The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-04-19

The New York Herald has an intereSt ling
review of the rise and fall OF the Republican
majority in Congress. Gibbon chose the
worst period of the worlds history to
write as tho most interesting history
of the rise and fall OF tho Republican
party in this country would be almost
IA interesting, almost as appalling and
disgusting as Gibbons story, for 1t would
describe the very worst period in American
history 1t is generally thought that the Re
publican party reached its greatest strength
and power during the war or Immediately
after IL, 1t was quite otherwise 1t was only
when the war was well over and rec0nstruc-
ton fairly begun that this party common ced
| to develope its greatest strength and, at the
same time, its greatest weakness and de-
pravity. In 1866 tho Republicans had q
majority OF 81 in the Senate; In 1869, the year
when Grant became President, this major
ity had been increased to AZ; in 1871 the Re
publicans had reached the summit of their
power in the Senate. They had then, in full
Senate, no less than so majority, or over
six-sevenths Of the body. Their decline came
soon. 1t was at the period of their greatest
triumph and success that the panic, that great
financial ruin, and political immortality and
degradation of all kinds burst upon this coun-
try. The success Of the Republicans seemed
to precipitate all these evils upon us. Tho
result was an immense popular rcvolt-a re-
volt that will continue until the Republican
party is swept entirely from the United States.
In two years the Republicans lost twenty of
their majority In the Senate; in five years
~ Of had
fallen too.
In the House 1t was the same story, save
that the Republican down-hill movement was
much more rapid. In 1868 they had 1875 ma
jority; in 1869. Sc; in 1870, Ct; in 1873, II; in
1874 the Democrats had carried the House by
70 majority. Thus in eight years the Repub
licans lost 9S congressional districts.
Such is the rapid decline of party that at
one time held undsputed sway over the coun-
mockery of law to continue itself in power
With the army and navy to back it, with the
executive to aid it, the "reminiscences of the
war to appeal to, the negro vote pledged toit,
returning boards, electoral colleges, and ever y
other insult to republicanism invented to aid
1t in its devlish design, the Republican party
has declined more rapidly than any political
organization ever declined before.
Those who study the financial, industrial,
commercial, intellectual and moral history Of
this country during the period of Radical
dominion must see at a glance that the most
disturbed and unfortunate periods Of our his
tory were those In which the Republican
party was strongest; that as that party in
creased so did the whole country decline,
and that times improve only as the Repub-
lican party disappears from sight.
Politically, the future is most promising.
or the twenty-five Senators whose terms end
In 1879, seventeen are Republicans and eight
Democrats. Five Of these have had their
successors elected, and Of these five Messrs.
Sargent and Matthews are succeeded by DEM
ocrats; Mr.. Allison succeeds himself, while