The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-11-27
TERMS $500 PER ANNUM, IN ADVANCE

thus far failed to seriously disturb social order
or to perfect legislation which furnishes our
national honor" This is q neat little blow
aimed with equal dexterity and force at the
clamorers about fraud, and the Congressional
advocates of partial repudiaton. 1t Is a good
deal OF wholesome truth compressed within
small compass
The carpet-bag Senators from South Carolina
and Florida have succeeded in attracting to
themselves great deal more attention lately
than they ever received before. Curiously
enough the censors who upbraid them most
harshly are the very men who have hitherto
been loudest in their praises Of that nondescript
species of politician the independent voter"
Patterson and Conover appear to be simply
initiating the Soi-disant patriots who engineered
the Cincinnati convention in 1872 They are
liberal Republicans now, with the rizht to vote
as they please. They doubtless hold it to be
meritorious to rise above party, and to spurn
the dictation of caucuses and leaders. 1t is
natural that the men who have always been
faithful to the Republican creed should de-
nounce their recent conduct. 1t Is only within
few years that treacheiy has been held to be
not even yet obtained very widely outside Of
editorial circles. Bot with strange incon.
sistency its most vehement apostles are un-
sparng in their structures of the practical illus.
tration of it which the Senatorial converts have
furnished. 1t makes great deal of difference
we see, when there is q case of rating, what
direction it takes. Perhaps 1t will be discov.
cred before we are through with this business,
that the only way in which political orgapiza-
tions can be successfully maintained Is by a
strict adherence to the principle Of fidelity
among its individual members, whether they
be leaders or followers, and that ST. Matthew
laid down text that is as good for politicians
as for Christians to live by, when he wrote
that HE that is not with me is against me.
and be that gathereth not with me scattereth
abroad"
But after all, how far does the course of Pat
ts srson and Conover dsviats from the "policy'
Of the administration? II Hampton, why not
Butler? If Nichcls why not SpIfford and
Eustis? If the plan of concliation Is to be
carried out, why should there be any halting
about 1t? The Southern temper will not brook
any half way measures. We have had proofs
enough OF that whet they were weak; they
will be much less likely to yield now that they
are strong. Besides if Corbin and Kellogg
were to be seated they would have only a voice.
less constituency behind them. What matters
the fact that they would really represent ma
jority of the people in South Carolina and Lou
isiana SO long as those people have no possible
chance Of access to the ballot boxes? The sur
render of the control of the Senate may, and no
doubt does, portend disaster to the country, but
the sooner that consequence Is known and real
lied the sooner the awakening will follow cut
of which relief is to be hoped for. The most
sagacious men in the Democratic party are by
no means anxious to assume the responsibilities
inseparable from the direction of the legislative
power for the ensuing two years. They COM
prehend the dangers of the situation perfectly.
Oh the other hand the Republican majority has
become so meagre as to numbers and so unre-
liable as to tenacity, that the power of the
party will no longer be commensurate with its
accountability. If there was substantial agree
ment between the President and the repre-
sentatives of the party which elected him, the
case would be different. But everybody knows
that such is. not the fact and that differences
exist which have thus far bafled all efforts at
reconciliation. They will probably be more
pronounced when the opportunity presents
itself for giving expression to them. Mani
festations of dissatisfaction with the course
of the Executive have been held in check from
motives of sxpediency. There must be limit
to this spirit of selfrestraint, and when it
shall have become conclusive certainty that
the Senators who constituted the majority at
| the beginning of the session are divided on
| essential points, their sscendancy in the body
| would be nominal rather than real, and would
| be more apt to weaken than to strengthen the
party.
Meantime If Congress will give Presiden
Hayes chance Of placing the Rspub.
lican organization on the high vantage
ground of standing for hard money and the
inviolable sanctity of the national faith, they
will open to it campaign In 1880 in which it
will be privilege for honest men to contend
| for the right, and the success of which ought
not to be doubtful if patriotism and sense Of
| public virtue have not become extinct in the
bosoms of majority of the American people.
YARMOUTH.