The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1878-04-16
publicans had when General Grant

| WV III VIC 'oclltIe aill VI elSICS-SlA
in the House. To day they have a
majority Of two in the Senate, and
are sure to be in the minority next
year, while in the House they are in
a minority already. AS to the
future-the terms of twenty-five
Senators expire in March, 1879, of
whom seventeen are Republicans
and eight Democrats. Only five Of
their successors have so far been
elected, and of these five AIessrs.
Sargent and Matthews are succeeded
by Democrats Mr. Allison succeeds
himself. and two Democrats have
Democratic successors. Of the six
Democratic Senators whose success
sors are still to be chosen only two
are in doubt. Of the fourteen
Republican Senators whose success
sors are to be elected six are certain
to be succeeded by Democrats, and
several others are in doubt. Leav-
ing doubtful cases to stand as they
are, it is clear that the Senate on the
fourth Of next March must have q
Democratic majority Of at least ten.
Tic Republicans have therefore lost
the Senate that they can no longer
hope to save, and the question is, of
course, whether they can recover
control of the House.
What arc their hopes Of tho next
House? We have taken the trouble
to look over the maioritics Of the
members OF the present House.
Many persons will remember that
an nncommonly large number Of
districts were carried in 1876 by
narrow majorities, and We have
made list of all the members who
hold their seats by majorities less
than Il thousand; of these there are
thrty-four Republicans and nine
teen Democrats. If we count only
those who came in by less than five
hundred majority we find sixteen
Democrats and nineteen Republi-
cans.
When a general has lost campaign
after campaign working On a fixed
line Of operations. if he is wise it
will occur to him bv and by that
perhaps it is not tho fanlt of the
troops, nor Of his subordinate COM
lAandcrs; hut that he himself has
blundcrcd in taking and maintain-
ing wrong line Of operations.
Our Republican friends have, how
ever, not got that far yet, if the
reports from Washington may be
relied on. They mean to eight it
out on the old line ; they are get
ting The ''bloody shirt" ready to
raise once more as their banner
they must, they think, give the
Southern question one more trial
This is certainly spirited conduct,
considering the figures which we
have collected above; but it is
hardly wise. They have fought on
that line under far more favorable
circumstances in the past ten years
than they can ever hope. to again.
and they have lost both Houses in
these prolonged campaigns. Had
they not better change? The
President IS reported to have said
that when he into the White House
nc found his party moribund, and
that he had been trying ever since
to put life into it. Whether he
really said it or not it is true.
1t is the thorough acquaintance
Of the Radicals with these truths
that is making them 30 desperate.
The South is practically solid
against them ; and their only hope
IS; to fire the Northern heart, and
thus capture few close Congress.
a'ona} districts. Though this is
not probability, still it is possible,
and the Democrats must be vigilant
Should the Republicans gain the
prestige of capturing the lower
House Of Congress, it will put them
in much better i'm for the race of
1880. But if the Democrats, be-
sides gaining tho Senate, preserve
shclr grasp on tho House, they
will have Il walk over in the next
Presidential election, SO far as the
Republicans arc concerned. It is
only the now national party spring.
ing up that is to bo feared. This is
the unknown factor in politics that
is worrying all politicians. Still
oil tho odds arc in favor of COM
plcto Democratic supremacy in