The New York herald., 1875-12-06
The New Congress.

gress begins to-day. The changes in the
Senate, though important. do not engross
the attention of the country as much
as the changes in the House of Rep
resentatives, which will contain a greater
proportion of new members than any pre-
vious House for q number of years. AS
nearly as party strength can be stated it
will have one hundred and six republicans,
fourteen members who profess various shades
of independence, and in a full House of
two hundred and ninety-two members, one
hundred and seventy-two democrats Of the
whole number over one hundred and eighty
did not serve in the last Congress but of
these several, as Messrs. Kerr, Banks, Elijah
Ward, Smith Ely and Proctor Knott, have
been Representatives before. One hundred
and twenty-five of the democratic members
did not serve in the last Congress, and the
republicans have, in proportion to their
strength, greater number of experienced
members than their opponents. Less than
sixty of the new democratic members are
from the Southern States There will be nm
unusual number of contested election cases.
The country will watch with curious eyes
to see what the democrats will do or attempt
to do with their majority in the House. As
the Senate is republican by sufficiently
strong majority the democratic House cam
not effect much legislation of nature un-
pleasant to the republicans or the admins
tration. It's efforts must in fact be mainly
confined to two directions it may cut down
the estimates and reduce the army and
navy, and it can investigate. This will turn
out probably to be a fortunate circumstance
for the democrats whose zeal will be curbed
to discretion by the opposition of the Senate.
There Is general belief that among the
earlier movements in the House will be one
to cut down the army to five or perhaps
seven thousand men-a force sufficient for
peace footing, because the Pacific railroads
have rendered unnecessary at least five thou
sand men formerly necessary to guard the
overland route and protect emigants. Our
present military force numbers thirteen
thousand men. But the main strength of
the democrats is likely to be spent in inves-
legations, and it is quite possible that they
may inconvenience the republicans by some
of their inquiries. There are, for instance,
circumstances connected with the Western
whiskey frauds which the House may insist
upon having xplained-notably, the mys-
terry which still surrounds the sudden revo-
cation by the President of an order chang
ing the internal revenue supervisors, which
attracted good deal of attention last winter
The Indian contract frauds will also, proba-
bly,, receive attention, and there are rumors
of inquiries into the conduct of other depart
ments of the government.
OF such investigations it may, however, be
said that to be effective as partisan weapons
they need to be conducted with great skill,
and with an amount of foreknowledge which
shall enable the inquisitors to place their
hands quickly upon the vital points of the
evidence, and to develop it in SO dramatic a
way as to fasten the public attention upon the
offence and the offenders. During the years
1859 and 1860 the democratic administration
was very laboriously investigated. but most
Of the reports-which certainly developed
gross maladministration-w of O kind
which attracted only moderate share of pub
lie attention There are some seemingly scan
dalous mysteries afoat, such as the revocation
Of the order removing the supervisors, which
we spoke of above, and the appointment of
Clews & Co to be government agents in Lon
don, which it is desirable to have cleared
up, and with which, if Congressional COM
mittee could fix blame on any one, they
might make hit
The session is likely to be a prolonged
war Of tactics between the leaders of the two
parties, and in such war the republicans
have on their side the balance of skill and
parliamentary experience. The democrats
have no one on their side the equal of Mr.
Blaine in thorough knowledge of parliamen-
tary law and audacity combined, and the dem
ocratic Speaker will find dangerous antago-
mist in the ex-Speaker. The principal embar-
rassment of the republicans in the House will
lie in the necessity resting upon them to de-
fend an administration which the leading
men do not like, and which most of them
would readily consent TO see broken down,
if this could be done without damag-
ing their party's prospects in the next
election. The ablest republicans in the
new House are not favorites of the admins
tration, and will have TO defend what in their
hearts they disapprove, and will do SO know
ing that they will receive no thanks for their
efforts from the President
While, however, the democrats are perfect
ing their programme for the session and
drilling their forces for general and lively
attack on the administration, we advise them
4 to remember that the President is person
! Who himself likes to take the offensive. lie