The Portland daily press., 1878-12-07
THE PRESS.
SATURDAY b hORNING. DECEMBER :
A Quiet Session 2

The prompt passage of two appropriation
bills by the House, and the advanced stage OF
other bills in committee indicate disposition
on the part of the Democrats to confine
themselves to business this session. 1t is
said to be their intention to avoid debate
when they possibly CAP, the melancholy ex-
pecience of Fernando Wood Monday having
put them on their guard. They will very
likely find some difficulty in carrying out
this plan, for some of their number are boy
ish enough to want to find out for themselves
the folly of attempting to defend the South
ern election frauds.
1t is very natural the Democrats should
wish to avoid debate; for they are now on
the defensive. So long as they were the hun
ters they followed the game open-mouthed.
Now they are the hunted they are anything
but anxious to go on with the chase. The
shameless ballot-box stuffing in South Caro-
lima, the Louisiana atrocities, and the cipher
revelations have done away with the "fraud"
yell. The exposure of the criminal intrigues
of Mr.. Tiiden and his followers have spoiled
fall elections, the near approach OF resump-
ton, and the uncertainty as to the action OF
the Greenbackers, discourage financial dis
cussion. The grievances of the Democrats
no longer exist, and their future policy is un-
certain. They are all at sea. They are too
anxious about their own course to criticize
that OF their opponents. too busy excusing
their own blunders and defending their own
action to attack the Republicans. They
want breathing spell, want time to think,
want to be let alone until they get rested.
They would gladly pass the appropriation
bills and then adjourn.
But the chances are that the animals will
get stirred up before the show closes. The
Republicans are in jubiIant mood and full
of fight, and disposed to anything but silence.
They have got something to say and they
mean to say it. They want to know about
the cipher kilograms, they are longing to learn
how many fraudulent ballots were cast in
South Carolina, they are bent upon finding
out how many negroes were killed in Louisi-
ana. These inquiries will be pressed, and in
all probability some of the Democrats will be
angered into undertaking the defense of the
indefensble. Then hot debate and angry
controversy will follow. The Democrats are
not under good enough discipline to control
themselves. They are not well organized.
They have no able leaders, lin the House at
least. Even il they had leaders it is doubtful
if they would submit to leadership and strict
discipline. They have been used to guerilla
warfare too long, The only able organizer
they have had since the death of Douglas is
Tiden. and they never took kindly to him.
In his present bad plight it is not good for
them to openly accept his leadership, aud the
most of them are heartily glad to be rid of it.
Thus with no one to officer and control them,
with each man fighting tor his own hand, and
with all exasperated by recent defeat and
confused by the sudden change in the polit-
cal situation, it is altogether probable that
some will lose their heads, and that many
blunders will be made.