The Portland daily press., 1873-12-22

MONDAY MORNING, DEC. ss. 1878.
Congressional MisbehaviOr.

= II sometimes seems as though certain Con-
gressmen were periodically stricken with
hopeless idiocy. At the very opening OF the
session, going fresh from the people with a
full knowledge and understanding OF the in
tense feeling on the salary question; knowing
too, that the heart of the nation is sore about
the financial situation. and that the people
ask for evidence from public Officials of a dis
position to observe the same frugality which
private citizens find themselves compelled to
exercise; with the very disagreeable fact be-
fore them that the expenditures of govern
ment are in excess of the revenues, and that
rigid economy is imperatvely de anded, they
give themselves over to the leadership of a
BLACKBOARD like Butler and, with rbald jest
and obscene invective, they defeat the SO are
straightforward bill for repeal, introduced by
Eugene Hale and affront the country, which,
with good reason, looked confidently for
something better. A good deal of political
history is being made just now, and copies of
the Congressional Record for the past two
weeks will furnish lots of material for use on
the stump next year.
crucial test for men, and a test, too, which che
people will readily comprehend and fully ap-
preciate. Maine has just cause for pride in
all her representatives, especially in Eugene
Hale, who stands conspicuous before the
country as steadfast, able and plucky cham
pion ofthe country against her plunderers,
and of the Republican party against the dan
gerous foes within its own camp. Hale and
Dawes, Hawley and Tremaine, WITH their as
sociates and followers, represent City the
Dest elements in the nation and do much to
Eeaeem tie House from the sweeping anathe-
ma which the people are disposed to visit up
on that disreputable body.
One of the most serious phases of this bad
business is the evident deliberate purpose of
B. F. Butler to discredit and destroy the Re-
publican rarty. He is simply political ad-
venturer, without honesty or principle, and
now that the Republicans of Massachusetts
have repudiated him in SO conclusive and gro.
nounced manner, he sees his profit in the
disruption of that party upon whose skirts he
persists in hanging for the purpose of
more efectually damaging it. With his
matchless audacity, and bullying appearance
of courage, he attracts to himself a large fol-
lowing of Republicans-and Democrats too
ofthe baser sort, chiefly from the south and
west, and overslaughs the decent part of the
House, especially when he can hold out the
allurements of plunder to his motley and ra-
pacioIs horde. He is bad and dangerous
man.
The Republican party can stand but little
more of this sort of thing. To be sure, the
Democrats are much worse in proportion TO
their numbers, but nobody expec1s much of
them. and the majority party is held respons.-
BILE for all that goes wrong. Congressman
will do well to carry with them, as food for
reflection during the holidays, the consdera-
ton that, unless they mend their ways, con-
sultthe popular will, act justly and decently,
and throw overheard such fagrantly disrepu
table and offensive leaders as Butler, the next
Congress may quite possibly fail to show a
Republican majority, and we may be prepar-
ing our inscriptions for the monumental pile
to be placed over the remains of that magnfi-
cent party. Good Republicans must combine
to sternly suppress bad Republicans, or the
obituary business will soon be in order, and
the epitaph will read-"Died of bad Congress
men,