The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1877-09-20
A DEMOCRATIC SENATE.
The HODe 81 the Reoula.
a the Cincinnati ENQUIRER.


ing legislation, is of great consequence
to the people Of the country. There
are two commanding measures TO be
flung upon the Congress that is to
convene in October, which relate to
the welfare of every city and village,
of every taxpayer, of every hamlet
and town in the land. Upon these
measures the two branches of the
Congress are diametrically opposed.
The Democrats in each House take
one side of these questions; the Re-
publicans in each House take the
other. The Democratic House has
practically voted upon both these
questions afflrmatively thu Republi-
can Senate has practically expressed
it's opposition to both. The votes ia
ken in Congress-, the known party
tendencies and policies, present these
facts. The swallowing measures are:
l. The repeal of the Resumption
Act.
2. The restoration Of the old silver
dollar.
These are matters entirely within
the immediate power Of Congress, and
the action of Congress touching them
is OF vital concern to the business of
the country. The repeal of the Re.
sumption Act and tho repeal of the
coinage laws of 1873, demonetizing the
old silver dollar, would enable bust.
ness to breathe at once. The throttling
ofindustries by law would be stopped
The contraction of the currency which
the fear of banks and of individuals
has caused would cease. The unre.
stricted coinage of the old silver dol.
lar would enlarge our currency, loosen
the fetters that bind business, and.
coupled with the assurance that the
greenback 10 not to die, would be of
inestimable benefit to the country.
This is not all that is desired or need
ed, but 1t is much. John Sherman has
filed notice that he will execute the
Resumption Act unless repealed. A
Democratic House has demanded its
repeal. The National Democratic
Convention has demanded its repeal.
A Democratic Senate would vote for
its repeal. The two parties occupy
the same relative positions touching
the silver question. The whole Dem
ocratic party and q large portion of
the Republican party are in favor of
the remonetization Of silver; but the
fixed policy of the Republican Admin
istration, which . Republican Senate
would follow, is in favor of the Re-
sumption Act, and hostile to the silver
dollar. With the Senate Democratic
it is doubtful if even veto by Mr..
Hayes would be able to overturn the
voice Of the people expressed through
their Congress.
The political character of the Senate
Is thus of high importance. In the
breaking up days of last spring, when
q Republican in control of the Execu.
tive Department of the Government
startled his party by the adoption of a
Democratic policy, and when the will.
ingness of more than two score South.
ern and Democratic members Of Con.
gress to give the Presidency to the
Republican party alarmed the Dcmoc.
racy, some of rs feared that the House
of Representatives itself might, by q
treacherous pefection, be organized by
the Republicans. That danger ie
passed, and. instead, the Senate is like.
ly to be Democratic on the assembling
of Congress. The Republicans at this
moment have bare majority of the
full Senate-thirty-nlne votes. The
Democrats have thirty-three assured
votes. There is an independent Sen.
ator. elected by Democratic votes, who
will doubtless act with the Democrat
ie party. There are three vacancies
pretty nearly certain to be filed by
Democrats. 1t will hardly be possible
consistently with the Southern policy,
to refuse to admit the Democratic
claimants from Louisiana and South
Carolina. A Republican Senator
from South Carolina and another from
Alabama are just now confronting in.
dictments and the Penitentisry. A
distinguished Republican Senator lies
in Richmond, Indiana, at the door oi
death. Death and the laws are likely
to reduce the Republican strength In
Senate till, with the increase upon
which the Democracy may count. the
latter may have Senatorial majority
1t scarcely needs an appointment by
Governor Williams. of Indiana, to give
to the Democratic party the control ol
the Senate. Upon the financial ques.
ton of which we speak some Repub.
lican Senators-notablyS Senator Jones
of Nevada-are known to be in accord
with the Democracy. There is, there.
fore, hope for the people.
Observation-Disclosures.
ling, editor to the Greenback paper q,
Cleveland, addressed quito respecta'
BILE audience at Citizens Hall. on Fri.
day evening and, we are told, made q
very good speech in favor of theGreen.
back doctrine. But he had not the
ring of the true metal when, towards
the close of bis address he asserted
that the position of the Democratl
and Republicans on the question Of
currency is not essentially different
He showed himself to be Q spurious
shilling in giving out such utterancei
for he knows them to be utterly de-