Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1875-02-18

amendments, and that svsry Democrat in
Congress, both in the House and Senate,
voted against the joint resolution pro-
posing them. 1t will be observed that
the section from the Fourteenth amend.
ment, above quoted, asserts the validity
OF the public debt, including that in.
Cured for payment of pensions and
bounties, and prohibits the payment of
any claim contracted in aid Of the REBEL.
ion. This was thought by the Republi.
cans wise provision, but it appears
the Democrats thought differently. for
they voted against 1t. They we're
so bitterly opposed to it, indeed, that
when they came into power In the States
OF Ohio, New Jersey and Oregon thew
withdrew the Republican ratification Of
the amendment, and would doubtless
have done SO in other States where they
succeeded to power only for the reason
that such action was soon found to be
nugatOry. But what could not be done
by recession can be done by affirmation.
Though Democratic Legislatures cannot
retract ratification they can adopt other
amendments which will render the form
er void and of no effect. The question
is, will they do this! They thought these
sAASA NsAASAso vAOASS vNIOubs uuJu bt NJ
the time they were adopted Do they
think so now' What they think or what
they may do cannot be determined as yet,
Tor they have not gained control Of
sufficient number of States to make such
an attempt successful; but If the time
ever comes when they can safely make
this venture there can be little doubt but
that 1t will be boldly tried And what is
nj y - l.
true of the rest.
But let US 90 little further. The
next Congress will contain eighty-flve
members who served in the rebellion
About eighty Of these will be in the
House OF Representatives. enough "
control the Democratic majority, even If
. large proportion of the latter members
were nam Union men, which we are sorry
to say Is not the case. The result will
be that the eighty exrebels of the next
House will hold the purse strings Of the
Government, and can dictate the ex-
penditures. Though powerless to enact
laws they are potent to prevent them,
and in this way can suspend ne payment
81 any or eceyy pension noso awarded to
Union soldiers. Nor Is it by any means
certain that their power viii continue to
lie in negative acts alone. 1t has been
thought that the Senate could not be
changed for the next two years, but
death or two among the present members
might easily place the majority either in
Democratic hands or in the hands OF
those elected by Democratic votes.
There will be, on the 4th of March next.
twenty-eight pronounced Democrats in
that body. Besides these there
will be eight members, perhaps
nine, whose course can only be
determined from experience, but
some of whom have before this shown
themselves capable Of cratic flights not
ut oil encouraging to predictions regard
ing their future action. This makes
thirty.six members who may be classed
o. Democrats, or more or less uncertain,
not counting Minnesota, yet to elect. OF
course we have every hope that men like
Mp. Cameron, Of Wisconsin, will prove
faithful to Republican principles, but
the lstter's acceptance of Democratic
support is not in his favor, and we do
not like the fusion platform to which he
gave his adhesion and which reafi1rms
the odious doctrine of State sovereignty.
Still we have hopes that, If worst comes
to worst, the calamity which threatens
the country may ut least be partially
averted by the aid Of such men as these,
and that time may be given the Northern
people for reflection before the final
barter of their rights Is contaminated.
With undisputed sway In the House and
Senate the Democratic party could in
one brief term not only undo the work
which it has taken decade to accom-.
plish, but precipitate food of evils on
the country from which recovery would
be almost impossible. Inter Ocean, Fec. 8.