The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-02-27
THE FUTURE OF OUR POLITICS.

Some time since we took occasion in
these columns to speak of the tendency,
we then deemed obvious, to the disin-
tegration of our political parties. The
circumstances incidentally attending
the Grand Assize OF the nation on the
Presidential question, have given a ra-
pidity OF development TO that tendency
to disintegration which we had not an
ticipated at our FORMER writing. The
whole has, however, lent confirmation
to the views then expressed, that the
fact OF such disintegration was little
more than a question OF time.
Both the facts and the principles sub
mtted to the investigation ana decision
of that tribunal known now, for the first
time in our history, as the Electoral
commission, are destined to work
changes and to WELD influences upon
the future of our politics little dreamed
OF in the argument and determination OF
the simple naked question OF an Elect
oral vote. The sharp collision of sentI-
ment and doctrine brought about by the
unique circumstances of the Presidential
contest before Congress has struck out
corruscations Of light that have illumi-
NAKED tor the first time some of the most
abs tract and complex questions of our
political system. The minds of
many of our ablest political lead
ers in both parties; men who, though
partisans, are nevertheless statesmen, :,
have seized upon those, questions, and
are closely scrutinizing them as polite
al problems of the ravest import. They
are questions reach ing far beyond the
mere matter of the present Presidency,
with which, indeed, they have almost
nothing to do. They are problems for
the future to solve un der, the direction
that the ablest of otu statesmen may
happen to communicat e to them. They
are problems, nevertb .elass, that will
demand solution in somse form by the in
evitable logic offuture events. is the
consciousness Of all thisG that has been
most potential in restrai ming the abler
men of both parties in c, pngress from in
augurating or endorsing any extreme
or seditious line OF policy touching the
exciting question Of the .nclmbency Of
the Presidential Office.
Such statesmen are not 1lamindful OF
that aphorism OF philosophy which de-
clares that SIT is better to, have fu-
ture than past" They are impre ssed
with the dictum of the Oldest siSner of
the Constitution of the Unihed States,
that, in a political system like ours,
"anarchy will do more mischief in a
night than tyranny can in an e.
Hence their moderation and RENa
under circumstances naturally t.
to arouse the hottest feelings OF par
tisan rivalry. They are also conscious,
as rejecting men, that it is not in the
power of any one created man to give
absolute control to the development of
the political issues that must arise from
the incubation OF these new problems
touching the relations between the State
and Federal systems of Government.
1t is well known that these questions
entered into the earliest debates on the
Constitution among the fathers of the
Republic. But they have never before
appeared in such an aspect and under
such light as at present. Heretofore,
as in the instance of Mr.. jefferson after
the decision of the memorable case of
Cohens against the State of Virginia,
the Jealousy was directed chiefly to the
inVasions of the Federal Judiciary upon
the State rights. But now tbe mat
ters involved are entirely political, and
even partisan, in their nature. The al
legged invasion now comes from quite
a different department OF the Govern
ment than the judiciary. 1t is the
Legislative branch that is now arraigned
for undue interference in the domestic
affairs of the States. This necessarily