The New York herald., 1875-12-25
PresIdent-Making an congrasa.

1t is no new thing for the Congress which
precedes q Presidential election to occupy
itself with political maneuyres intended to
bear on the approaching contest. But this
year the disease has set in at an early stage
and bids fair to rage with unusual virulence.
1t would naturally grow from four years to
four years, both by the force Of habit and by
the increasing patronage of the government
but it is worse than ordinary now, because
both political parties have facilities for play
ing the Presidential game during the session
The House is controlled by the democrats,
the Senate by the republicans, and, what
has never happened before. we have Presi-
dent near the close of his second term who
is bent on reelection He dips in his oar
and assists to beat the legislative waters into
Presidential foam.
President Grant began to give the proceed
ings of the session an electioneering turn
when he put in his bold bid for another term
by broaching the school question His
most formidable rival, Mr.. Blaine, attempted
to take the wind out of his sails by proposing
a constitutional amendment on that subject
bloody shirt as a party flag and urging an in
vestigation in Mississippi. Neither Presi-
dent Grants bid in his Message nor Mr.
Blaines amendment nor Senator Morton's
waving of the bloody shirt would have been
resorted to if this were the year after instead
of the year before Presidential election.
The democrats of the House are attempt
ing a counter game, but they do
not play it with skill The anti
third term resolution which young MIR.
Springer so suddenly sprung on the House,
though temporary triumph, was substan-
tial mistake, because it is for the interest of
the democratic party that General Grant
should be the republican candidate, and
forcing the republicans to vote against a
third term blunted the most trenchant of the
democratic weapons. Speaker Kerrs strange
composition of his committees was equally
maladroit as Presidential man9uvre. While
meant to be in the Tilden interest it
strengthens the democracy in those States
which are most hostile to the New York can
didate 1t has weakened him at home by
disgusting the strongest democratio mem
bers from this State. The sights
put on Messrs. Wood, Cox, Hewitt
and Ward will make trouble for Governor
Tilden in the State Convention for choosing
delegates next spring. He has active demo-
cratic enemies in New York, and they will be
strengthened by the blunder of insulting the
constituencies of these experienced Congress
men. 1t has become impossible for Gov
ernor Tilden to go into the National Conven-
ton with the unanimous delegation of his
own State, and failure on that point is fatal.
This attempt to purchase the West and South
will so ALLEVIATE the democrary of New York
that he will have no vigorous support He
hos merely enabled Mr.. Kerr to use the free
trade and hard money sentiment of the party
in his own interest, and the Western democ-
racy will prefer Kerr to Tilden as candi-
date if they are compelled to swallow the
common platform Of both Governor Til
dens subtlety has been too fine he has
overreached himself and given both oyster
and shell to the Western democracy.