The Portland daily press., 1877-02-27

very little room for doubt that Hayes and
Wheeler will be declared elected, and peace
fully indicted into Office. 1t is simply impos-
sible that the Democrats should be satisfied
with the decision, but the wrath of a great num-
Der of them will be far more simulated than
real. The eholer whose paroxysms are echoed
from the national capital is largely redolent of
the fumes of the inhammatory beverages dealt
ont in such profusion over its innumeral bars.
Washington has fallen into a sad state of de-
| generacy since the Presidential election. There
is a motley cr1wd gathered there altogether
| unlike anything that has been seen within its
| pureus since Jefferson Davis strobe out of the
| Senate Chamber to initiate rebellion Sew
| erai thousand scions OF chivalry, unkempt of
| aspect and see6y 10 costume, have come up to
claim places under a Democratic regime.
They entertained 10 doubt cf being provided
| for, Notwithstanding their numbers we're ex-
travagantly in of the situations at the pro-
| spective disposal of their chief. If Tilden had
| got the seat the curses of majority of them
| would ultimately have descended on him, for
| however sweeplugly he might have applied the
besom Of prescription, the patronage would
have fallen infinitely short of the demands
upon it. But now that the executive poweri is
likely to remain in Republican hands, this
| army of importunate Office seekers IS utterly
| desperate. There are thoughtful men, not
alarmists either, who express appreheusions
| that the life of the new President will not be
absolutely safe from violence. while the pas
| siOns of these necesstous and bstf1ed adven-
turers are at fever heat. When Lincoln was
| assas'inated there was no newspaper published
| at the seat of government that virtually sug-
gesttd such deed, there we're no disbanded
regiments of confederate soldiers swarming the
taverns, the stains of the blood of union patriots
scarcely yet washed from their hands. Both
these agencies of mischief are there now
The Southern leaders are moderate and
peaceful. They have had enough of war.
| Their example in this crisis is worthy the imi-
ta,on of their northern allies in politics. The
turbulent element in the Democratic party is
weak in influence as well as in morals Bat it
| is not always easy to restrain an infuriaied
multitude, especially when the advice given
them to submit is accompanied with the declar-
alton that they are the victims of fraud. The
orators who declaim against the Commission
and accuse majority of its members of Sin
| justice" wrong" "infamy," perjury" liter
ally exhausting the vocabulary of obligatory
epithets lay themselves open to the charge of
behaving
"As subtle masters do,
Stir up their servants to an act of rage,
And after seem to ehide them"
1t certainly will behoove Gen. Hayes to be
| prudent in exposing himself while these dan
| gerous visitors remain in Washington. 1t is to
be hoped there will be no Immediate extra
| session of Congress. If the members disperse
| the mob will follow. The country needs rest
| first, legislation afterwards. Business has been
| suspended by the popular absorption In
| politics altogether too long. The public
| patience has been wonderfully enduring
but it has at last very nearly reached
| the point of exhaustion. There never was a
more unfortun ate time for a dispute to happen
| in respect 10 the Presidential succession. Just
| when everybody was anxious to get to work
| again, to repair the ravages of a great panic
and to restore TO LABOR its earning power a fatal
interruption blocked the way, lasting four
| weary months aud keeping hundreds of thou
sands of people idle who might but for that
have been usefuly and proftably employed 1t
has been cruelty expensive interregnum, and
| whoever counses policy which will lead to a
| continuance of it beyond the 4th of March
| ought to be quarantined as an enemy to the
| welfare of the people and disturber of the
| tranquility Of the country. Every such man
| ought to be barred from any future political
| preferment.
Serious matters have not entirely mouopolized
the attention of the lookers-on in Washington
this week. Our Republican Senator has been
the objsct of some speculative conjectures
among the purveyors of gossip These imagn-
ative gentry can always build quite an mpos-
ing superstructure on an extremely AIRY fouud-
alton. Mr.. Conkling was absent from Wash
ingtou on The day the vote was taken in the
Senate affirming the decision of the Commis-
sion in the matter of the Louisiana returns.
That is all there is of it. And yet upon that
| circumstances have been based an immense lot
OF s1rmises much more remarkable for their
absurdity than their ingenuity. Some of the
more malignant and reckless of these chronic
defamers have represented him as consortng if
not bargaining with the Democrats. Now the
Senator maintains courteous and friendly rela-
tlous with great many if not all his Demo.
cratic associates in the upper House, aud no!
few in the lower. But as for mis- bargaining or
trading politically with any body or for any
purpose, the allegation is ridiculous No nan
who knows hiu. would venture tC approach him
with proposition which had the faint-st shad-
ow of traffic upon it The newsmen are most
at home in their criticisms upon his pride OF
men and loftiness of carriage. That is fer
tile theme also for the female correspondents,
aud they have often worked at it with evident
self satisfaction. But whoever imputes to him
conduct inconsistent with the highest rectitude
must needs have very ignorant and credulous
readers, if he or she expects to escaps condem.
nation as a wilful slanderer. The time has
gone by when such tittle-tattle can make any
impression on persons of average intelligence,
but bad habits are not easily reformed, and the
vice of Misrepresentation is still great deal
more prevalent than it ought to be.
Barely six working days remain to the forty
fourth Congress, and it is doubtful whether 1t
| will enact the necessary measures to keep the
| government in running order. That it will do
anything whatever to relieve the public dis
tress, is now out of the question. The House
has devoted its two sessions exclusively to
President makirg. With an overwhelming
Democratic majority obtained through pop
ular discomfort on account of the hard
times so severely felt during the cleo
tion of 1874, it will leave no record of
statesmanlke provision or practical legis.
i i9e'oH' ~ E1s bccu tHS Wulle u uoOaLlnR
forum, in which unsupported accusations have
been recklessly poured out against the govern
ment of which it was a component part. Its
| committee rooms have been used as drag nets
to catch up, parade and magnify every calumny
against leaders of the Republican party which
malice could invent IL has discovered after
two years search, one, and but just one, in-
stance of official dereliction, and that was the
case of Belsnap. 1t was strictly personal
offense of which no other party in office had
knowledge or could be held responsible for in
the remotest degree. And yet to this hour the
monstrous ISLANDERS against the administration
which have been uttered so prodigally remain
uuretracted and unatoned for. 1t is after all
quite independently of any partisan bias, a
cause OF qualification that an organization
which has sought power by the grossest viola
tons OF truth and decehcy should be foiled in
4 re- a. LII L