The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-31

mains undecided on account of the conflict over
the Ku Klux bill, as it is commonly called.
The extreme radical supporters of the admins
tration seem determined to carry this measure,
and, therefore, wish to extend the session for
the purpose of overcoming the opposition,
while the democrats appear to be resolved to
prevent it passing by using all the Congress
sional tactics within their power. In this the
democrats are aided indirectly, if not directly,
by some of the liberal republicans. The latter
evidently want to avoid vote directly on the
question, as that would place them in the di-
lemma Of either going against their party on
an administration party measure and acting
with the democrats, or of voting against their
consciences and for what they believe to be
wrong Hence the refusal of the House of
Representatives on Tuesday to suspend the
rules to take up the Habeas Corpus Suspension
or Ku Klux BILL and the failure of similar
efforts on Wednesday under the lead of Gen.
eral Butler. The difficulty lies, consequently,
in the House. In the Senate, where there is q
large majority of extreme radicals, no great
obstruction has been or could be offered to
such repressive and political legislation
The republicans of the House, at least,
being divided in opinion as to the policy of
charging the provisions of the Enforcement
act, the President, it seems, deems it proper to
be reticent on the question. He defers, it is
said, to Congress in this matter, as he did to
the Senate the policy of agreeing to the sup
plement to the Washington Treaty. This is
prudent on his part, In view of the split in
the republican party and the approaching
Presidential contest. STILL his friends in
Congress being such ardent advocates of the
amendatory Enforcement act it is reasonable
But would it not be better for General Grant
to intimate that this legislation is unnecessary?
A hint from him to that effect would be suf-
fcient to influence his friends in Congress.
That favorite motto Of his, 'sLet us have
peace" might be well applied in this matter.
Let him do what he can to promote peace in
the republican party, but, above ALL to cement
peace and harmony between the different
sections Of the country. The repressive policy
toward the South has been extended far
enough--has, in fact, been continued too long.
1t keeps up ill feeling and retards the devel-
opment of the Southern States. It is an in
jury to the whole country. It fosters corrup-
ton and the rule Of plundering carpet-baggers
and scalawags. If the President and his
friends think this amendatory Enforcement act
will serve them politically, by enabling them
to control the votes of the Southern States
they will, probably find that to be mistake
What might be gained in that way would be
more than counterbalanced by the unpopular
ity of the measure both in the North and
South. The people Of all sections want to see
the supremacy of the civil law restored every
where, amnesty and peace established, and the
memory of our civil conflict obliterated. Gen
eral Grant would gain moro politically by
liberal and forgiving policy than bv repression
The tactics Of congressman in their efforts
to force through this obnoxious measure are
reprehensible. Indeed, lacking one measure
on to another in order to carry such as are OBJ
ectionable and could not be carried
singly on their own merits is a GUS
tom that cannot be too severely con-
demned. The attempt of the Senate
to introduce an entire Tariff bill by way Of
amendment to the House Tea and Coffee Duty
Repeal bill was an instance, which caused bad
blood on both sides. This, however, was
quashed on question of rogative-namely,
the constitutional inability of the Senate
to originate revenue raising measures. Senator
Summers perverse action in weighing the
several amnesty bills with his civil rights
measure as an amendment is another instance
Of this jockeying. From the rules under
which these dissimilar bills would require to
be voted on, SO long as the amendment was
kept there, it acted as q perfect snag to both
every time they were considered. The sharp
tactics of Senator Carpenter, however, defeated
this clog rolling" and the Senate, in Mr.. Sum-
ner's absence, was enabled, by an arrange
ment between both parties, to pass the House
Amnesty bill with its two-thirds vote and give
| o handsome majority to q modified Civil
Rights bill The latter BILL in company
with the Ku Klux BILL passed on the same
evening by the Senate, was thereupon sent to
the House. Placed almost at the bottom of
the House calendar, there was little hope of
reaching them in the regular way before adj
iournment and hence the resolution, resulting
in the failure above referred to, of taking the
bills from their regular order and putting them
on their passage.
The Senate Committee on Southern Out
RACES, in its session on Wednesday morning
resolved that another piece of 'Iog-roll-
ing" legislation should be attempted The
Ku Klux bill was to be reported yesterday to
the Senate combined with the Civil Rights bill,
in the hope that both measures, each by
attracting its supporters, would secure a
double triumph when the bill went to the
House Apart from the iockeying which
certain parliamentary tacticians believe In as
the complement Of party management, and