The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-12-09

ing out OF Mexico. hnNx
Tho Charter Election end the Repub-
icans An Congress.
The developments Of the recent Mayoralty
contest in this city, as well as the initiatory
movements Of the republicans in Congress,
reveal great lack Of the tact, II not Of the
judgment, on the part of the managers Of that
party necessary to carry them successfully
through an important emergency. At the very
commencement of the late canvass in our char
ter election the opposition presented great
decentralization, were divided and split into
numerous factions. Never was there better
opportunity for minority party TO sweep
everything before them than was presented to
the republicans on that occasion. The oppo-
sition were broken into Fragments, exhibiting
jealousies and chickering's, which led them to
an open revolt, and thus presented an opening
to the republicans which any slilfil general
would have seized az his opportune moment
But instead Of taking advantage OF these cir
cumstances they adhered To their old hide
bound theories and turned their shoulder to
everything practical, closed and barred the
doors against themselves which had been
thrown wide open for them to enter
Their very first move was to repulsc those who
were ready to render them material assistance.
Instead of widening the breach in the ranks Of
the opposition, they SO managed their cards
that at every step of the canvass the democracy
became more and more concentrated. Thus,
instead of taking advantage of the opportunity
presented, they actually threw away their
chances and defeated themselves by forcing the
better portion Of the opposition to concentrate
upon Recorder Hoffman, which carried him
through They lost the election through sheer
want of tact 10 use the weapons placed by
combination Of circumstances in their hands.
This want Of management as great as It is, is
exhibiting itself in a more general manner in
Congress. The republicans have an over
whelming majority in both houses with Presi-
machinery Of their party; yet at the very outset
| they have developed plans which, if pursued,
| will place them in minority, at least in the
Lower House, at no distant day. The prestige
| gained by them during the prosecution
f, Of the war will prove only traasitory
! and an empty bubble if their action is to be
throughout of the character which marked
their course at the opening Of Congress. The
management Of the war under Mr.. Lincoln's
| administration drew around him, long before
it's close, the moral support Of the country 10
such an extent that it secured to the republican
party foothold in nearly all the loyal States
which rendered il almost impossible for the OPP
position to make any Roadway against. Under
that prestige the present majority in Congress
was secured. Circumstances placed Andrew
Johnson in the chair Of the Chief Magistrate of
| the nation at the time when The popularity Of
! Mr.. Lincoln's administration was at its highest
| point. He soon matured policy for readjust-
| ing our domestic affairs which was in no way
inconsistent with the practical efforts Of MIR.
Lincoln in preserving the Union. That policy
| he announced to the public. II gained strength
from day to day with the people, until finally,
! with few exceptions, both Of the great politi-
| cal parties of the country were forced by public
| opinion to endorse II. During the late
local canvass in the Northwestern States The
anomaly was presented OF the two par
! lies vieing with each other and en-
y
virtue of their endorsement OF President john
sons policy. Neither party could make any
| Roadway except by endorsing the President in
it's conventions. This fact was so manifest
that it left no chance for two opinions as to the
feeling of the people. 1t gave TO the republic
can majority in Congress a chart to guide their
course in assembling 80 plain and so certain
that the question was not could they follow it,
but how conld they possibly, under any cir
cumstances, go wrong? But as it was in our
charter election so il is in Congress: the re-
pnblicans appear incapable Of understanding
the plainesi practical events.
When Congress assembled there was no one
thing more manifest than that the revolutionary
theories Of negro suffrage and conquered terri
tories, advocated by Sumner and Stevens, were
repudfated and denounced by the American
people. While this fact was apparent to every
observer Of events, every member of Congress
must have seen that the Presidents policy had
the support of the adhercnts Of all parties
save the extreme fanatics on both Sides
This being the case, tact, ~ well as
desire to carry out the wishes Of the
people, the source OF all power in this country,
would have pointed out the only course for
the majority to pursue. But instead Of fol-
lowing this plain and Straightforward path Of
duty they. gathered together in caucus, and
there pledged their support to The very men
and to the questions which the party
everywhere had 10 repudiate in order to re-
ceive the support Of the people. Without
waiting for the Message Of the President, they
attempted to compel him to abandon the
policy and position which had drawn to his
support the great bulk Of all psrtieG As soon
as Stevens, the bell wethcr Of the flock, an
nounced his course they all rushed in that dircc-