Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1878-07-03

| the senate since tue ItOcl CAOhuo
in the winter of 1861. During
this long period the Senate, with
the exception Of tAa last three
years, has been the ruling branch
of Congress and a dominating fac
tor in the Government. All through
the administrations Of Lincoln,
johnson, and Grant, the Republic
can majority in the Senate exerted
commanding and at times al IT.
resistible influence in the party. |
This majority, which stood eight |
years ago at more than five to one,
has fallen away to almost nothing.
The Senate contains seventy-six
members. The terms of twenty
four expire with this Congress-
OF the remaining fifty-two who
hold over, twenty-nine, counting
David Davis, are Democrats, and
twenty-three, including Booth and
Christiancy, are Republicans. The
Democrats, therefore, will have a
majority of six of those who hold
over.
OF the twenty-four Senators who
GO out in March, eight are Demo-
Gratis, namely, Barnum, of Con-
necticut, Dennis, of Maryland, Me-
Creepy, Of Kentucky, Voorhees,, of
Indiana, Armstrong, of Missouri,
Merrimon, of North Carolina, Cor
don, of Georgia, and Eustis, of
Louisiana. There is no doubt that
in six of these States Democrats
will be elected. 1t is not quite GER
tain about the other two, Connect.
cut and Louisiana.
Sixteen Republicans GO out. We
will classify them under three
heads, those cases whore Demo-
Gratis are sure to be elected, those
where Republicans are sure to be
elected, and those which may be |
regarded as doubtful.
Six will certainly be succeeded |
by Democrats, viz, Spencer, of AL
ALBANIA, Dorsey, OF Arkansas, Como
yer, of Florida, Matthews, of Ohio,
Sargent. of California, and Mitchell,
of Oregon. Six will just as surely
he succeeded by Republicans, viz,
Morrill,, of Vermont, Wadleigh, of
New Hampshire, Oglesby, Illinois,
Howe, OF Wisconsin, ingalls,, of
Kansas, and Jones, Of Nevada.
So far the tally is even in regard
to new Senators. II there is q
shade of doubt as to the results we
have predicted, the chances for I'M
forseen changes are about the same
in each party.
OF the sixteen Republicans who
go out, four remain to be consider
ed. They are Conkling, of New
York, Cameron, of Pennsylvania,
Patterson, of South Carolina, and
Chaffee, of Colorado. There is a
strong probability that Conkling
will he reelected, aud in view of
the treacherous course of the Dem
ocratic State Convention, of Penn
sylvania, and the refusal of Repub-
lican Convention to touch Hayes,
the way to the Senate seems to be
re-opened for Cameron. The So
called Democrats of South Carolina
can hardly fail to elect Senator of
their peculiar type, while Chaffee
will probably be succeeded by a
man who believes that Democracy
means the condemnation rather
than the conformation of the great
fran d Of the age.
If we are right in these estimates,
how will the Senate stand as he
tween the two parties! Twenty
nine Democrats hold over. OF the
eight Democrats who 60 ont in
March, six of the same party are
sure to be returned. The Demo-
Gratis are certain to get eight of the
seats now occupied by Republicans.
This makes total of forty-three.
Twenty-three Republicans hold
over. OF the eight Democrats
whose terms expires in March, we
allow the places Of two to be filled
by Republicans. OF the sixteen
Republicans who retire in March,
we concede that they will re-elect
eight. This gives an aggregate of
thirty-three.
These calculations place the Dem
acratic majority in the next Senate
at ten. We believe we have allow
ed the Republicans the benefit of
reasonable doubts. But even the
most confident will not claim for
them more than two more seats
than we have allowed them. This
would give the Democrats forty-one
Senators. and the Republicans thir-
ty-flve, the former having a major
ity OF six. But it is more likely to
be double that number.