Mr. Grovea Cusystann, when be assumes office, will be the twenty-second gentleman who has been President of the United States. Of those who have filled that high position four were elected as Vice-Presidents and succeeded to office on the deaths of the elected Presidents. Seven Presidents have held office for two terme—uamely George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, General Jackson, Abraham Lincoln and General Grant. Down to 1857 the rival political parties were the Whigs and Democrats, but shortly before the election of that year the Republican Parly was formed from the Whigs, and those who were opposed to slavery. he enndidate of the Democrats in that year was Mr. James Buchanan, who was elected by a large majority over Mr. Join ©. Fremont, the Republican, whose friends fought with the watchwords "Free States, Freemen, Fremont nnd Victory." The weakness of Mr. Buchanan has generally been considered to have emboldened the Southern statesmen and people, and to have, in no slight measure, couduced tothe war which followed the election of Mr, Lincoln, the first President chosen from the Republican Party, And sincothattime until now the Democrats lave been unable to elect a President, although they have occasionally been in a majority in Congress, That the suees of the Republicnns us been in some monsuro owing to the merits of their candidates is undoubted, fur the services which Mr. Lincoln and Geveral Grant had rendered to their country gave them claims on the people of the United States such as no contemporary public mon possessed. It is probably not too much to say that the second election of General Grant was wou by the personal feel in his favour which was entertained by the great bulk of the Republioau Party, and by many others of different political opinions. The elections of 1876 and 1880 were fought upon strict Parly lines, and the former year it seems now to be generally admitted that the Democratic candidate hind a majority of votes; while, when General Garfield was chosen, the Republicans had evidently recovered their former unanimity and strength. At that time, too, the tariff question was brought to the fore, and everything was done to encourage the belief among the work.
g classes that the Democrats would troduce free trade if power was placed in rheic hands, As regards rheic commercial and fiscal policy, there does not appear to be much difference between the two late candidates, judging from their letters acvepticg the nomination of their Parties, but Mr. Cleveland appears to lean towards a relaxation of the protective system, while Mr, Binine firmly adhered to it.
The defeat of the Republican condidate on Tuesday last will be a sur-prize to many of our renders who have trusted to the numerical strength of the Party, its proved organization, and the personal popularity of Mr. Blaine. We have been assured by the American Press that the election was being fought on political lines only, and though it is somewhat difficult to ro-concile that with the violent personaliin which both sides have indulged, epublioans relied on the favour in which their principles have been held by the masses, to secure them victory. It will probably be found when details of the election reach us that a large number of the Republicans threw off their allegiance to their Party because of the antecedents of the candidate. We are not inclined to believe everything that has been alleged against Me. Blaine since the contest began, bat even his Warmest supporters coom to admit that there are serious blemishes in his public history, which caused many of the flower of the Republican Party to go over to Mr, Cleveland as soon as the result of the Chicago Convention became known, open revolt and protest has very likely beau adopted by large numbers of voters, who with another candidate would have swelled the ranks of the Republicans, and has helped to win, if it did not gain, victory for the Democrats. If this be the conse, even the Republicans who are disappointed by the result of the contest will, in a short time view it with satisfaction, as an assurance that the political morality of their oountrymeu has improved. We believe that that the same improvement las been going on in every country where there is any morality or any politics, and that, as a consequence, things in the conduct of public mon that would haya been passed over but a short time ago, are now punished by the withdrawal of the confidence and support of the electorate. It is well that it should be 80, and that free countries should place office and power only in the hands of mon of unblemished reputation, In countries such as England was in the days of Grafton and Sandwich, a doubt fal record did not injure a politician but in the present day ® purer political life is required from public men. And we hope that the election of Mr. Cleveland is a sign that the majority of the citizens of the United States are detormined to respect their country, in the future, too much to choose for her high places men who cannot show a clean ill of political health, 'MR. THOMSON AND THE BISHOP, Tue letter addressed to us on behalf of Bishop Boone by the Rev. B. H. Thomsou Las not created a very favourable impression. It might, in fact, be eubjected to a somewhat searching analysis that "would only render the necessity for investigation more pressingly important, however, we are not disposed to undertake at the present stage of the affair, and we confine ours
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.