Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-02-17
The Thirty-Eighth Congress.

We see it stated that call is to be issued
for meeting of call the democrats cectedto
the next congress-" to be held in New York on
the Sth of March, The object of this meet
ing is to determine the policy of the party in
reference to the war" We are not told who
are the originators of this movement; but we
remember that soon after the November cleo
tons there was proposition for a meeting of
the congressman elect to operate on the
administration; and the talk in regard
to this movement came from Fernan-
do Wood and his followers. The re-
suit of the elections had turned their heads;
they believed it had made them supreme in the
affairs of the nation, and that any meeting of
the congressman elect, without regard to
party, would do their will. 1t was an aston
ishing delusion; but they were entirely lost
in it, and others felt its influence so that men
of all parties be an to talk as if the democrats
had already secured decided majority of the
next house Of representatives. This is still
assumed, and we notice that some republicans
talk as if it were true.
If ii were true, there would remain the OBJ
struction of very decided republican major
ity in the senate, against which the Wood and
Valandigham influence would beat in VAN.
But 1t is not true; and the extra session of
the next congress, to be held in March, for
which some OF the malcontents of that school
have called so earnestly, if it should be held
would dispel their illusion in manner not
very pleasant to them. The republicans
would certainly organize the house by elect
ing their candidates for speaker and clerk
The republicans have sure majority of the
members already elected to the house, Tor
they stand partywise as follows:
REPUBLICANS - Maine 4 Massachusetts,
10; New York IA; New Jersey l Pennsyl-
vania IL Ohio 3 Indiana A.; Wisconsin 81
Illinois s.; Michigan 3; Minnesota =; Iowa
6; Kansas l Oregon l Missouri 4-Total
76 republicans.
DEMoCRATs-Maine |: New York la
New Jersey + Pennsylvania 10; Ohio IA;
Indiana = Wisconsin 3; Illinois 8; Michi-
grn l. Delaware l :; Missouri 2-Total 80.
INDEPENDENT REPUBLICANS AND UNIoNIsTs
Pennsylvania Missouri 3-Total G.
This shows a republican majority of one
over all others but it states the case more
strongly against the republicans than the
facts warrant Two or three of those count.
ed as Independents are sure to vote with the
republicans two or three of the others are
likely to do so; not more than one of them
is very likely to vote with the democrats and
not man of them will vote for cOpperhead
candidates or cOpperhead measures. More
over, among those counted as democrats,
there are many who will not under any
circumstances follow copperhead leaders.
They are ''war democrats" who will not COM
promise with treason, and who mean to crush
the rebels and accept nothing from them but
unconditional submission. Should the house
meet in March, it is probable that the republic
can candidate for speaker would be elected
by majority of nine or ten votes But,
there is at present no reason to believe the
thirty-eighth congress will meet until next
December, and then the relative strength of
parties will depend on the result of the cleo
tons for congressman to be held previous to
that time in New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode
Island, Connecticut, California, Kentucky,
Maryland, and West Virginia.
Among those in Missouri counted as in
dependent Union men are Gen. Ben Loan
and Hon. John W. NOEL. They are both I'M
conditional Union men and earnest emancipa-
tionists. Gen. Loan, originally a democrat,
is one of the most earnest emancpatonists in
the country. He sustains the president and
his emancipation proclamation, favors the
use of stern and decisive measures against
the rebels, repudiates the thought of max
ing a compromise with traitors, and utterly
abominates apprehension. He does not be-
long to the republican party; but men who
are substantially agreed in principles and pol
icy can hardly avoid acting together in
the next congress. The republicans are
sure to have a majority of the addi-
tional members to be chosen in the
free states; and some emancipation
lists who will act with them will be
elected in Maryland and Kentucky, as
well as in West Virginia. The copperheads
will not be able, under any circumstances, to
control the next congress; and it is now prob
able that when all the remaining elections
nave taken place the republicans will be
stronger IN the house than the democrats.