, 1872-12-05
AN ERA OF GOOD FEELING,

The assembling Of Congress on Monday was
marked, in the Lower House at least, by very
fine display Of good feeling, on the part OF the
victors towards the vanquished, which came like
8 poultice to heal the blows Of the late campaign
and mitigate its asperities. The most striking
manifestation Of this generosity consisted in the
refusal Of the majority Of the House to accept
the resignation OF Mr. Banks, from the Chair
manship OF the Foreign Committee, after his
public declaration that his views were not in
sympathy with those OF the. majority. It is al
ways pleasant to see brothers and friends agree,
and it may be possible that this era OF trater-
nal feeling at the commencement OF the
session, and Immediately following one
OF the bitterest campaigns On
record, foreshadows q remarkably harmonious
session, which may be productive Of much good
to the country at large. It is evidently desired
and intended by the majority to win back the
Liberal Republican members Of Congress, and
1e-establiah the status Of the party as it WIS be-
fore the Cincinnati Convention was held. In
the Senate there is apparently no such desire.
The partisanship Of the Administration Senators
is too violent and bitter to admit Of any recon-
ciliation. They are too far removed from the
people to understand or appreciate the popular
desire for concord and good feeling,
and 80, led by such men as Cameron, Conkling,
and Morton, who are too narrow and blgoted in
their partisanBhip, to conceive OF execute any
measure which has not the sanction Of. the
CAUCUS, the Administration Senators seem to
have determined to continue that policy which
removed Mr. Sumner from his position Oh the
Committee Of Foreign Relations, long before
Nr. Sumner had expressed any sympathy with
Liberal Republcanism, or had committed any
act which WAS contrary to the usages Of the
Republican party.
The spirit displayed by the members Of the
House Is commendable one in all respects,
and especially 80 in contrast with the narrow
and proscrptive policy Of the Senate. The OBJ
ject which they seek is equally conmendable,
and there is way to accomplish it, and that Is
BY carrying out the principles which were enun-
ciated in the Cincinnati platform. To these
principles, the Republican party has never taken
exception. No issue Was made against them
in the campaign, and so admirable and
essential we're they considered, that some Of
them in spirit, and Some Of them in letter, were
embodied in the Republican platform, which was
afterwards framed at Philadelphia. II they viii
in good faith execute these principles which
they have claimed as their own, if they will show
d determination to make those reforms in the
party which we're demanded at Cincinnati, and
which they themselves have acknowledged to be
| necessary, they can close the breach which nor
exists, and both Liberal and Administration Re
| pubicans can act together cheerfully and with.
out. restraint. Let them, for instance
cordially sustain the President in his efforts to
carry out the Civil Service Reform, the abuses
of which service no one has the hardihood te
deny, and, if they can Guido the Liberals in ef
forts to eecure an honest Administration Of tha1
service, re shall bo glad to record the fact. 4
union between Liberal and Administration Re
publicans can easily be effected in the manner
We have indicated.