The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-12-07

The Fprty-Iourth Congress will con-
ycnc for its final session to-day. 1t is
safe to say that the present session will
be the most important of any held Cor
several years. The Presidential question
will be all-absorhing for some time to
come. The Electors of the several States
will meet ut the State Capitals to declare
their choice for President and Ficeprcsi-
dent next Wednesday, but the official
count of the vote in the presence OF the
Two houses Of Congress will not begin IN
til the second Wednesday in February.
Ordinarily the counting occupies only
part of one day, but this year it is likely
to piye rise to a prolonged struggle. 1t
would not be at all strange if the contest
should consume the remainder of the SEES
sion. Only nineteen days intervene be-
tween the counting and the Inauguration.
The ten weeks, or so, between the open
ing of the session and the counting of
the electoral votes will be spent in get
ting ready for the great contest.
The last session of any Congress is per-
ilous, in another view. The Congression
al nominations and elections have been
made The wholesome restraint OF an
immediate summons to give account OF
their stewardship is not before the eyes
of the members. Many of them who
hoped for reelection, and walked very
,circumspectly at the first session, return
soured aud desperate. Ii they are to make
any money out of politics, they must dc
it at the final session. The danger from
now. An unusually large number of the
present House failed of reelection, and
will retire to private life March 4. The
lobby will be active and hopeful. The
most determined effort will be made to
pass the Southern Pacific subsidy bill To
that point all the energies of the lobby
will be directed. Other schemes will be
pushed forward or backward, according
us they help or hinder that one plot
The nomination of Samuel J. Randall,
of Philadelphia, by Il Democrats for
Speaker of the House means two things
First, the resort TO any and every device
to prevent the inauguration of Hayes and
Wheeler, provided they should be elect
ed, and, second, the resort to any and
every dcYisc in the interest of the lobby.
Randall is known as an unprincipl;d
demagoguc and cUrruptio~ist. He was
the choice and dctalion of Sam Tilden
and Tom Scott. Fortunately the Senate
is equal in power 10 the House, and may
be relied upon to prevent the villainics, of
whatever nature, which may come before
it. Tildcn and Scott may control the
House for their several purpose, but they
cannot manipulate and run the senate
We may also rely upon the Executive,
in case OF need, to veto corrupt legislation
and thwart revolutionary plots.
The public eye will turn to Washing
t0n as mover before, and watch the tlutter
OF every leaf that dances in the political
heavens. The very first act Of the party
of reform" after The campaign was the
nomination Of a Speaker, an their choice
fell, on the first ballot, upon the most TO-
loflous colfuptlOnist III the House, and the
next step will be TO try to win the Presi-
dency by a species of political burglary.
The people will watch the success of the
gang, feeling that # the Presidential Of
flee can be sto!4n their self-govcrnmcnt
is a failure. The principle of popular
suffrage is row undergoing new and
vital test, and the Congress which meets
to-day will play the leading part in set
Ting tie question Chicago Journdz,
Dee 1tl.