Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-05-31
Some Of the Consequences.

THE Democratic party has become
the creature of circumstances. Having
committed itself to what purports to be
an investigation of facts, IL must accept
the consequences, he they what they may.
IL committee packed with view of
convicting friends of the President, and
of fastening some Of the taint of fraud
upon the President himself, shall
after all fall there may be an end of the
matters now in dispute. But II 1t sue
ceed in satisfying the partisan judgment
If IL furnish pretexts that will seem to
justify Interior measures may be
quite sure that nothing yet said by Mr..
Clarkson Potter will stand in the way
of the extreme members of the party.
They contrived to make impossible the
resistance TO the action already taken
which the moderate wing desired to OF
fer. And they will have still less diff
Guilty in giving effect TO a more pro-
nounced revolutionary purpose, if only
they obtain the excuses which the select
committee is expected to supply. A
party that could not hold in check the
small body of malcontents who did
nothing but cry "fraud" will be COM
PEELED to comply with the more danger
Gus demand of the same men when the
one-sided proceeding which the House
has ordered shall have traced-or pre-
tended to trace-fraud to the door of
the Executive. The party cannot talk
of policy now. 1t is at the mercy of
events.
So far as Republicans are concerned,
the only possible gain seems likely to
accrue to politicians who have with
more or less plainness assailed the
Louisiana and Florida settlements as
the basis of the Presidents title. Since
the Potter movement assumed definite
shape the Republicans who were in the
habit of consigning the President to in
fanny on the ground that he prolited by
the corrupt action of confidential friends
have been silent. But no man can
doubt that their declarations, their per-
sonal animosity, and their avowed be-
lief that Mr. Hayes title is fraudulent
encouraged the Democracy in the course
pursued. The same kind of partisan
pressure which rendered moderate
Democrats powerless in the hands of
the revolutionists obliged certain
class of Republicans to oppose meas
ure which they had helped to strengthen
tthu WlllGL III bHcy
would be successful. The more Mr..
Hayes suffers, short of actual impeach-
ment or removal, the more Importance
their pretensions will acquire.
Our remark does not imply anything
resembling a bargain as between the
Administration and the Republicans
who may be compelled to sustain it
against the revOlutionists while secret
ly anxious for its overthrow. But the
natural tendency of things will be in
the direction advantageous to the politi-
clans who care for their own schemes
rather than for the lasting welfare of
their party. Forced at last to rely upon
the party, the President will naturally,
perhaps unwittingly, defer to the
wishes of Senators and members who
have not even affected friendship for
him. Reverse his policy he cannot; but
he will hardly persist in conciliatory
efforts that strengthen the hands of
enemies or in an attitude of independ-
ence toward others whom party neces-
sites may drive into the ranks of friends.
He will descend from his pedestal and
identify himself with his party, ac-
quiescing in the views of its managers,
and meeting them halfway in matters
about which they have been in doubt.
This may not be lofty estimate of the
President, or of the morale of party
management, but it is in accordance
with probabilities as regards both Mr..
Hayes and the disaffected Republicans
in Congress.
Nor will the retrograde tendency end
here. In the struggle which the Dem
ocrats are forcing upon the country the
paramount duty of the Republican par
ty will be the maintenance of the au-
thority of the Government. The issue
as it looms up to-day is between order
and revolution. And the Republican
party in its fight against anarchy will
be more intent upon unity and success
than all else. 1t will reoccupy the
ground it held during the rebellion, and
Will postpone to more convenient |
season those questions of reform in |
party organization and policy which |
have of late occupied the attention of |
many of its members. The elevation
of the tone of the party, the enlarge
ment of its measure, the more thorough |
application of reform ideas, will all be |
subordinate to the defeat of the De-
mocracy. Sectionalism will reappear.
The South, as potent factor in the |
revolutionary programme, will be the
text of appeals which moderate Repub-
licans would gladly have closed for
ever. AS one result of Democratic
tactics, we may, in short, expect re-
vival of the animosities of the rebellion,
and the establishment in both parties
of the supremacy of undesirable infiu-
ences.--N. Y Times.