on was
overwhelmingly defeated. Vermont, usually so strong in its Republican
vote, now increased the ordinary majority by thousands. Maine elected
General Chamberlain governor by twenty-eight thousand majority.

Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Iowa were then all known in current
phrase as October States. They voted for members of Congress and State
officers on the second Tuesday of that month. The result was a
significant verdict against the Administration. In Pennsylvania Geary,
on a much fuller vote than was cast at the Presidential election two
years before, led Clymer by nearly as large a majority as that by
which Lincoln led McClellan. The Congressional elections resulted in
the choice of eighteen Republicans to six Democratic representatives.
Ohio, on her State ticket, gave forty-three thousand majority against
the Administration, and elected sixteen Republican representatives in
Congress, leaving only three districts to the Democrats. In Indiana,
a State always hotly contested, the Republicans secured the popular
vote by a majority of nearly fifteen thousand and carried every
Congressional district except three. Iowa gave a popular majority of
thirty-six thousand and carried every Congressional district for the
Republicans.

Under the impulse and influence of these great victories in October the
November States recorded a like result. New York, of course, absorbed
the largest share of public interest. Two years before, Lincoln had
beaten McClellan by less than seven thousand votes. Fenton had now
double that majority over Hoffman and the Republicans carried two-thirds
of the Congressional districts. Throughout the West, Republican
victory swept every thing before it. Michigan gave thirty-nine
thousand popular majority and a unanimous Republican delegation in
Congress. Illinois gave fifty-six thousand popular majority, with
nearly all the representatives. Wisconsin gave twenty-four thousand
popular majority and elected every Republican candidate for
representative except one. Northern States which had been tenaciously
Democratic gave way under the popular pressure. New-Jersey Republicans
elected a majority of the members of Congress and a majority of each
branch of the State Legislature. Connecticut was carried by Governor
Hawley against the most popular Democrat in the State, James E.
English. California gave seven thousand majority for the Republicans,
while Oregon elected a Republican gover