Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-02-26
THE POLITICAL ATMOS-
PHERE.

'i ington-COlduess and Indifferen.
by Congress Towards the Admin.
/ tration-COnfesSiOR of n Radics
; Correspondent
4 The Washington correspondent of II
! New York Times (RadicaD confess,
o that there is strong and growing indi
, ference manifested by Congress for Il
Grant Administration. The following
his letter:
WASHINGTON, Feb. 10, 1S7O.-There
an element in the political atmosphere !
, Washington which bodies no good to In
! future unity and success of the Republi
can party. 1t is difficult to define it
character precisely, but it is so palpabl
that one can feel it and breathe it, and
is far more permeating than we like t
admit The cause of the existence O
such an element is even more difficult {.
! define than its character. But its exist
enee IS certain The shape which this
feeling takes may be illustrated, perhaps
by the remarks of distinguished poe
and satirist, who spent few days her,
last week. lie had been dining and win
ing in high official circles, had kept hi.
eyes and ears open, and his conclusion.
were not hasty. On preparing to leave,
friend asked him, EWell, what do you
find 2" 81 find" said he, can Admins,
tration without a party to support it. >
The poet found the truth, and this re.
mark may illustrate the element which !
refer to as existing in this political at
mosphere
Il
| The Administration and the Republican
party in Congress are not en- rapDort in
feeling or desire. There is no enthusiasm
on the floor of either house, either in the
support OF the measures of the Admins
tratlon, or In its defense from outside at
tack. This GOODNESS and indifference ex-
tends so far that it is even possible for
Fernando Wood to obtain unanimous con-
sent to offer and to pass impertinent reso-
lutions, rejecting more or less directly on
the action of departments. and that, too.
upon mere newspaper assertion as basis.
a distinguished Senator, who, in all the
vast volume of debate in that body has
held bride on his tongue, said to me the
other day on this subject stTherc is not
a member of that body who docs not wish
well to President Grant and his admins
tratlon; yet there is not particle of en-
| thusiasm, and very little cordial feeling
In It's behalf in all the Senate" He is
| undoubtedly correct.
This condition of affairs is, of course.
the undercurrent here, and not the surface
aspect. But it is cropping out in so many
directions that the matter may as well be
seriously considered 1t is a fact, then.
that many men, who have heretofore
acted with the Republican party are now
talking about new political affiliations.
The Republican party, in their estimation.
has substantially fulfilled its mission in
the suppression of the rebellion, the COM
pletIOn OF reconstruction, and the estab-
llshment of impartial suffrage. Other
issues are coming up in the near future,
and new combinations must be made TO
meet them. They would prefer to re-
main with the Republicanparty, but there
IS no lnducement in the course of the Ad-
mlnistration TO do so, and they desire to
be In the foreground of new movement,
provided there is to be one.
But the question will naturally be asked.
| WHO is to blame for this GOODNESS and
indifference between Congress and the
Administration ~ 1t would require re-
view Of the reasons for, and interests in
volYed in nearly every leading appoint
ment yet made 10y the President, 10 an
swer this question fully. l say appoint
ments, for it is fact, however it NAV be
disguised, that Congress is chiefly sore
headed over the offices. 1t is not the
Presidents policy or course on any par
fIpnlar cnhfnnf ruhrrb =
That is approved in the main. But the |
President, notwithstanding their best en-
deavOrs, has failed to learn that he must |
share the responsibility of his appoint
ments with the members of Congress.
lie has made mistakes, and many of them |
have been made IN yielding to this de- |
mand, and he shows no signs of conversion
tothe principle. lie still retains the idea that |
somehow or other he is responsible at
last, and he continues to act on that basis.
Hence, we hear people predicting the
disruption of the Republican Party.
Hence, the fact, that while the President
has emo policy of his own to enforce
against the will of the people," it is equal
ly true that he has no power to enforce his
own ideas upon the convictions of men,
bers of Congress. Thus it sthat single
Senator, whose powers are potent for
obstruction and pulling down, rather than
for construction and building up, is able
to lead the Senate by the nose into the
position of totally refusing TO take any
new action on the very important question
of the census, notwithstanding the fact
that the President earnestly recommended
1t in his annual Message, and the further
fact that for twenty years we have made
no progress or change in legislation on
this subject. Thus it is that the
great national policy involved in the
of San Domingo is received |
silently and coldly, and allowed to be-
come complicated with the derelictiOns of |
a past Administration, notwithstanding
the fact that in this policy is involved,
not the mere question of naval station
in the Gulf, but the entire control of the
passages of the Caribbean Sea, the ulti-
mate acquisition of Cuba from the sheer
necessities of the position, and the con-
troll of the great Interoceanic Ship Canal
across the Isthmus of Darien, certain to
be an accomplished fact within the next
ten or fifteen years. What could be a
grander foreign policy than this-all of
which is contemplated in thai little treaty,
which is allowed to become the target of
ridicule and falsehoOd, without single !
voice to call attention to the
sublime proportions of the policy of |
which it is only the preliminary indica-
ion.
l have said that Congress is sore headed
over the offices. They will deny it of
course. Let US analyze the situation
title, and see if it is not true. President
Grants Administration is engaged in the
very necessary but exceedingly disagreea-
Die work of Tetrenchment and reform.
1t has this responsibility uponits shoulders,
from which it canr OF escape 1t may be
ypified as an emetic to the body polite,
and therefore agreeable tOsnobody, but
certain to improve The condition of the
patient. | should like to see the head of
| Department who can be thoroughly pop
liar among Congressman if he has no
places to give. The wOrthiest of Con-
yressmen have a pressure upon them,
argely the result of campaign obligations,
which they cannot escape. 1t does not
satisfy those who seek their influence that
here are no vacancies. ''Make Them is
he reply. ''What else are you here
for? is the unspoken inference.
They can't be made, and double ,,
is the result. If we
20 up into the House we find members
Taliantly engaged in reducing the appFO-
Driations; this Department is cut down
fifty thousand here and one hundred thou
nd ole Of l. |