New-York tribune., 1878-12-05
VERY REASONABLE CONGRESS.

VERY REASONABLE CONGRESS.
rur DFuoCeLTs AS ANXIOUS TO AVOID POLITICAL
DISTURBANCE NOW AS THEY ONCE WERE TO
CREATE ia DEBATE ON SOUTHERN POLITICS
PROBABLE, HOWEVER.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEl
WASHINGTON, Dec. "A dull session is now pre-
dicted by many of the older members of the House,
one in which routine business viii consume most OF
the time aud occupy the attention of public men,
The desire to avoid the necessity of an extra session
next Spring or Fall seems almost universal.
The Democratic leaders apparently begin to real
ize. what the country perceived long ago, the I'M
possibility of gaining political advantage DV any
thing they can do in Congress. The fataI 1acll-
ity for making mistakes which most OF the leaders
have displayed seems to have rendered the Demo
Gratis dlstrustful and TO have convinced them that
the danger of disgusting the country with thelh-
selves and their measures Is far greater when they
are assembled here in Washington than when they
ara scattered throughout their districts Not one OF
the investigations of the last session threw any DIS
credit upon the Republicans, while the damage they
did to the Democracy increased with the proml-
Dence given to them. The cipher dispatch dis
closures made by THE TRIBUNE were among the
direct fruits of the inquiry of the Potter Commit
tee which had of itself already fallen into such dis
repute as to have lost all influence upon the public
opinion of the country. The popular Judgment OF
Mr. Potters Investigation, even II IHE TRIBUNE
had not subsequently shown him how to conduct
an inquiry for the purpose of finding out where the
real fraud was and who were guilty OF it, would
have been not only that he had failed to show he
publican wrong-doing, but that the quest had been
made in such spirit as to destroy confidence IN the
party that set it on foot and supported 1t. The
party that would scOur the country for such wit
nesses as Anderson and Weber, and put lunaticS
on the stand TO swear against respectable people
would be sure to suffer itself, instead oil bringing
discredt upon its political opponents.
The Democrats have nothing to gain in the present
Congress, unless it is by tine prompt dispatch OF
business before the 4th of next March. If they
attack the currency question, attempt to mcddle
with the finances they will only direct attention 10
the fact that a majority of their own members arc
on the wrong side These questions were at issue
in the last election and the Democrats were beaten
If they propose to investigate anything, two Of the
monumental Democratic frauds of the age, the
cipher conspiracy and the South Carolina ballot
box stufng. demand first attention and so there is
no safe course except to stick closely to the appro-
priation bills and finish them before the session ex-
pres.
The Republicans do not desire an extra session.
They are satisfied with the political situation as 1T
is aud knowing that the country is more appre-
hensiye when a Democratic Congress is in session
than when it is not, they arc ANXIOUS that this
menace to public confidence and business enterprise
shall be removed as soon as possible.
The present session can hardly pass, however,
without debate in the House on the Southern cleo
tons a subject which the Democrats will do every
thing in their pOwer,tO avoid. Fernando wood
opened the ball on the first day of the session with
out consultation, il is believed, with has party
friends and much to the disgust of most oil them.
But even if Mr.. Wood had not spoken, this discus
sion must have come sooner later for an attempt
will certainly be made TO appropriate money to pay
the expenses of the prosecutions about To be lust-
tued in the Federal Courts of the South, and over
that there viii DO a contest If the night IS not
brought on in any other way. The Republicans
were never in better condition to enter upon pOllt-
ical debate The Southern frauds are purely Demo
cratic, They were general, ard Of such magnitude
that they cannot bo covered up or denied; and
while there might be excuses and explanations OF
riots and shOOJngs and even a denial OF their oC-
currence there can be excuse for suihng ballot
boxes with thousands of tIssue-paper ballots That
is one of the low tricks of which capet-baggeTs used
to be accused, but of which 1T has been The boast
that Southern gentlemen were never guilty. The
Democrats dread this debate, and will do everything
in their power to evade it, for they have no conf
dence that they will be able to make anything by
counter-accusatiOus of fraud and intimidation IN
Massachusetts and New-lOTk.