of such a truth, denies the conclusions at which the Tribune has arrived, and tries to break the force of the statement by declaring that the South is not solid for Democratic restoration, and supports its assertions by instancing the Readjuster triumph in Virginia and the independent strength in North Carolina. It seems to forget that Virginia gave its Electoral Vote to General Hancock, and that North Carolina did the same, and that the conditions are even more favorable now for National Democratic success in those States than they were in 1880. It forgets, further, that the heavy Republican vote which Virginia cast for General Garfield is now all torn up and disorganized by the dictatorial conduct of General Mahone, and that as he is opposing all the men who contributed to swell that vote for Garfield, no assurance can be given that a coalition will be formed for the Republican National ticket which will be strong enough to wrest the Electoral Vote of that State from the Democratic nominee. A local triumph over a State issue is one thing, and a victory in a National election quite another. The hostility in Virginia between the regular Republicans and the Mahone followers does not indicate that unity and harmony of action which underlies an enthusiastic campaign. So far as men can judge the conditions are all against Republican success in Virginia next year.

North Carolina is even less likely to assist Republican hopes than Virginia, for the independent movement there has signally failed to affect the Democratic strength, and the dominant party there is abundantly able to hold the State to its Democratic anchorage. In attempting to answer the New York Tribune the Republican virtually concedes a National Democratic triumph. It says: "It is folly to pretend that the Democratic party is not likely to secure forty-eight Electoral Votes in the North when last year and this it has elected Governors in ten Northern States having one hundred and forty five Electoral Votes." Being satisfied upon the point, it tries to show that the Republican hope must hang upon Electoral Votes in the South, and names Virginia, North Carolina, Florida and West Virginia as the doubtful States which will seriously interfere with Democratic calculations. So between the New York Tribune's judgment of a solid South assured for the Democracy, and the Republican's assertion that "it is folly to pretend the Democracy could not get the other forty-eight votes" necessary to elect, the chances of Democratic success are made tolerably clear, and that out of the mouths of political enemies. If the Republican party concedes the Electoral Vote of the South to the Democratic nominee, which is a reasonable conclusion, and the doubt of his getting the other forty-eight votes from the North is declared a "folly," which is equally reasonable, there would not seem to be much use for the Republicans to make a fight. The Tribune and the Republican are both right in their conclusions. The Democratic nominee will get the South, and he will also get the forty-eight votes he needs from the North. It is no wonder that Judge Edmunds declines being a candidate, and that the nomination seems to be going a-begging.—American Register.