New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-12-06
PRESIDENT AND SENATE.

PRESIDENT AND SENATE.
We have heard very much lately OF great
" victories won over the President by ms OPP
Moments one day, and over his opponents by
! fine President the next. 1t is the fashion OF
soma journals 70 represent the President and
the Senate as engaged in fight for the mas
tery-a fight of the most desperate sort, III
which no quarter is given or asked. ms docs
not seem to be a correct view OF the SITUATION
As TO the attitude of the President, it can
hardly be said that g man IS fighting very
much who neither strikes nor hats anybody,
nor tries to strike nor'tO hit President Hayes
is not pretcinatually gifted in avoiding blum
ders But he has entirely avoided the blum
der of seeming to court or to take part Ill any
controversy between the President ana the
Senate He has made some appointments
which Republican Senators generally do not
like. but ne has a way of continually conced-
ing that they have quite as much night to dls-
like as he has to make them, and 1t does not
seem to ir1itate him in the least that Scna-
tors do not consider him infalliblc In judg-
ment As for the Senate, its share i'll the sup
posed "warfare" has been very slight thus far
Some of the Presidents appointments have
but others. quite as Objectionable in the eyes
of the most ardent partisans, have been con
firmcd. and il is not yet clear that the Presi-
dent has not prevailed over the old rule of
courtesy" which was thought to be the chief
barrier to the success of his appointments.
1t is true that some of the Presidents ap-
p0ntmcnts have been confirmed manly-we
might almost say wholly-by Democratic votes.
But nobody doubts that the President is a Re
publican. He has opinions in regard to the
best mode of promoting Republican principles,
especially at the South, which are shared by
very few members OF that party, and adhorcs
TO those opinions with characteristic tcnlcty,
bit he does not appear 10 have questioned the
right of other Republicans to hold different
opinions. The "waifarc' does not yet appear.
If harsh things have been said by individuals,
there can be no fight without two sides. Thus
far it cannot be said that the Presidents pait
in il has been more than 30 announce policies
and selections which the Senate does not APP
prove. But its right to approve or disapproyc
he does not question.
Clearly, it is moi for the good Of the country or
of The Republican party that this state Of things
should drift into warfare. Is for the party
il is hardly so strong as to encourage contro-
ycrsy between a President elected by its votes
and n Senate which il barely holds. As for the |
country, 10 sane man can think it good thing !
that there should spring up a bitter wranglc |
between the President and those who elected |
him. An Executive distrusted or hated by |
those who gave it being, and necessarily not |
trusted if not hated also by the opposite party, |
cannot do great good The Utopian state of |
things, in which parties shall count for moth
ing, has not yet made its appearance The |
President without party is still. and for few |
years is likely to be- President without much |
power for good, but with great opportunities |
for mischief.
1t would be we'll for the President and for |
members Of the Senate, at this pause in pro- |
ceedings, to consider the situation as it is He !
has many who tell him things which men like
to hear; perhaps it would be not amiss for
him to listen patiently to others who tell him
something else. The Senators, also have held !
great power, and have been used to exercise
il largely without regard to the public wei |
fare; probably they will lose nothing in pub
lie estimation if they calmly consider that the
President also has rights and powers under the
Constitution. ii they can point ont errors in
his course, the country does not need PrcSi |
dental help to discover errors i'll perform
ances OF the Senate. Meanwhile what good !
can be done by wTangling and pickering !
or by representing that every confirmation
of an appointment is "victoryr of the Presi- |
dent, and every rejection of IN appointment is |
a victory of some hostile power over HIM! 1t |
is the business of both parties to behave, not |
like schoOl-boyS, but Ike grave and grown |
men, conscious of large responsibilities. The |
President better would try to avoid appointments
which lac knows must b. deemed ut variance
with his own declared principles, and objec-
tionable 90 nearly all Republicans. The Senate
would better remember that an appointment
which is fit TO be made in respect 10 the public
service, though it may not please the personal
feelings of Senators, is an exercise by the
President of Constitutional right which they
have no business to thwart for any personal
ends.
FOUNDING 4 FfMILY.
ouJ tIo Inotnrs ara o,,,rn