The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-04

In no branch of the national Government
are the evils that Grantsm has inflicted
upon the Republican party moro apparent
than In the Senate. The tenure OF Office Is
longer there than in any other department
except the; judiciary. Changes therein take
place so slowly that powerful causes work.
ing steadily in ono direction, require pretty
long period to completely transform It's po-
litical complexion. Nevertheless, GRANT has
been successful In this line beyond any OF
his predecessors.
When GRANT first came into Office as Pros
fdcnt the Senate consisted OF fifty-six Re-
publcans and ten Democrats Not long
afterward senators were admitted from
Virginia and Georgia, which increased the
number of Republicans to lifty-ninc, and Of
Democrats 10 eleven. giving TO the former
majority of forty-cight.
But at the very first elections for Senators
that occurred under GRANTS Administrl-
ton, the perniclous consequences Of his
policy upon the Republican party were felt
In many States and its strength in the Sem
ate hogan TO decline. Subsequently the
party was REINFORCED by Senators from Ms
Bissippi and Texas; AMI this present winter
two Republican senators have been admitted
from the new state Of Colorado.
But these accessions have not suIced TO
stem the odious tide OF Grantism which has
been steadily wearing away Republican pre-
dominance in the Senate TILL on the coming
In Of the next President, it will be almost
wholly consumed. II, as seems probable,
the three seats in Louisiana and South
Carolina are given finally g. the Democrats,
they will have thrty-scvon members Of the
next Senate; while the Republicans, after
counting on their side such men as CHRIS
rIAScY and Boom, will have only thirty
nine.
1t Is but six years since Grantism began
b affect political parties in the Senate.
During that short period il has reduced the
Republican majority from forty-cight down
to twol The changes in other respects are
worthy Of note Whom GRANT came in there
was only one Democratic Senator from the
eight States lying east Of the Delaware
river. When his successor goes in there
will be five The eighteen Senators from the
Northwestern States were then all Republic
cans. In the new Senate three Of them will
be Democrats But the greatest changes
have occurred in the former slaVch ling
States. When GRANr entered the White
those States. Whenhe goes out, if Louisiana
and South Carolina are properly represent
ed, there will b, twenty-seycn.
Ono Of the most striking features In those
mutations Is the largo number Of Republic
cans that held prominent positions in the
Senate when GRANT was first inauguratod,
but who were aiterwarl broken down by the
weight of Grant SIN. At the East thcro were
BucRINGHAM, FENToN, and CATTELL. in
the South there were Pool, SAWYER and
BRowNLow. In the Northwest there were
ZACH CHANDLER, MATT. CARPENTER, PRATT
HARLAN, PoMrRoY, and RAMSEY. On the
Pacific slope there were STEWART and WILL
LIAMs. Half OF these We're succeeded by
democrats. The rest We're compelled to
give way to less obnoxious members Of their
own party.
Surveying the situation In the light Of
thc-c facts, it might be supposed that tho
Eepuhllcdus would come t. the conclusion
that their party had hal quite enough Of
GrUnti7m; that IL w,uld have been far bet
ter ior Them if they had 7iX years ago taken
the advice Of TnE SuS and lenounccd the
Odious thing forever.