The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-04-15
The Next Senate.

The elections in New Hampshire and
Connecticut having made it certain that
the new Senator from the former will con
tinuo to be Republican, and from the
latter Democrat, il becomes interesting
to inquire how 10 all probability the Sen.
ate win be divided politically on the com
ing in Of the next Administration. The
Senate consists of sevcnty-four members.
There is a vacancy in Louisiana; but for
our present purposes we will assign the seat
tothe Democrats Therear four so called
Independents'in the Senate, namely, Chris
tiancy, Hamilton, Booth, and Cameron Of
WISCONSIN. We will classify them all as
Republicans, though it is rather doubtful
whether Booth ought to be thus placed
Dividing the present Senate in this man.
ner, it stands forty-four Republicans and
thirty Democrats.
The terms of twcnty-six Senators ex-
pire with Grants administration. OF
these, seventeen are Republicans and nine
are Democrats. OF the seventeen States
now represented by these Republicans,
that party is reasonably sure to have tho
new Senators in Iowa, Kansas, Maine,
Massachusetts,, Michigan, Minnesota, Ne
braska, New Hampshire, Rhode Island
South Carolina, and Wisconsin. The last
elections in these States show that the Re.
publicans are pretty certain to retain their
eleven Senator'S The other six States are
Arkansas, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi
Texas, and New Jersey; and there is
scarcely doubt that the Democrats will
wrest their six Senators from the Repub,
licans.
The nine States in which the terms Of
Democratic Senators expire in March next
are Alabama, Delaware, Georgia, Kentuc
ky, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee
Virginia, and West Virginia. There is nc
doubt that the Democrats will secure the
new Senators in these States
Assuming, then, that we are correct in
our calculations how will the next Senate
stand? If no new State is admitted t
the Union, the Senate will consist of sew
enty-four members, of which thirty igh
will constitute majority. Giving tho
Republicans the four socalled Indepen
dents, and conceding to the Democrats the
vacant seat in Louisiana, the Republicans
have in the present Senate, as alread,
stated, forty-four members and the Dem
ocrats thirty. Now, if the Republic cam
lose the Senators in the six States we hav,
named, and the Democrats gain them
then, in the next Senate, the Republican
would have thirty-eight, and the Democrat
thirty-six.
This estimate makes the new Senate $,
evenly balanced that loss of one by thu
Republicans would produce tie; ant
there are many shrewd politicians VIII,
will insist that the Democrats will stan,
the best chance to get the Senator in Wis
cousin. This would give the Democrac
thirty-seven. There are others who be
lieve that regular Republican cannot b
elected in South Carolina; and still other
who think that Booth should not be coun
ted among the Republicans.
At all events, it is clear that the proba
bilities in regard to the political complex
ion Of the Senate are very nicely balanced
and whether the Democrats or the Repub
licans shall have the majority, may depen
upon the influence which will be exerte
in two or three doubtful States by the pei
sonal character and antecedents Of the tw
candidates for Presidcnt-N. Y Sun.