The daily gazette., 1878-04-12
From the n. Y. Herald.
The Condition of Parties.


The republican leaders, when they had
their doors bolted aud their guards set
outside, ought to have begun by taking
an account of stock. This is not very
pleasant operation for them, for they VIII
discover that they have been, so to speak
CARRYING on business at u steady loss for
good MANY years. In 1866 they had i'll
the Senate q majority; In 1863, the year
in which General Grant became Presi-
dent this had increased to AZ in 1871, in
full Senate, they had so majority;n 1873
they had but 80 in 1876 it had fallen to
10, and at present they have but 2 ma
jority, counting Judge Davis as demo-
crat, but including Senator Sharon, who
is permanently absent. In the House
they have been running down hill in the
same way, only more rapidly. In 1866
they had 102 majority in the House in
1868 it had risen to 126, in 1869 it fell to
So, in 1870 they had but 81, in 1871 the re-
publican majority was only 80, in 1873 II
fell to II in 1876 the tables We're turned
and the democrats came in on what
was called the "ground-swell" and had
30 majority, and in the present House
they have 10.
To sum up the situation, the republi-
cans had when General Grant came in,
in 1869, a majority of AZ in the Senate
and of S6 in the House. To-day they
have majority of . in the Senate, and
are sure to be in the minority next year,
| while in the House they have minority
already. AS to the future. The terms OF
| twenty-five Senators expire in March.
| 1879, of whom IL are republicans and
| democrats. Only five of their success
| sors have so far been elected, and of these
| five Messrs. Sargent and Matthews are
succeeded by democrats; Mr. Allison sue
ceeds himself, and two democrats have
democratic successors. OF the six demo-
cratic Senators whose successors are still
TO be chosen only two are IN doubt. Of
the fourteen republican Senators whose
SUCCESSORS are To be elected, six are GER
tain to be succeeded by democrats, and
| several are in doubt. Leaving doubtful
cases to stand as they are it is clear that
the Senate on the 4th of next March
must have democratic majority OF at
least 10. The republicans have therefore
| lost the Senate that they can no longer
| hope to save, and the question is, OF
| course, whether they can recover centroI
| of the House.
| What are their hopes of the next House
| We have taken the trouble to look oveI
| the maiorties of the members of the
present House. Many persons viii re-
member that an uncommonly large mum
| Der of districts were carried in 1876 by
| narrow maioritics, and we have made u
| list of all the members who hold theiI
seats by maiorities less than thousand
of these there are "a republicans and |!
| democrats. If we count only those who
came in by less than 800 majority we find
| III democrats and - republicans.
When general has lost campaign after
| campaign working ON fXid line ofope.
rations, if he is wise it will occur to him
| by and by that perhaps it is not the fault
of the troops, nor of his subordinate com
manders but that he himself has bunder
ed i'll taking and maintaing IA wrong line
of operations. Cur republican frlends
have, however, not got that far yet, if til,
reports from Washington may be reliet
| ON. They mean to eight it out on the ole
line ;" they are getting the "bloody shirt
ready to raise once more us their banner
| they must, they think, give the Southern
question one more trial. This is certain
| ly spirited conduct, considering the tigu
res which we have collected above; bu
it is hardly wise. They have fought OF
that line under far more favorable cir
cumstances in the past ten years than
they can ever hope to again, and the,
| have lost both houses in these prolonged
campaign. Had they not better change
The President is reported to have sal,
that when he came into the White Hous
he found his party moribund, and that Ia
had been trying ever since to put life int,
it, Whether he really said it or not it i
true.