The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1874-11-11
What az Opposition House Can Do.

ded majority in the Senate of the
Fortyfourth Congress. Then, what
valuable objects can be attained BY
securing a hostile majority in the
House? A little reflection will suffice
to answer this question and sh6H
that important consequences would
flow from such q result.
Though an opposition House could
not repeal bad laws, it might pass
bills for their repeal, and thereby
throw upon the GRANTEES in the Sen:
ate the responsibility of Defeating
them ifthey chose. 1t could prevent
enactments in the interest of Ring
robbers, and thus dry up the foun-
tains of much of the corruption and
jobbery that now pour their democrat
izing streams al over the country
More important even than this, it
could put stop to that species of
Legislation which, by lodging arbitra-
ry powers in the hands of an unscru-
pulous President and his supple min
ions, has, since Grant took office,
been gradually carrying us onward
toward monarchial or oligarchial
system Of Government. s vg
An opposition majority in tn Q
House would restore to that branch
of Congress it's constitutional author
ity over the finances of the country.
Under the loose practice of late years
the Senate has been allowed to usurp
a good deal Of this authority, and
thus become the leading power in
legislation on money matters. Not
long since nearly a majority of Sena
tors 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 administration Oh.
all subjects relating to the raising,
the keeping and the expenditure of
public money. If, in spite Of the adj
ninistrations Of the elections, Grant
and his fellow conspirators against
the Treasury shoule continue to par
sue their usual reckless, oppressive,
corrupt career, the House might re7.s
sort to the old time remedy of tie
English Commons for curbing the
spirit of arbitrary kings and profit,
gate ministers, and refuse to pass
bills for supplying them with money.
In an extreme case the application OF
this sharp lash by resolute House
OF Representatives might bring even
so solid ruler as Mr.. Grant to his
senses. ~. - -
One Of the first and most, impors
tant duties of House in antagonism
to the Administration would be to,
institute series Of searching inves-
LEGATIONS into the operations of adj
the leading departments of the Coy,
ernment since Grant became Presi.t
dent. BY thrusting in the probe the
House would touch the core of the.
deadly disease Of our times. BIZ
bringing out and spreading before the.
eyes of the people the mass Of damn
ing facts which would surely come
forth from such a probing of the;
great ulcer of Grantism. Congress
would do more to give tone and vital
ity to our republican system and pre-
serve it for posterity than could pos
tibly be accomplished in any other
way. '3,'
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
appropriate facts in the possession of
such House, it would be moved by
the most solemn obligations to bring
to the bar of the Senate, under arti-
Giles of impeachment for high crimes
and misdemeanors, the most distin-
guished of the public funetionaries.
who had tlagrantly and flagitiously
violated their trusts. The House
should then insist upon speedy trials,l
and spread an abundance Of. indubi-.
table testimony on the records ofthe
court of impeachment. If the court
saw fit to acquit the offenders in the
face of condemnatory facts, contem7.
poraries 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 the Judgment of the peos
pie would be unerripg. The record
of the proceedings would endure; and
for q whole generation it wou!dsdeter