The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-01-17
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WEDNESDAY, J. {. j AaJJARY II. 1877.
The 9 Advantage.

progrcss towards the time when civil Gus :.
toms and laws Will be sub0rdinated %
power, ana only be respected or employed
BY men in power as far as may ne con
sistent with their party or personal =, IN 3
.terests and qualification.
Why has the Republican party the " az
vantage - Because that party has posses
s,on 81 the Administration and the, offices
! OF the government, and also through Tres
ident GRASr-who says ne represents tue
Republican party -of the army ana nav!
az the United States, whose power mas peen
SO constantly employed in the service OF the
Rennblicans that there is no longer any sur
prise at the appearance Of troops to super
intend elections, and also the counting OF
votes in the southern States. ~
1t was never intended by those who shed
their blood for our liberties and framed our
Constitution that the weight of the power
Of the Government should be thrown into
the scale against the liberties OF the peo-.
pse-against the free and unrestrained exer-
else Of the privileges Of freemen. AS soon soon
MS there is restraint and curtailment by the
Government of public freedom republic
canism ceases to be. The party that ap-
proves the Administration should have no
"advantage" derivable from the power OF
the Administration over the party that OPP
poses the policy and principles Of that Ad-
ministration. The essence OF popular rights
consists in the right Of the people to criti-
else the conduct OF public officials and in
the practical exercise of that right in turn
ing out men they object to, and putting In
Others whom they prefer. Now, If men
who are in office may be permitted to use
the power in their hands to keep them
selves in, and thus evade the public CEN
sure, they pervert the principles of republic
canism, and become rulers Of the people in
stead Of being ruled by the people.
In old times the idea that public officials
were amenable to the public judgment was
SO strict that it was considered obtrusive
for Federal officials to appear in the can
vases in the States to electioneer or to vote.
The purity Of public virtue then was in
harmony with pure rePublicanism; but
long since the restraint put upon officials
has been shamelcssly defied and so persist
emily disregarded that now Cabinet officers
stump the rural districts and hold Important
positions in party committees, and it is the
regular practice to furlough all the clerks in
the capital that they may go home and work
and vote to Illustrate the, public verdict
against themselves. -
The old idea is no longer entertained, and
ito use the slang OF the day. sis played
OUT We should think so when an Adj
ministration, by the interposition Of the
bayonet, reverses the votes OF States and
prevents them from passing censure upon
its acts, apd transferring that administra-
tive, power which they have abused to other
hands, by which it is believed that power
will be faithfully administered.
It is not wonderful, with these examples
before the country, that any body should
say that the party which happens to be
sustaining the, Administrative has the cad
vantage "-the advantage" in s'model
republican government" in which the peo-
pie are supposed to be the source OF all
: power. 4, That is something for philosophers
and political economists to study! Is it too
much to say that public corruption and the
INSCRIPTIONS use Of public trust have en-
croachea fearfully upon our system OF
Government?
Wen, as we are but chronicling facts,
it is idle to attempt to ignore them.
We have seen that, the conduct of
the party in power, emboldened by
the abuse Of the authority confded to
the Administration, has been showing
plainly that it has 'sthe advantage" At
the commencement of the session there was
an evident purpose to usurp the act Of
counting in and proclaiming the President
Of the United States. This was the con-
spiracy for combination of the Executive
with the United States Senate to monopo-
lie the administrative power Of the nation.
In that conspiracy the president pro tenn.
of the Senate was the central figure, and
upon him the stratagem hinged. The pub
lie exclamation OF surprise and horror at
such usurpation deferred the conspira-
tors, and they have turned to other chances
to carry out their object. Whether they
will succeed or not remains to be seen.
At the present time all eyes are turned
upon the chances Of a compromise by which
the result as to who shall be proclaimed
President will be rendered uncertain,
e., to depend upon the judgment Of an ad-
visory body, to whom shall be referred
questions in dispute between the Senate
and House Of Representatives.
Remembering, as we all should, that the
Republican party has the "advantage . of
force, guided by an insensate ruler who
would not hesitate to use it, clearly it would
be better for the country and for peace if
the question Of who shall be President
should be settled in this way. So 49,
We have no more doubt that the House
OF Representatives has the right to decide
aohen there is a failure to elect President
than ne. have that it has the right to
elect President when there is a failure to.
elect; but we know that this point is de-
MED by the Republicans. They assert that
O disagreement between the houses is not
that failure to elect which requires the
House to elect, and that it simply devolYes
the duties ot:the President Of the United
States, after the term Of the incumbent ex-.
pires, npon the president pro tenpore OF
The Senate until new election can be made. /
This is General GRANTS autho ritatiyely.
declared opinion ;sand the opnions.of SO