The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-12-23
THE POLICY OF THE DEMOCRACY.

Whon congress meets ON the 10th of JAN
uary the struggle between the President and
the Republican party In the Senate will, prob
ably, be renewed. The names OF other per-
sons than those rejected by the Senate for the
prominent New York offices will be sent In by
the President. They will be referred to the
Committee on Commerce, where they will
again be subjected to Mr.. Conkling's ruthless
supervision. They will be reported adverse
ly, and again The question between the Presi-
dent and the Republican Senators who repre-
sent the Presidents party will be brought to
an issue. Up to that time we can clearly see
the various phases which the contest will as
sumo, unless, indeed we suppose that the
President will submit TO his defeat and ac-
eept Mr.. Conkling as the dictator of the Re-
publican party, first in the State of New York
and finally In the whole country. But sup
position OF this kind implies not only an
abandonment of the policy of civil service re-
form, SO ostentatiousy proclaimed a few
months ago, but a practical surrender of the
control OF the Executive patronage into the
hands Of on irresponsible and ambitious nol-
tician.
Lit Is unreasonable, IL not impossible to an
ticipate that Mr.. Hayes will thus virtually
abdicate in favor Of one whom he has reason
TO regard as his personal enemy the functions
which were confided to him by his own party, If
not by the American people. 1t is, on the con-
trary, entirely reasonable to believe that he
Will stand his ground, and that he is even
now preparing to reassert the supremacy Of
Republican President over the pretassions
nf RQpubliaar
anomalous that this struggle for the leader
ship OF the Republican party should be
struggle between The Republican party itself
ana The man in whose behalf the party and
lts leaders falsified the results OF the election
and drove the country to the verge of a civil
war; but 1t remains conspicuous fact that
the contest is essentially contest between
the President on the one hand and the Presi-
dents party on the other.
In the magnitude Of this issue any nues-
tions of the relative fitness or unfitness of the
Presidents appointments are entirely lost,
and the question of civil service reform itself
is dwarfed into insignificance. Whether Mr..
Arthur ought to be removed, or Mr. Roosevelt
Oh some other person ought to be appointed.
may constitute the text of incidental debate,
but the real point Is whether or not the Re-
publican party shall succeed In suppressing
Republican President, and In reconstitutipg
lts lines under the leadership of Conkling.
and on the basis of Grantism, and OF all that
irantism implies of geographical divisions.
Of sectional resentments. and of the consoli-
1ation of united North against "solid
south"
1t would seem that this view of the sltua-
ion should have been plain enough, when the
vote was taken a few days ago, to influence
he judgment and guide the course Of Demo- |
ratio Senator's And yet several dstin- |
rushed gentlemen, whose solicitude for the
success OF the Democratic party, and whose
attachment to the Democratic organization
'annot be doubted separated from tho large
majority OF their Democratic colleagues
hereby committing what we are satisfied the |
Democratic opinion of the country regards as
serious, If not fatal error. Various expla- |
lations are given to account for this apparent |
but none of them attribute to those |
gentlemen any delinquency more serious |
han "a mistaken judgment. It is |
Believed that resentment against |
he Administration on account of |
he course Of the so-called Administration /
'enators in the Kellogg case, or the theory
hat the breach in the Republican party |
night be widened by opposing the President
them to help Conkling to his vie
Dry. But the evident fallacy in this reason
1g Is that there does not appear to be any
erious breach in the Republican party in the
enate. On the contrary the issue is dis
nctly made up between Hayes on the one
lde and the Republican Senators on the
Their. The Senators who support Conkling
re not only the large majority of their party
J the Senate, but they are those who mani
ulate and control its caucuses who shape
nd direct its policy, and who are bending all
1eir energies to the task Of reconsttuting it
$ an aggressive organization, on the basis
sectional hatred of the South.
Their success tends to force back into the
hannel controlled by Conkling and the most
ltense school of Republican politicians the
ivergent currents of Republican opinion,
hich were drawing away the life and vigor
the party. Its first effect will be to give
, Conkling the control Of the Federal patron
ye In the greatest State in the Union. and to
liable him to maintain command Of the or
anization. Of how much value this power
to him was illustrated by the use which he
ade of 1t in controlling the Rochester Con-
,ntion, and in electing majority Of Repub-
cans to the Legislature Of Democratic
ate. 1t will enable him to deprive
70 Democracy of New York of a new and
st apportionment, and perhaps to contrive
s own reelection to the Senate, in defiance
the popular majority in his State. For
to assist Mr.. Conkling in accom-
ishing these purposes is to confederate with
IN In scheme to fasten on New York Re-
lblican Legislature, and to cheat the New
ork Democracy of United States Senator
By the time that Congress meets again the
opinion of the country will have
en pronounced In a manner so emphatic
at no Democratic Senator, we presume, =
Ill decline to listen to it. Ii
So far the Democratic press has been prac- s
ally unanimous in regretting will not