Republican majorities through the votes of their colored men, that saved
that important national election to the Republican party. To the very
great surprise of the Republican leaders the party lost the important
and pivotal State of New York. It had been confidently believed that the
immense popularity of General Grant and his prestige as a brilliant and
successful Union general would save every doubtful State to the
Republicans, New York, of course, included. But this expectation was not
realized. The result, it is needless to say, was a keen and bitter
disappointment, for no effort had been spared to bring to the attention
of the voters the strong points in General Grant. A vote against Grant,
it was strongly contended, was virtually a vote against the Union.
Frederick Douglass, who electrified many audiences in that campaign,
made the notable declaration that "While Washington had given us a
country, it was Grant who had saved us a country." And yet the savior of
our country failed in that election to save to the Republican party the
most important State in the Union. But, notwithstanding the loss of New
York, the Republicans not only elected the President and Vice-President,
but also had a safe majority in both branches of Congress.

One of the first acts of Congress after the Presidential election of
1868 was one authorizing the President to submit Mississippi's rejected
Constitution once again to a popular vote. The same act authorized the
President to submit to a separate vote such clause or clauses of said
Constitution as in his judgment might be particularly obnoxious to any
considerable number of the people of the State. It was not and could not
be denied that the Constitution as a whole was a most admirable
document. The Democrats had no serious objection to its ratification if
the clause disfranchising most of their leaders were eliminated. When it
became known that this clause would be submitted to a separate vote, and
that the Republican organization would not insist upon its retention, no