The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1858-07-16
THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY,
Prom the N. Y. Herald. I

the republican opposition that was arrayed
against it in Congress, but has come out of
the contest with higher degree of power and
popularity, it need not thank for that those
who should have proved themselves its most
staunch and unfinchiug supporters. And if
in the next Presidential election it will 80
happen that the banner of democracy cease
to be the signal of triumph, the defeat of the
party will have to be attributed to the per-
verseness, persona! ambition, and insubor-
dinatiOn Of these same men. In the election
of Speaker of the House of Representatives,
the administration party showed itselfto have
n working majority over the combined oppo-
sition, of from twenty TO thirty; and yet there
was not single public measure recommen-
ded by tho President, or requisite TO carry on
the wheels of government, in which, through
the crotchety detection of some unmanagea-
bic democrats, the votes of members of the
opposition were not required 10 make up a
majority.
That was strange condition of affairs, and
one which must have been Notifying in the
highest degree to the administration and to
every true friend Of the democratic party
The detection was primarily exS5ted when
the President recommended a course of pro-
ceeding 10 regard to Kansas. which he hon
estly deemed the safest and wisest, and the
one best calculated to restore peace to that
Territory and put an end to strife and agta-
ton throughout the country. But no soon
er was the course indicated by him attempt
ed to be carried out by Congress, than a
score or more of reputedy ardent democrats
flew off at tangent in both houses, and
those of The House of Representatives, by
alying themselves with the opposition, frus-
trated for months the patriotic effort of the
President to put an end to the dsgraceful
feud which had too long subsisted through.
out the country in regard to lot of political
vagabondsi in u distant Territory. The world
knows by what means compromise was at
length effected, by which many Of the rene
pades came back into the democratic fold,
but still too few TO save the administration
from being indebted, even for the passage OF
this compromise measure, to some opposi-
ton votes.
Still more curious circumstances attended
the passage Of some Of the deficiency bills.
Althouge the items in these bills were for
expenditures already made or for debts 10
Cured on behalf of the government, under
democratic administration, and although
they emanated from democratic Committee
of Ways and Means, numbers of democratic
representatives arrayed themselves in deter
mined hostility to these bills; and, strange as
it may appear, their passage was due, at
length, to the votes of large portion of the
opposition united to those OF the administra-
ton party that were not disposed to this
crotchety course of action, over the votes OF
the minority of the opposition and OF the
democratic recusants.
So it was, 100, 10 relation to The expenses
of the Utah expedition. Were itnot for the
patriotism and independence Of party exhibi
ted by republican and American members,
Brigham Young might be still ruling in Salt
Lake City, for aught some of the democrat
ic members of Congress cared.
III the bill passed for raising four regiments
of volunteers, which the President subse-
quent!y found he might dispense with, and
which he, therefore, did not call into service,
the support of republican members was
freely given, and operated to coanteract the
hostility of some Of the professed friends OF
the administration.
The amendment of the Senate to the Ma
val Appropriation bill, directing the construc.
ton of five steam sioops ofwar, was amen
ded in the House on the motion, we believe,
of Mr.. Cochrane, by increasing the number
to ten; but the amendment was carried chief
ly by republican votes. On committee of
Conference that was subsequently had on
disogreeing votes to this bill, a compromise
line was struck substituting seven for ten,
and this substitution was confirmed almost
unanimously least, the opposition came
not from republicans.
So, too, in respect to the loan bills. The
main opposition TO them came from unman-
ageabe democrats and constitutional hair
splitters. When the last bill for the fifteen
million loan was before the House, it was
amended on the motion Of republican menu
Der from Michigan, by increasing the amount
to thirty millions, on the ground that less
than the latter sum would be insufficient TO
supply the deficit and meet the expenses of
the government during the fiscal year. And
this amendment only failed finally because,
by parliamentary artifce which had to be
resorted TO in furtherapce of. business, all
amendments were cut of, and the bill was
reported from committee in its original
shape.
We think that this array Of facts, taken
from the history Of the last session OF Con-
gress, and which might be enlarged ad hblum'
will satisfy every one of the truth of the
statement with which this article opens-that
Mr.. Buchanan has little cause to thank the
democratic majority in Congress for the sue
cess of administration and government meas