The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1877-03-25
THE SENATE BECOMING DEMOCRATIC.
I'M. z. Sun, March 1s. ]

The Republicans have 30 freil majority
in the Senate that Mr.. Morton has to Lei
Kellogg's case go over to December. The
gradual decline of the party under Granite
rule is more clearly seen in the politlca
changes in the Senate than in any other de
partment of the Government. Eight years
ago, when he entered the White House, the
Republicans had maj ority OF forty five IL
the Senate. At the commencement of his
secOnd term i5 had fasaeu to thirty flour
Two years afterwards came the sweeping
revolution of Novembe 1874. which in the
following Congress, carried the Republican
majority in the Senate down to fourteen.
The elections last fall made still further
changes in the same direction and after
counting all the Independents on their side
except Judge David Davis, we find that
the Republicans now have majority in
the Senate of only five.
Such are Ehe results upon the Senate of
the eight years of Grants administration.
The Republican majority being thus re-
duced from forty i've down to five, W hat are
the prospects for the fnture7 Leaving out
of view the dou btful case of Louisiana, the
the terms of twenty three members OF the
present Senate expire with this Congress.
Some of the Legislatures which are to-
elect the successors of these Senators will
be chosen this year, but the most of them
will tie chosen next year. What are The
probabilities respecting the Senate IN the
next Congress Z
OF the twenty. three Senators whose
terms expire with the present Congress,
six are Democrats and seventeen are Re-
publicans. The Democrats are Barnam of
Connecticut. Dennis Of Maryland, Nc
Merrimon of North Carolina, and Gordon
of Georgia, There is no doubt that these
States will reflect Democrats, with the
barely possible exception of Connecticut.
Give them the last named State, and they
would retain the six seats. As
How will it be likely to fair with the
seventeen Republicans Four of them are
certain to be .suppianted by Democrats
Spencer of Alabama, Dorsey of Arkansas,
Conova of Florida, and Patterson of South
Carolina. These changes alone would give
the Democrats majority in the Senate
even though the Louisiana seats should be
awarded to Republicans.
A survey of the field elsewhere is not
encouraging to the Republicans. Tive
years hence the terms of Conkling anC
Morton, Jones of Nevada, and Mitchell o.
doubtful that the Republicans will do wei
if they are able to save two of them.
At the same time Chaffee of Colorado
Sargent of California, and Matthews o
Ohio, who now takes Sherman's place, gt
out. Perhaps the Republicans will stanC
the best chance in those States, but thei
prospects are not brilliant. Then there il
Oglesby of Illinois his term will come t.
an end, aud who can feel certain that he o
any Republican candidate will fare bette
in January, 1879, than Logan has now 7
Only five of the seventeen are left-Wad
| leigh of New Hampshire, Morrill, of Yer
mont, Cameron of Pennsy lvnpia, Allison q
Iowa, and Ingalls, of Kansas. Their sue
ces<oIs eau hardly fail to be Republicans
In the light OF these facts Ia it not re
duced almost to certainty that the Demo
Gratis will control the Senate two gears froL
now Does the widest imagination torecas
any change in the relations of political par
ties that can prevent this