The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-06-05

| ton, Mr. Hartridge, Of Georgia, q member
of the Judiciary Committee of the House,
stated yesterday in meeting OF the COM
| mi tee that he intended to call up to-day
| the subjects referred to the Judiciary Com
mittee in connection with the Maryland
memorial. 1t is satisfactory to learn at the
same time that the committee is prepared
at the earliest opportunity to present q
unanimous report against the Blair resolu-
tons and the Kimmel bill for testing the
Presiden title If the democrats OF the
| House are wise they will, on receipt Of this
report, make it clear that they have no in
tention to upset or question the title OF
President Hayes
| The same motives which dictated Mr..
| Potter's letter and caused him to disclaim
any revolutionary purposes require further
steps in the same direction. Mr.. Potter
merely gave public expression to his indi-
vidual views, and his party in Congress is
not bound by his declarations. In order to
quiet public apprehensions it is necessary
that the democratic Representatives as
body should indorse and sustain the per-
sonal disclaimers of the chairman of the. In
vestigating Committee. The form Of doing
this is q question Of political expe-
diency, but that the thing ought
to be done in some binding and
authoritative form must be conceded
by all democrats who admit the wisdom OF
Mr.. Potter's letter. If reassuring declara-
tons from him were necessary for protect
ing the party from damaging misrepresen-
tations, it is important to have it proved
that Mr.. Potter did not merely express his
personal views, which bound nobody but
himself It is not what Mr.. Potter thinks,
but what the democrats in Congress COM
NIT themselves to, that can have a reassur-
ing effect on excited public apprehensions.
If there was any reason for the publication
of Mr.. Potters letter the same reasons
are altogether stronger for an author
itative statement binding the whole
party to the same views. If Mr.
Potter was right his opinion should not be
that OF a single, unsupported democrat
He stated his belief that his views were
those Of the greater part Of tho democratic.
members, and il that belief is correct it
ought to be authenticated. The report OF
the Judiciary Committee on the Blair me-
mortal and the Kimmel bill will set at rest
the charge that tho democrats are seeking
to depose Mr.. Hayes. We hope when the
Judiciary Committee makes its report
against these two mischievous measures
that the democrats of the House will accept
and indorse it.
Quite apart from the constitutional ques-
tions involved it would DO good party
tactics for the democrats of the House to
make formal disavowal of any intention to
disturb the title of President Hayes. Until
this is done the business classes will be un-
easy and will exert their influence against
the democratic party in the approaching
Congressional elections. Only q slight
change is needed to give tho republicans a
majority of the next House. In the present
House the democratic majority is barely
thirteen, and loss of seven democratic
members would give the republican party
control of the next House. The cry of
revolution" and alarm of the business
classes would probably make much greater
change Besides the alarm OF the business
Glasses there is a large body of Southern
voters who think Mr.. Hayes has done
so we'll for the South that they will regard
it rs a public duty to stand by him if his
title is contested. Mr.. Alexander II.
Stephens is the foremost representative Of
this class Of Southerners, and their conjoint
influence will be sufficient to change the
political complexion Of the next House. If
they are assured on good authority that Mr.
Hayes title is not to be meddied with
they will act with tho democratic party;
but unless they are satisfied on this
point they will take case that tho
next House shall be SO composed
that the democratic revolutionists will have
no power to abuse. The instinct of self
preservation, therefore, requires the demo-
| Gratis of the present House to disavow the
revolutionary intention charged upon them
| by their republican opponents II the
! Potter investigation goes on without such
guarantee there will be an inevitable ma
| iority against the revolutionists in the next
House. 1t speaks we'll for the sagacity of
| the democrats in Washington that they APP
preciate this cxigency and are disposed to
erect barrier against the republican charge
of revolutionary intentions. Nothing is
more certain than that the alarm Of the
business classes in the North and the good
| opinion and gratitude Of the South will
secure strong Hayes majority in the next
House unless the democratic party brushes
1 the accusation that the aim of the Potter
| investigation is to put President Hayes out
OF office. II the public anxiety on this
point is allayod the democrats are in fair
way to make political capital out of tho
! investigation.
| The idea that Mr.. Hayes can be deposed
There is no possibility OF deposing