The New York herald., 1877-11-13
President Hayes and the Republican
Senators.

1t is not 10 De dlSSemDicu lnuc WI AA"J %
is put in difficult and trying position by
the declared hostility of majority OF the
Senators Of his own party to his policy and
his methods 1t maybe expedient under
these circumstances for him to revise his
action with view to discover whether or
wherein he has fallen into errors ana In
points where he may find that the complaints
against him are well founded 1T would be
wise and manly to make concessions and
Weld his former views. OF course he should
not yield to the mere will or the party die
tation of Senators, but only to reason and
justice. He, and not they, must be the
final Judge as to how he will discharge du-
ties laid upon him by the constitution and
of which lie alone must bear the response
bility. 1t would be weak and pusillanimous
to allow himself to be driven by party
clamor from course which he is convinced
is clearly right and conducive to the gen.
eral interest.
The demand Of majority of the republi-
can Senators that the President shall SUBJ
nit himself to their guidance under penalty
Of having his nominations rejected would
be more formidable if they had power to
fulfi! their threats But in point OF fact he is
not dependent on them for the confirmation
of good appointments. Although they are
a majority of the republican members they
are not majority of the Senate
A minority of that body has no power
to coerce the President into making
nominations to please them. OF quite
proportion of the Senators who are maxi
ing this demonstration against him the
terms will expire in less than sixteen
months from the present time, and the DRIFT
Of this years elections shows that several of
them will be replaced by democratic suc-
cessors. For the last two years of Mr..
Hayes term he will be confronted with
democratic majority in the Senate. He may,
properly enough, consider now how he
will conduct his administration when
that not distant prospect shall have
become present fact. The public
is not likely to condemn him for trying to
begin as he can hold out. The time is rap
idly approaching when he will be entirely
at the mercy Of democratic Senate for the
confirmation OF his appointments, and if he
treats the democrats with no consideration
during the brief interval how can he ex-
pect any fairness from them when they be-
come a majority? The exceptional cir
cumstances in which Mr.. Hayes is placed
emancipate him from the strict party fealty
which the republicans might claim with
better show Of reason if they possessed an
assured majority of both branches of Con-
gress. 1t commonly happens that Presi-
dent in Office has this advantage, which is
an equal advantage to the party that elected
him, since it gives them an efficient super
vision of his policy and a restraining power
over his possible alterations. But if they
have not been strong enough with the peo-
pie to save the President Of their choice
from dependence on an opposition
Congress, by what title can they
assume to dictate his course? The constitu-
ton, which makes it the duty of the Presi-
dent to administer the government, does
not clothe him with the power Of an abso-
lutte monarch, and we trust we may never
witness such a spectacle in this country as
has lately been exhibited in France, of
President Of the Republic attempting to
rule in arrogant defiance of the representa-
tives of the people. When, as will
soon be the case, Mr.. Hayes has
both branches of Congress in oppo-
sition it will still be his duty to admin
lister the government according to his best
judgment; but when that time comes he
might as we'll abdicate as to attempt to carry
out narrow party policy. No public officer
can reasonably be asked to undertake i'm
possibilities or butt his head against solid
stone wall.
Sixteen months hence there will be
democratic majority Of the Senate. Let US
suppose that time arrived and that the re-
publican Senators then hold caucus like
that Of last Saturday. Let us suppose
further that instead of being divided, as
they were on Saturday, they are unani-
nous, and that they issue an inter-
dict to the President forbidding him
to nominate anybody but republicans for
Office. With an absolute power Of rejection
in democratic hands what would such
mandate. amount to? 1t is only one or
two degrees less absurd for caucus Of re-
publicans to attempt to issue such ukase
now, when it would SO certainly be annulled
by the force of circumstances on the 4th of
March, 1879. That may make no difference
to recalcitrant Senators who will then be
consigned to private life, but it would make
o difference TO the President whose term is
to extend two years beyond that date. Why
should he be asked to adopt line Of action
which he would be compelled to abandon
sixteen months hence? During his last two
years he can make no removal nor any ap-
pointment without the consent Of demo-
cratic Senate, and this seems conclusive
reason why he should not ride high
party horse in the interval and
provoke political opponents to en-
barrass his administration when ho can