New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-01-11
is the chronic misfortune Of the

isiana. Il ia the chronic misfortune OF the
Democratic party that 1t is continually trying
to make water run up hill, to drive wedge
butt foremost, and to perform other unneces-
sary impossibilities. A few grains OF common
sense would have prevented all the antagonism
between the Senate and the House which some
statesmen have studiOusly fOstered.
There are some Independent members OF the
Senate men who have, or fancy that they
have, future men who are not savisbly de-
pendent upon a party convention held every
two years men whose political existence does
not necessarily cease if, on any question OF
public Importance, they rise above party. That
very few such men can get into the House, OF
stay there if they get in, is the misfortune III
the constitution of that body. Hence, only the
blindest and most rabid partisan would nave
proposed that the more permanent and inde-
pendent body should have no voice, while
the House alone, creature OF ephemerai
passions dead and buried two years ago,
should have all power to decide whether an
election by the House had become necessary.
The Senate, moreover, could name Its Presi-
dent. It's President, if sustained by that body,
could count the votes and there was no power
to stop him. On the whole, 1t was silly IN the
Democrats to insist that the more independent
and candid men who hold the balance OF power
in the Senate were knaves, who could not be
trusted or reached by reason.
Perhaps it is better to see late in life than
never to see at all. Constitutional blindness
must be very tiresOme. Very late indeed, but
still not quite too late, some Democrats per
ceiye that the right thing to do was and Is to
throw the grave responsibility wholly upon the
Senators. Then appeal to their reason or sense
of Justice becomes possible. The Irishman
who had fondness for discussion wild
" sthcks never deluded himself with the no.
ton that the brandishing of club helped to
enlighten the mind or soften the temper of an
opponent; and all the ranting and ravlng the
bullying meetings, the incendiaIy speeches,
the brandishlng of revolutionary theories
and threats, have not materially helped
to prepare Senators to consider the matter with
calmness and impartiality. And yet, possibly,
it is not too late. Were it possible suddenly
to bottle up all the Democratic thunder, and
to cork up all the infamed orators, and to put
ice on the heads of all the bloody editors OF
that party, it is at least possible that some
Senators might approach discussion in spirit
not adverse to Democratic hopes. Whether
the bottling and corking and refrigcrating can
still be performed is not clear.
Democracy has nearly thrown away its only
chance. Unless certain Senators choose to OPP
pose the counting of the votes officially re-
turned in Louisiana or Florida, Gov. Hayes
will become President as surely as the sun
rises on the 4th of March. Possibly strong
conviction, strong proof, or personal Jealousy
or poue, may yet influence some SenatOrs-for
there is some human nature, of the better and
of the worse sort, even in the Senate-but
the Democrats thus far have done their best
to make such result improbable. And it is
the eleventh hour. If they mean to do better,
the time is short. The lamp holds out to
" burn but the wick is nearly gone.