The Portland daily press., 1874-03-18
New York Letter.
Responsibility of the party in power
Charges against the Republicans con-
sidered-The currency question in Con-
gress-The Sanb0rn Contracts.


sidered-The currency question in Con-
gress-The sanborn Contracts.
NEW York, Mar. 18th, 1874.
Whenever anything occurs to disturb the
prosperity of a nation, the party in power be-
comes at once the subject of critical scrutiny.
The panic, from the desolating consequences of
which we have not yet recovered, and which
has left its impoverishing traces in paralyzed
industries and languid commerce, has had
the effect to give the people the leisure and the
disposition to fasten their attention upon public
men and public measures with more than Or
binary intensity. This is why we are witness
irg such universal and animated discussion
OF the doings of the Executive and legislative
branches of the government, and why both are
held to the strictest possible account for every
fct either Of omission or commission. II would
be strange indeed IT under such CIRCUMSTANCES,
there were not fouad abundant materials for
censorship, even upon candid representation
of the facts. But candor does not always char
acterze the reports which reach the public ear
of transactions at the Capital, and consequent
", unfaircess of inference and excess Of color
ing, often combine to convey erroneous impress
siOns in regard to occurrences daily transpiring
at Washington.
The Republican party just now is held re-
sponsible for all manner of things-for not dis
posing in single day of questions which have
taxed the genius and perplexed the judgment
of statesmen for centuries, without having
reached the point of definitive solution---for
legislating too much and too little--.for an ex-
cessive use of authority, and for supine neg
lect to exercise it-for an unwarrantable inter-
ference with private rights, and Gallons indif-
ference to the protection of them-for not hav-
ing checked speculation and for not having
stimulated it-for too much pacifcation of the
savages on our border, and too severe mode of
dealing with them-for an excess and for
dearth of money-fOr extreme rigor and unpar-
donable laxity in the collection of taxes-in
fine, nothing short of absolute infallibility-
and hardly that-will suffice to meet all the re-
quirements of men whom misfortune has made
peevish and disconnected.
And yet for all we have of government worth
cherishng, we are indebted to the dominant
party. 1t would be difficult to conceive of
condition of things more hopelessly demoraliz-
ing than that which existed at the moment
when the country was wrested from democratic
sway. The pulpit, the press and the rostrum-
the schools and colleges-the bishop in his mi
tire. the judge in his ermine, "bowstringed the
virtues in the market places" Religion, ltera-
ture, justice and humanity were forced to take
refuge in anti-slavery conventicles. and all who
practiced them were sneered at as fanatics 1t
fairly makes one shudder to contemplate a res
teration of that hateful dynasty which made
manhood s reproach and the succor of the op-
pressed crime. The times, to be sure, have
changed and such things are no longer posi-
BILE; but the amount of meanness and servlity
which it required to keep Democrat loyal to
his creed fifteen years ago, was too great to be
entirely eradicatAd in one generation, and no
party by that name ought ever in any possible
contingency to be permitted to resume sway in
this Republic.
But the Republican leaders have in their
keeping sacred trust. They have no right to
squander it, or put it at hazard. Great faith
has been reposed in them, great expectations
are formed of them. Whenever one of them
exhibits disposition to exalt his own interests
above the common welfare, he must be cashier
ed at once. Discipline and honor demand IL
The wholesome enforcement of this rule will
prove an incentive to patriotism and a WARNING
to selfshness.
The hope of the future lies in the continued
ascendency of the Republican party. 1t is the
party of genuine reform. 1t listens to the
voice of public opinion and obeys with alacritv
the will of the people. When the passage of
the salary bill provoked deprecatory comment
last year, the very next Congress prompt
ly repealed it. That proceeding indicated a
Difference to popular sentiment extremely cred
liable to the national representatives, involving
as it did considerable pecunary sacrifice.
Recently when a delegation of citizens visited
the Capital to urge the abrogation or amend
pent of the revenue laws, which had existed
since the formation of the government they
were cordially received by the Committee of
ways and Means, their representations atten- |
lively listened to and satisfactory assurances |
,iven that the matter should have speedy and |
areful consideration.
One of the chief causes of dissatisfaction
rises from the lnaction of Congress upon fl
'ancial matters. There isa very wide spread
esire that some policy should be determined
M SO that the community can know how to
et. Infiationists and Contractionists alike de-
mana that the amount of government paper to
70 circulated should be fixed by law, and not be
laoie 10 increase or dminution, in accordance
r ~ me varying requirements of the Treasury
~ us Is not so easy thing to do as it appears
mere Is no dihculty in designating a maxi
mum ngnre but there must necessarily be con.
tant fluctuations in the amount of tho h,,..,
IN hand. However, the main obstacle, in fact
he only one, which lies in the way of SOLVING
he financial problem is the irreconcilablv on.
oslte views of those who advocate a pradns,
of the government circulation, till
shall have appreciated to par and those who
re importunate for further dilation of the
apeT medium till there shall be enough for !