The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1877-09-28
The Senate.

ate actually throws the balance of pow
er into the hands of the carpet-bag-
gers, of whom but four remain as a
fieeting reminder of their former
strength in that body.
Under ordinary circumstances, at
the meeting of the Senate on the 18th
of October, there would be 80 Republic
cans, 33 Democrats, and one Indepcnd-
ent, Judge Davis of Illinois. Two va
cancies from Louisiana and from
South Carolina are contested, and
when added To the above numbers,
will complete the Senate of 76 MEM
bers. Owing to the state of his health
Mr.. Morton is forbidden to appear; so
that, with all others present, the count
would stand 3S Republicans against 33
Democrats, or an apparent majority
of 5, exclusive of Judge Davis. Look
ing back only Il few years, these fig
ures show a wonderful decline in the
long ascendency of the Republican
party. 1t is the more re ,narkable
from the fact that the Senate is per-
manent body, ofwhich one-third goes
out every two years. Transient caus-
es cannot, therefore, he assigned for
this great change. The true cause is,
the country has lost confidence in the
party, which is responsible for the pro-
digality, corruption, public plunder,
and decentralization which have pro-
duced the existing general distress.
Until the fourth of March, 1879, the
Republicans will hold two Senators in
each of the following Is States: Cali
fornia, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Maine,
Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota,
Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire,
Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wiscon-
sin; and one Senator in Alabama,
Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Indiana,
Mississippi, New York, Ohio, Oregon,
Pennsylvania, and South Carolina
80 in all. Mr.. Morton, whose cOndi-
ton is precarious, and Mr.. Patterson,
who is likely to be expelled, are both
included in this count.
1t will be observed that the Republi-
can strongholds are in five New Eng
land States, and nine Northwestern
States-sOme of the latter by only
feeble and passing grip. California
has Just discarded Sergeant, which
takes one State from the column, and
others will be apt to follow the exam
pie. If the falling off in Maine has
any significance. The Democrats
hold two Senators in each of the fol-
lowing - States: Connecticut, Dela-
ware, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri,
Maryland, New Jersey, North Carols
ma, Texas, Tennessee, Virginia, and
West Virginia; and one Senator in
Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana,
Mississippi, New York, Ohio, Oregon,
and Pennsylvania-33 in all.
Twenty-fOur Senators will go out on
the 4th of March 1879, and without
specializing upon probabilities, there
are certain data to determine the pOlit-
ical complexion of the body on that
day. Alabama, Arkansas, Florida,
South Carolina and California, will
surely elect Democrats i'll place of
Spencer, Dorsey, COnOver, Patterson,
Sargent. The chances are that Pat
tersOn will be III the penitentiary or
beyond the seas, long before the time
fixed for his regular departure from
the Senate. Deduct these five votes
from the full Republican column of 80,
and add them to the Democratic side,
and the result would be "a Republic
cans, 3S Democrats, and one Inde-
pendent; or, suppOsing Judge Davis
to act with the Republicans, which Is
an unwarranted assumption, then the
Democratic majority would be three
clear.
There remains only to be considered
the factor Of the three vacancies rom
Louisiana and South Carolina. No
doubt exists as to the legal right of the
three Democratic claimants from those
States, and the probability is they will
all be admitted without any serious or
prolonged controversy. The enforced
absence of Mr.. Morton will be Sc
we're blow TO the aspirationsof Kellogg
and his colleague, for no other Senator
will espouse their cause as he would
have done. An effort may be possibly
made by Mr.. Howe and others of his
stamp to resist the inevitable, but it
will be weak and must fail, for, at the
very worst, the Democrats are strong
enough, without counting the allies
ready to volunteer, TO prevent any nc
cessiOn from these vacancies to the
side of their opponents.
Outside, and not taken into the
above account at all, Indiana, Illinois,
Nevada, New York, Oregon, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, are
among the doubtful States to elect
Senators before 1879. 1t will not be
pretended that the Republicans will
carry them all, and if they did, the re-
suit already given would not be chang
ed. Every vote gained from them
will increase the Democratic majority.
The other states 10 ciecJ dIt piO-
uounced for one side or the other, and
therefore are not disputed.
The four carpet-baggers are In a dis
satisfied state of mind, and would like
TO make a bargain with the Demo-
Gratis for dividing the spoils. By sepa-
rating from the Republicans and go
ing over to their opponents, they
could elect all the officers and get pos
session of the entire patronage of that
body. Overtures have been made TO
this effect, but the response has not
been encouraging. The gain of Il few
offices would be but little in compari-
son with the loss of moral prestige
from a corrupt and disgraceful alli-
apce. Therefore, the organization of
the Senate will stand unchanged until
the 4th of March, 1879.