New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-01-26
PRESIDENT MAKING.
SOME SIGNS OF THE TIMES

ippou TuR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT VI Inn i"''
w,sur,croN. Jan. 24.-If there is one thing
more sIikncly apparent than announcer 10 'no 'o M "
b,s the chief signal station of the American poh'cai
world and which must have been usooVorcu oS o'eiS
80, student of tho political probabilities"
1T ont hence from day TO day, 1t Is
,hot Congress has fully determined to DO
mo more legislative work this Winter than IL absolutely
necessary keep tho Government machine running un
Ill next December 1t docs no harm 10 Introduce bs so
long IA they are allowed 10 sumber In the pigoonhoes
OF committee-rooms. Therefore the Government
presses running night day print those embryos OF
legislation Labored speeches may be timed and tuned
as TO make good elcctlOnecrng documents and 80 no
day passes IN which Senator docs not give notice
~ speech on some pet measure. But when an Import
ant bill Is out OF the c0mmteerOom and fairly be-
fore either House for It's action nobody knows how much
political mischief IL may work. When say that no I'M
rortant legislative work. except the passage of the an
nua appropriation bills will be done, do not wish to be
understood that show OF work will not be made On
the contrary of the committees viii hold many i'm
portant meetings and put into shape many important
bills; and there may be long and spirited debates on
Of them, bat the majority of these bills VIII never
be allowed to come to vote.
The WAYS and Means Committee Of the House WILL
without doubt as TIC Finance Committee of the Senate
has already done, report bill modifying the incsen'
tariff in less important particulars Tho keV
enue Rciorers Free Traders so clanoros thHl
shape of careful scrutiny Of the present law and sus
gestions change; 1t is also equally certain thaV
Congress viii take the sano caro- to AVOID ohehdhs no
Protection ss Just at this time, by summary huans
ling any proposition TO reduce the tariff 70 when con
Siderable number Of them are known TO DO opposed
Congress will pursue q similar course Win REGARD W
Civil Service Reform. The Presidents Message inc
Advisory Board" rules published from time 10
time competitive examinations, and Dils 10 enact
the system law, will DO thrown in the teeth OF any
OF the Republican party who dares 10 Grill
else the Civil Service. Senator Conng gave US an eN-
s,npIe al the Bodus ope,Qndi lis attack Senator
Sumner
lcs any who wants an Office, or whose support
may be lost he has patronage 10 for his own
elevation ht think that his interests were to be dis
regarded Senator Conkling at the tmo touched
spring and ont jumped his little Joker Carpenter
who always when Conkling takes snuff and al
layed all apprehension by telling the Senate and pco
pie that they need have fears this whole Civ Ser
vice Reform scheme political delusOn," in fact
unconstitutional Together they expected 10 mako
strongest kind Of political team. They both repre-
the white House, both stand ready to launch aDathe
and TO read out of the party one who dares to
speak Of the possibility OF nominating any one except
Gen. Grant for the next Presidential term and they
both stand on the Same platfOrm-that is Con6lng
stands end OF 1t and Carpenter the otber the
center rests public opinion; if the support moves
little toward REFORM down. goes Carpenter and
up comes Conklug; but If public opinion moves the
way Carpenter mp and COnkng not TO be seen
What does all this wre-pung meanP is a question
that has frequently been asked during the past few days
What Is the need Of blowing hot and cold upon the
questions which most occupy the public mind Why
waste long session of Congress IN intriguing for Gen
GRANTS denomination, If the people have so fully made
up their minds that Death is the only archer whose
bow can defeat him II the people unanimously
for Grant, why pack political conventions with Office
holders spend weeks in attempting TO prevent inveStga
OF abuses ana In such desperate efforts some of
Presidents friends the Investigation Committee
seem 10 be making TO cover up the truth -
The only answer that be made 10 these qucs
tos Is that the frieuds Of Cen Grant in Congress are
really afraid; they know best how TO estimate the
strength Of that popular will" OF which they talk so
much because Is article OF their own manufacture
During the Summer and Fan, many OF them have been
before their constituents, and, Joined by the Federal
ofcehOders Of their districts, have assured
the people again and again that the masses have de-
cded TO reGlect Gen. Grant when by the masses they
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., Members OF Congress, Col
lectors Assessors and Posmasters. The denomination
of Gen. Grant on the 9TH OF next june though very
probable Is not foregone conclusion and everybody
in Washington who thinks for himself instead of being
frightened by the din made by White House claquers,
it, One does not hear the floor Of either House
the real sentiments Of any class of politicians and
shal try furnish key to the situation by repeating,
without violating anybodys confidence, some OF the pr
waite talk of the past week.
The Administration wing OF the Republican party In
Congress may divided into two classestOerant and
intoeran Grant The latter class is, think, rather
and does by far the greater part of
the talking. The who compose it seem to consider
themselves on all public and private occasions the
attorneys of Gen. Grant and they Ay aniy to his de-
whenever anything ia said by friend foe that
can in any way be construed a reflection upon any
branch OF the present Administration. To illustrate the
manner in which these talk will repeat here part
with nf ham nnft
The subject discussion introduced by the Senator
the course OF THE TRIBUNE during the Retrenchment
Committee debate. before the recess.
insist upon it, said the Senator. "that there Is
thing that is settled beyond all discussion, and that Is
that Cen Grant will DO renominated and reelected
therefore, any any who opposes Grant
opposes the Republican party and is enemy to our
cause"
But" said I, "suppose deny your premises; snip
pose don't admit that Grants denomination is good
as made e.
You can't do IT," was the reply "Are not the
people unanimously in favor Of Grants serving second
teni Anybody who does mt see that must be blind or
traitor his party If he Republican. That
T. wny think THE TRIBUNE Is injurng more than the
whole Democratic press"
But is not this idea, this prescription Of Repub
ncans five six months before tie National Convention
Is held because they not think you say the
orty the party with regard to the claims OF any
particular in 1t Z" interpOsed Has not every
Republican q right TO his preferencesi Who has
% night TO say that any is the less q Re
publican because no may prefer that Mr. Sumner shall
be the next President instead OF Gen. Grantp
"Did MT tell yOu and don't you know that II Is an
utter impOssiby for the Republican party to nominate
airy man but Grant, This talk about liberty within the
party sounds well enough, but tell you it's all pre-
tense and sham it's the last weapon Of the sorehead
and malcontents who determined to rule or ruin the
Republican party; they dsgruntled with Grant be-
he would not allow them TO use him 10 carry out
their own ends never hoard anvfhipo about Ciyu