Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1847-09-24
From the Boston Post
THE NEXT CONGRESS AND THE PRE-,
SIDENCY

L r. r..
SIDENCY.
The recent congressional elections render i
almost certainty that a majority of the mex,
House of Representatives will be wbig. In
all probability, the lower. branch of the Thir.
tieth Congress will be controlled by the opno.
sition; and, as far as its ofica! action and in.
fuence can go, will sustain direct and deci.
ded hostility to the senate and the Execu.
tive. We are not about to dwell upon the
causes which have operated to produce this
apparent political revolution; they have not
been unexpected, nor of an extraordinary char
acter, and are not such as will affect perma.
nently the supremacy of democratic principles,
and the safety of democratic measures. 1t
was wholly impossible to prevent considera-
bic reaction after our great success in 1914,
and after the policy, which was the fruit of
our triumph, had been faithfully and securely
established. But the first and most extensive
changes which have'taken place, are in the
representation of the larger States, and were
effected before the policy of the administration
had sufficiently abided the test of expert
ment-those States, if they have not done it
already, that will be the first to revoke their
hasty verdict. Besides, the opposition have
most unwarrantably dragged the question of
the war into the political arena, and have op-
Grated upon popular prejudice and timidity,
wherever they existed, to create an anti-naton-
al sentiment and effect transfer of authority
and responsibility from the hands of the ad-
ministration to their own
The change in the political character of the
House is principally important in view of the
effect which It's official action may have upon
the country on the eve of a presidential cleo
ton, and the part which it may be called up
on 10 act in the final election of a President, if
a failure should exist in the electoral suffrage.
We do not anticipate such condition of par
ties as will render the latter circusance likely
to occur; but we look upon the action of the
next Congress-conceding it to be whig-as
certain to exercise powerful influence upon
the contest of 1913
The citizens, having the honor and welfare
of the country at heart, we might regret the
circumstances which place the government, in
time of war, even partially in the hands oil
the federal party; for the result, if not quite a
calamity, will at least amount to some sacri-
! flee of national interests and honor. But as
! partlsans, we do not lament this temporary
wing ascendency, for we regard it as an occur.
renee certain to insure TO the democracy of the
Union the election of democratic President
| in 1913. The same Immediate and overwheI
ming condemnation which has heretofore uni
form y oyertaken every attempt of federalism
to assume the direction of national affairs, a.
waits already any arbitrary legislation with
which the wings of the next Congress may
seek to amend or embarrass the policy of q
democratic administration.
The division of official power and RESPONSE
bility will at once bring the conflicting mea
sures of the two great political parties promi
nently before the country. We imagine tina
the opposition will soon enough discover tina
it is one thing to assail at random the measures
of the President, and another to mark out anC
pursue a consistent and popular policy itself
Whatever the action of the wing party may
be, it yet remains for its oracles to decide. L
must now sanction or condemn the war; i
must vote appropriations for its prosecution
or withhold them and prevent it. For the
sake of the country, we desire to see the whie
majority of the House assent to the vigorou:
conduct of the war; but if it should persist il
the same system of "ad and comfort to tht
enemy'' which rendered the late minority no
torous, we shall then rely with perfect conf
dence upon the intelligence of the people tc
discern 1rhere patriotic motives exist, and 1rher,
the success Of ''party schemes is considered
paramount to peace and the welfare and glo
ry of the country.
We know we'll that the genuine, deep-roo
ted sentiment of the people is almost unchange
ably democratic; that it will never again en-
dure the influences of that restrictive and back
ward legislation which the opposition is al
ready prepared to force upon it. This demo-
cratic feeling needs only to be alarmed, in or
der to sustain and vindicate itself and it is il
this respect that we regard the reaction tt
which we have alluded as a fortunate ant
timely occurrence. At least, nothing can b.
undone The erhole system of democratic
measures is destined to receive fair and favo
rable trial, which will place them triumphant
ly beyond the reach of political opposition
There have been those who have systemati
calIy deprecated the services of the twenty
ninth Congress- True, its majority did some
times hesitate, and became divided but upol
the whole, no Congress since the adoption o
the constitution has originated and enforced 81
many great national measures, each distinc
and important in itself, but all recognising
the same PRINCIPLE, and having for their OBJ
iect the same scheme of NATIONAL ADVANCE
MENT Its legislation forms an era in Amer
can government, and no matter how bigote'
the character of its successor, we predict tina
it will not have the hardihood TO raise tn
question of repeal.
We shall await, however, the action of tn
new Congress with considerable interest. |
it should be characterized by an illiberal, ia
natical, and reasonable hostility to Executiv
measures-if the whig leaders should resolv
in every way to thwart and embarrass the &C
ton of the President he may appeal acih safe
ty to the rerdict Of the country If, on The 9th
er hand, as we hope, portion of the wing
shall yield a moderate, though reluctant, sup
port to the war, then the administration Wi
stand sustained by ats enemies; and its policy
IN the past, will need no further vlndlcatlo
at the hands of its friends. If the neat Con
gress is rrhig, THE NEXT PRESIDENT WILL
DEMOCRATIC.
) The Coolest Yet.-The Philadelphia Nat
vest paper, the Sun, advocates the election c
Gen. TAYLOR to the Presidency in its daily Is
sue. and has placed General Scotts name Z
the head of its weekly paper-aAout the COO