The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-01-22
Work in Congress.


WHAT THE Democratic MAJORITY OF TIL
House HAS ACCOMPLISHMENT special Wash
ington dispatch to the New York World SAYS
1t is hardly week since the House of Rep
resentatives got fairly at work after the hoii
day lntermlssion, yet the Democratic majority
is criticised for not having already effected
important legislation, and for conceding tc
the Republican minority certain rights. This
is very blear.eyed premature criticism in
deed.
In point of fact the record ofthe Democrats
who numerically control the House, has been
exceptionally good, and is free from the ".
ranuy and insolence which for half score Of
preceding years marked the conduct Of the
Republican majority there. First, the Dem.
ocrats elected their very best man for Speak.
er. Second, the Speaker designated a fist Of
excellent committees, in which precedence
was given to the ablest and most honorable
members on both sides of the Chamber.
Third, by modest demeanor and perfect good
humor towards their foes, the Democrats en-.
couraged Republicans to show their hands at
the outset Of the session. Fourth, every Re.
publican palm held up was soiled; notably
Blaine's, This cunning trickster played a
desperate card for popularity and lost. His
error at the latest moment was in affixinp to
the Republican party Of the House the odium
OF refusing amnesty TO every repentant rebel.
F1tth, the Democrats, during these prelimin.
AIRY days, have been singularly easy among
themselves. No man has been elected as a
floor bully, and no one has nominated and
sustained himself in that capacity with any.
thing like the parliamentary success of ex-
Speaker Blaine. Sixth, several Legislative
measures Of great Importance have been in.
troduced in the House by Democrats, and
several more are preparing in committee
rooms. The principal bill ofnational concern
which has been brought to the attention of
the Housei is the one fathered by Mr.. PAYNE,
OF Ohio, which steps directly onward towards
Specie Payments by securing an accumulation
OF gold at the yearly rate Of per cent. by the
Government on the amount of legal tenders,
and by the banks on the amount of national
bank currency, and which also repeals Sher.
mans sham Resumption act, BY these sim.
pie processes this bill proposes to accumulate
gold in the Treasury at the rate of about
SS5, 100000 year. Seventh, preliminary
moves for the retrenchment Of national ex.
penditures have been made by Democrats,
and sanctioned by the House.
Every standing committee has been instruct
ed by the House to inquire into and report
upon the expenses and expenditures Of every
department Of the Government. The War
Department, the Navy Department, the De
partment Of the Interior and its adjuncts, the
Post. Office Department, the Printing Bureau
these and all the rest are to render their
accounts for the first time in years to the peo.
pies representatives, and that through the
regular committees of the House, without the
expense of special committees. To Mr.. Kerr
is due the credit of thus squirting the regular
committees to their work, and rendering the
appointment of special investigating commit.
tees needless.
Such is the record which the Democratic
majority in the House Of Representatives has
made in the present opening stage of the ses.
sion. Its errors have been on the side of
charity towards the minority: yet it showed
to; day how easily at need it could crush that
minoritys impertinence, by voting out Of
sight the proposition of Mr.. White, Of Ken
lucky, to suspend the rules for the purpose of
giving the Republicans another chance to
extend amnesty to everybody in the South
except JEFF. Davis. Likewise it sustained
Mr.. Cox's amendment to one of the House
rules-an amendment which permits the Com.
mittee on Appropriations hereafter to recon-
mend retrenchment, and the House to vote
retrenchment, in the consideration of any ap.
preparation bill, when il refused to suspend
the rules to consider resolution offered by
Mr.. Holman, of Indiana, which instructed in
termsthe Committee on Banking and Currency
exactly what to do aud what sort of finance
bill to present at this early stage Of the session.
1t defended that committee against an unin.
territorial disrespect. The men of the com.
mttee will try hard to perfect in good time a
sound, rational bill.