Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-01-05

but it would be an empty form. His friends
might claim that he was President de Jure,
while Mr.. Hayes was only President de
fGctO but the Republicans would insist that
HAYES was both de jure and dc tacto Presi-
dent, and would have the means of making
their claim efficient After Mr.. Tilden had
taken an idle oath what further could be do?
The first official act of q new President Is
to send the names Of his proposed Cabinet
to the Senate fo- confirmation. The Senate
would not even receive his communication,
much less confirm his appointments. A Pres
ident administers the government through
his official subordinates, but no officer, civil
or military, would give any heed to the COM
mands Of Mr.. Tilden, whereas all Mr..
Hayes appointments would be promptly
confirmed, and the whole civil and whole
military service would yield him ready
obedience. There would be perfect unity
between the head of the Government and
all its members, while Mr.. Tilden would
be as powerless as any other private
citizen
1t will be said that the Democratic House
may stop the supplies ; but this is vain
fourish-a threat which the Democratic
party would not dare to put in execution.
% The voice of the people" would indeed
prove to be " sword IF the House should
be reckless enough to attempt to throw the
country into anarchy by recourse to
so mad an experiment. But even if
the House could be insane enough
to refuse to pass any appropriation bills,
how would that help Mr.. Tilden With
holding the usual appropriation would be
a two-edged sword, and its sharpest edge
would be turned toward Mr.. Tilden. 1t
would at least efectuallv cut of all his
means Of conducting government, but 1t
would not necessarily be fatal to the admin
istration of Mr. Hayes 1t would call forth
such general indignation that Mr.. TIlden
and his party would be crushed morally as
well as politically, and the business commu-
| nity would come to the rescue Of the Govern
ment. The House alone cannot repeal the
tariff and tax laws. Money would continue
| to flow into the Treasury, although none
could be drawn out of it. Do but consider
| the effect on the country of locking up
money in the public vaults at the rate Of
three hundred million dollars per snnum.
How long could this process 60 on before
the whole business community would be in
rebellion w udt WOulu 4uI obei-
contraction friends in the West say to de-
vice which would drain all the money of the
country out of the channels of circulation in
about two years? How long would the
business community stand contraction at the
rate of twenty-five million dollars month
How many turns of this tremendous screw
would the people endure before the whole
country would rise as one man against Mr..
Tilden and his pretentions? The threat OF
stopping the appropriations when three hun
dred millions a year are flowing into the
Treasury is so insanely wild, so stupidity alb
surd, that the House will never dare to ex-
ecute it.
1t is barely possible, but altogether iu-
probable, that the present House may neg
lect to pass appropriation bills for the Gov
eminent and the country could get on very
well for the first four months after the
adjournment. The wants OF the Government
are provided for up to the lst Of July,
which affords sufficient time for Mr.. Hayes
to get his administration in successful opera
ton. lie could call an extra session in sea-
son to provide for subsequent necessities. In
the new House the Democrats will have
majority of not more than five or six, and
there would be Southern members enough to
unite with the Republicans and pass the
appropriation bills before the public service
suffers, even if the effect of stopping them
would not be to convulse business by q more
violent contraction of the currency than was
ever known. By the middle of July the
country would be practically unanimous on
that subject, and no member of the House
would dare to face his constituents after re-
cording his vote against appropriations. A
contraction of the currency proceeding
steadily to the full amount of the public
revenues would be regarded as even great
er calamity than civil war. The country
may be fully assured that no such expert
ment will be yentured on.