The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-04-13
THE COMING SESSION OF CONGRESS.


The Forty-fifth congress will assemble in
special session on the fourth day of June,
and will find the two houses, politically,
more evenly divided than ever before in
our history. There have been times when
either house has had as slender political
majority as at present, but never has 1t
happened that both houses, at the same
time, have been,controlled by so small a
majority, and the majority of each house
different way. The senate, counting Judge
Davis, of Illinois, as democrat, will start
out with thirty-nine republicans and thirty
four democrats, republican majority of
only five, and this majority liable to be re-
duced to two by the coming in of the new
senators from South Carolina and Louisi-
ana. The democratic majority in the
house is now placed at twelve but this may
be slightly reduced or increased as the Lou
siana, FloridB, California, Colorado and
Missouri cases may be determined, but will
probably remain at about that number.
This classification is made upon the po-
litical divisions of year ago, but that, in
one sense, is no criterion TO go by. 1t is
generally understood, and conceded, that
Hayes southern and other policy is making
inroads in the ranks of the progressive
democracy and that many, like Agrippa,
are "almost persuaded to unite in q cor
dial support of the administration regard
less of former political affiliations. On the
other hand, number of the most radical of
republicans, mainly of the carpet:bag or
der, led on by Butler and Blaine, who are
on the rampage again, are disposed, If pos
sible, to organize an opposition to the preSi-
dent, both on account Of his southern pol
icy and of his movement in favor of civil
service reform. How much or little this
may effect the political complexion of con-
gress it is, of course, impossible to say, but
it would be blessed thing for the country
if the republican party could rid itself of
this Blaine Butler. Kellogg element, and the
democratic party of the Bogy -Eaton-Bour-
bon clement, and thus rid could unite in
hearty support of the administration.
But however this may result, it is evil
dent that, fol-. politicians, the congress will
be uucomfortablY close. But this very
closeness, however uncomfortable to poll
ticians, is a security against unwise and
basty legislation, and is therefore benefit
TO the country. When parties are 80 near
ly evenly balanced, the men of brains ex-
ercise contssiling power, caucus dictation
has but little force, and jobs are at dis
count. With the settlement of the south
ern question, as we hope and trustit will be
settled before the meeting of congress, the
great staple for buncombe speeches will
have departed, and so we may hope that
congress will devote itself to business and
that substantial good will result from the
Forty-ffth congress.
The personnel of the senate, also, gives
a sure foundation for this hope, All of
the able and better senators yet remain
Edmunds, Morrill,, Anthony, Burnside,
Conkling, Herman, Bayard, Thurman,
Christiancy, Mcmillan, Booth, Randolph
and others. And among the new senators
are such men as George F. Hoar of Mas
sachusetts, replacing Boutwell,; Augustus
III. Garland of Arkansas, replacing Clay
ton; Davis Davis of Illinois, replacing To-
gan; and Benjamin II. Hill, replacing
Norwood; while in the other changes,
with one or two exceptions, there has been
6atar atiOn Th1o hau I ~,
place of Alcorn from Mississippi; Beck for
Stevenson from Kentucky; Kirkwood for
Wright from Iowa. and Stanley Mat
thews in place of Sherman from Ohio not
to mention Cameron fills for Cameron pere.
Not 80 favorable is the change in New
Jersey, or, as it now appears, Bailey of
Tennessee for Key but Oregon holds its
own by replacing Kelly with Grover.
Upon the whole, however, the present is
by far the ablest senate that has assem-
bled since the close of the war.
The changes in the house have been
many and great, but three delegations
those of Vermont, Rhode Island and Del
aware-being unchanged either personally
or politically-the two former being repub-
lican in both houses and the latter democrat
ic. The larger number, however, of men,
beers who served with more or less distinc-
ton in the last house, reappear in the
present congress, as, for example, Foster,
Garfield, Chittenden, Grape, Kelley,
Townsend, Hale, Banks, Burchard and
Frye, republicans and Randall, Ward,
Cox, Knott, Tucker, Reagan, Lynde
Walker, Sayler and Hunton, democrats.
Blaine, Hill, Hoar, Lamar and Hereford
20 TO the senate, while Kasson, Ward,
Faulkner, Thompson, Willard, Scott,
Lord, Hancock and Holman stay a! home.
OF the new members it is, of course, i'm
possible to judge, but tho country knows
what to expect OF such men as General
Butler and Clarkson Potter, who, after a
brief absence, reappear, and Of Thomas
Ewing of Ohio-but there are enough OF
the ablest and most conservative members
of both parties remaining to insure intel
ligent legislation and, as we have said be
fore, the slender majority, either way, in
sures the country against unwise of hasty
legislation, jobbery, or mere partisan
measures.
1t was expected, at the outset, thai
nothing would be done at the extra session
except to pass the army bill Ito pass which
congress is to be convened in extra session
but the signs begin 10 multiply that gen
eral legislation will be entered upon. KEEL
ley, of Pennsylvania, has already giver
notice that he will endeavor to secure the
reconciliation Of silver, and other meas
ures are to be pressed for settlement. There
is no reason why the necessary legislator
should not be had to follow up the steps
oiraadv talkpn hU Saoratar,, 1ha.roov 80 n,