The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-10-28
WHAT AN OPPOSITION HOUSE COULD
DO.

However the elections go this fall, the Ad'
ministration will have decided maJonty II
the Senate of the Forty-fourth Congress.
Then. what valuable objects can be attained
bv securing . hostile majority in the House
A little reflection will suffice to answer this
question and show that important consequent
ces would flow from such result.
Though an opposition House could not re-
peal bad laws, it might pass bills for thell
repeal. and thereby throw upon the GRANTEES
in the Senate the responsibility of defeating
them if they chose. It could prevent enact
ments in the interest of Ring robbers, and
thus dry up the fountains of much OF the cor
ruption and jobbery that now pour their de-
moralizing streams all over the country. More
important even than this, it could put a stop
to that species of legislation which, BY lodg-
ing arbitrary powers in the hands Of an I'M
has, since Grant took Office, been gradually
carrying us onward toward q monarchical OF
oligarchical system of Government.
An opposition majority in the House would
restore to that branch Of Congress its consti-
tutional authority over the finances OF the
country. Under tho loose practice OF late
years the Senate has been allowed to usurp
good deal of this authority, and thus become
the leading power in legislation on money
matters. Not long since nearly majority OF
Senators asserted the right OF that body to
originate appropriation bills. An opposition
House would reverse all this, and put hook
into the nose of Grants proAigate administra-
ton on all subjects relating to the raising, the
keeping, and the expenditure Of public
money. If, in spite of the administrations OF
the elections, Grant and his fellow conspira-
tors against the Treasury should continue to
pursue their usual reckless, oppressive, cor
rupt career, the House might resort the old
time remedy of the English Commons for
curbing the spirit of arbitrary kings and pro-
fieate ministers, and refuse to pass bills for
supplying them with money. In an extreme
case the application of this sharp lash by
a resolute House of Representatives might
bring even so solid q ruler as Grant to his
senses
One of the first and most important duties
of House in antagonlsm to the Admlnlstra-
ton would be to institute series OF searching
investigations into the operations OF all the
leading departments of the Government since
Grant becam President By thrusting in the
probe the House would touch the core of the
deadly disease of our times. BY bringing out
and spreading before the eyes of the people
the mass of damning facts which would surely
come forth from such q probing of the great
ulcer of Grantism. Congress would do more
to give tone and vitality to our republican sys-
tenn and preserve it for posterity than could
possibly be accomplished in any other way.
These investigations would prepare the way
for the performance of by far the most serious
and weighty duty that would devolve upon an
honest, sagacious, fearless House OF Repre-
sentatives. With the necessary and appropri-
ate facts in the possession Of such House, it
would be moved by the most solemn obiga-
tons to bring to the bar of the Senate, under
articles of impeachment for high crimes and
the most distinguished of the
public fanctionaries who had fagran.ly and
flagitiously violated their trusts The House
should then insist upon speedy trials,
and spread an abundance Of indubitable
on the records of the court
Of impeachment If the court saw fit to
acquit the offenders in the face of condemna-
tory facts, contemporaries and posterity
would fasten the odium on the shoulders that
ought to bear it. In clear cases of guilt,
whatever might be the verdict Of the court,
he JUDGMENT of the people would be uner-
ing. The record of the proceedings would
endure; and for whole generation it would
letter future rulers from offending in like
manner.
These are few of the benefcent fruits
which would spring from the election of
House opposed to the Administration of
Grant. Surely they are abundant enough to
warrant the exertions to secure that end
Ne,c York Sun.