National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-04-24

The OppOSltlOn lOuIHoASJ "hHO SA"oninnS
the President to greater or less extent for
his veto of the Senate finance bill, betray
an uneasy curiosity regarding the future
course of those Republican members Of
Congress who favored imitation. They pre-.
dict all sorts of direful results to the Ad-
ministration as the immediate offspring Of
the hot blood which has been aroused
among Western and Southern Republicans,
and in their predictions make free use OF
the names of such acknowledged leaders as
Senators Morton, Carpenter, Logan and
Ferry. They would gladly realize fulfill
ment of their hopes that the party may be
divided, and consequently print, with an
eagerness so apparent as to disarm the
force of their desire, the scraps of exag-
gerated fact and unfounded gossip which
fioat like rumors in the political atmos-
phere, to show that the President has com,
mitted great party 6lunder; that he has
alienated himself from his party friends,
and that he has destroyed all hopes of 8
reconciliation of party differences. Old
sores are reopened. and new ones aggra-
waited, with the hope that the party coun>
els may become distracted; that personal
enmities and ambitions may be provoked
into personal and party estrangement and
that the. way may be made clear for
Democratic victory in the next Presidential
contest
1t may be true that some Of the gentle
men whose names are mentioned have been
engaged in private conference regarding
the subject. It is natural that they should
be thus engaged under the circumstances;
but that their anger, to use mild term,
should lead them to such q radical step as
to "break with the Administration, as our
enemies fondly hope, we cannot believe.
They have too much at stake in other re-
spects, and however much they may feel
chagrined Just now, they are men of too
much natural common sense to do in haste
what they would certainly be called upon
to repent at leisure. In the history ofevery
party, having for its constituency non
sectional following such emergencies arise.
and experience has repeatedly proven that
when one man, situated as President Grant
is now. has been called upon to act as the
sole exponent of a great party, the result
has been to arouse more or less ill-feeling
among party friends. In short, the present
situation Of the Republican party presents
nothing new, nothing novel Those of its
members who favor imitation are naturally
disappointed at the failure of their cher
shed hopes. They will feel compelled, in
indication Of themselves and in justice to
heir constituents, to complete the record of
heir devotion to an especial theory by OPP
posing this single act of their chosen leader.
Otherwise the grumbling which the opposi-
ton would magnify in ominous threats is
the harmless ysporing Of fleeting chagrin.
But there is another view of the case,
cutie as pertinent as subject of current
discussion as this one. 1t is to he found in
the prospective acts of those Democrats
who stood side by side with Messrs. Nor
ton and Logan. Senators Bogy, Norwood,
Johnston, McCrary, Merrimon, Gordon.
and Ransom, sll Democrats, voted for the
bill. supported it in all the stages of its pro-
gress, and were as much interested in its
becoming q law as were their Republican
contemporaries It must be apparent that
they thus become estranged from. party
sffiliation, and although their names are
seldom heard Of in the columns of the
opposition press, it is also apparent that
their course is indicative of division OF
the Democratic party, if it is indicative of
In Short this finance business
is two-edged sword, dull enough to make
ugly wounds, as it cuts both ways; but not
sharp enough 10 infict lasting injury upon
either party.