New-York tribune., 1875-03-05
EXIT YLITId CONGRESS.

The Congress which expired yesterday at
noon was elected with President Grant, and
its close indicates the. expiration of the first
half of the Presidents second term. In its
election the party represented by majority
of its members reached the very elimination
of its long success. There seemed nothing
left of influence or power for which it needed
to struggle. 1t only remained for it to use
its grand opportunity wisely; to rise above
the pettiness of intriguing politics, and give
good government to all the country, mot
merely places to adherents; in short. to make
the Government an economically managed and
honestly administered corporation, whose bcne-
fits should accrue to all, instead of specu-
lative concern with a Credit Mobiier in its
belly, for whose advantage everybody should
be taxed and cheated. The party
had come into o new lease of power upon
terms Of it's own making, and the people had
given 1t their confidence in the largest and
most trustful way, with scarcely reservation
or condition upon the bestOwal. 1t was ap-
parently never so strong. IL had Ony,to be
reasonably wise and prudent to make this ap-
parent strength real. 1t needed to show that
the accusations of its enemies were false, the
criticisms of the dissatisfied unjust, and the
doubts of its friends unfOunded. In the very
place where, to the short-sishted and cross
eyed leaders who plunged to the front, it
seemed the best opportunity to crack the whip.
and enforce discipline, and draw close the
party lines, the party needed more than ever
in its history to be cOnciliatory in its policy
and inflexibly honest in its conduct But its
strength was its weakness.
1t was in this state of affairs that the XLlId
Congress came together for the short session
in December, 1872. Its successor had been
elected, and it was in large measure with
out responsibility. 1t acted accordingly. The
view taken of the Presidential triumph was
not that it increased the responsibility of a
party so freely trusted to govern the country
well, but rather that such an exhibition of
strength was an assurance of .impunity for
whatever it might do or undertake. SO for
three months the people stood and watched
its wonderful career till it made its historic
Grab at the Treasury, handed over to the
President 100000 as his share, and went
down the steps. Popular disgust which the
short session had created and confirmed was
succeeded by a feeling OF relief as
that Congress turned its face away
from the scene Of its depredations
and its folly. In the months that elapsed be-
fore the assembling of the XLIIId Congress
the leaders :of the dominant party began to
have glimmering suspicion that the party
was not so popular as in 1872; that the people
had become dissatisfied with false promises of
reform, with weakness and wickedness in
administration, with domagOgism in legisla-
tion and with all the policy and tendencies
of the pettifogging statesmen in the pilot
house. 1t undertook accordingly to be WISE
and if possible regain public confidence. And
of course it's first step was to repeal the Salary
Grab.
After that it-wel it supported the Ad-
ministratioD. 1t may have done other things;
indeed we do remember dimly that it dis
cussed the finances at great length and came
so near fulfilling the party's promise of
specie payments as to legalize the issue of
an additional $26,0OOOOO of irredeemabe
paper. 1t closed out the Civil Service Reform
also, with Mr.. Butler as the executioner,
undertaken, and executor; gave some attention
to Investigations for purposes of vindication,
and allowed itself to be led by Mr. Butler in
Cameron, Conkling and Chandler-in the
Senate. Its great act of reform was to repeal
the Salary Grab. 1t did that, in spite of Mr..
Butler, but it has placated that gentleman by
submitting to his leadership ever. since.
This Congress came together for the short
session in December, 1874, under circumstances
exactly the reverse of those which attended
the short session of its predecessor. The
country which then 80 lately had sustained
President Grant by an overwhelming vote
had now, by vote more decisive
and more startling, repudiated his Administra-
ton and elected an Opposition Congress. De-
feat for 1875 stared the party in the face.
What should be donef If these men were
wise and honest in all that they had charged
upon their opponents; if they really at heart
believed the Opposition leaders ready for any
bad work which opportunity might offer or
precedent justify, it was their business to put
the house in order and remove all temptations
to mischief when the generation of the wicked
should enter into possession. Instead of that
they have devoted these three months to
building up precedonts in legislation and
administration, which, in the hands of men
as bad as they pretend to believe their OppO-
nents to be, would be prolific of woes to the
country, and fatal to the experiment of free
government.
We have cause for gratitude that some of
the worst of these have failed of passage We
have greater reason for thankfulness that
Congress which was so subservient to bad
Administration, which had so little conception
of its duty to the country, and SO constant and
Overpowering sense of its obligations TO party,
and which was 80 shortsighted and wrong
headed az TO have Butler for a leader, has