The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-04-15
our c..., National, Parties.

Washington prove that neither party sees
its way to any decided course OF action.
The republicans have had two caucuses-
one consisting OF their Senators, the other
of their Senators and Representatives but
they were alike barren. The democrats
have only held u caucus of the Senators-a
vague. aimless talk leading to no result.
These party caucuses, one and all, answer
well enough to Hazlitt's apt description OF
Coleridges celebrated powers of conversa-
tion--''a surprising talker. very, II you
will let him start from no premises and come
to no conclusion" The most natural in
ference from these empty conferences
would be that both parties have outlivcd
their usefulness and fallen into dotage and
imbecility !; that the issues on which both
were formed have become effete, and that MS
yet no new questions have arisen OF suih-
cient magnitude and interest to force the
dissolution and reconstruction which are
inevitable as soon as some great and COM
manding issue is presented.
The currency question does not possess
the necessary dissolvent force because 1t is
in fair way to settlement. In spite OF oil
the Western lunacies we are on the very
eve OF resumption. The political indica-
tons show that no further attempt, or
at least no strenuous attempt, will be made
10 interrupt or disturb the experiment.
Resumption once accomplished, it will be
expected accidents intervene. There may
be aftcrward some minor questions respect
ing the currency, but none Of sufficient
importance to rise to the dignity OF a great
national issue or affect the composition
ofparties.
under different circumstances, have become
a national issue OF the first magnitude, and
it may yet, at some future time, become
such an issue, but that time is
not near. This reform can never
be effectually accomplished except by
an act OF Congress giving tixity Of tenure to
all minor officers during good behavior.
WHAT an individual President may do will
be as transient MS 1.-The morning cloud and
the carly dew" If Mr.. Conkling or Mr..
Blaine or General Grant should be the next
President he will pay but slight respect to
the precedents set by MIR. Hayes. If the
next incumbent of the Office should be o
democrat, us seems probable, there will be
clean sweep according to the old methods,
putting out oil the republicans and giving
their places to democrats. 1t is only the law
making branch Of the government that can
30 l<~,, =
present there is no prospect, nor even
possibility, that Congress will do anything
on the subject. The republicans in Con-
gress have precluded themselves from
making this great concession to President
Haycs. and the democrats will do nothing
to prevent the President whom they expect
to elect from admitting his supporters to
the public crib. Civil service reform has
therefore even less chance than the our
rency question of causing reconstruction
Of parties during the residue Of Mr. Hayes
term. OF other issues potent enough tor
Each party resembles an architectural pile
in which the weather has eaten out
the cement between its stones and
which is ready to fall at the first shock, but
as yet there is no assailing battering ram
ready to be brought in play against its
walls. We must therefore Judge of the i'm
mediate prospects of parties with reference
to the effete and spent issues which have
lost their power over the public mind.
''The cohesive force of public plumber" of
public plumber in possession or public
plumber in prospects, the sole remaining
cement of our party organizations.
Although the republican party seems
floating out on an ebb tide its chances are
not yet quite hopeless. 1t has wisely de-
cided not to pursue its quarrel with the
President. The approach Of the Congress
sional elections is exerting SOLDERING in
fuence on the recalcitrants The Presi-
dent has some indoYsers in every Congress
sional district, and the absence of these
from the polls would remand large share
of the present republican members to pri-
vato life. With the elections so near the
powerful lust Of office will arrest demonstra-
tons OF hostility to Mr.. Hayes, who is
likely to enjoy respite from political per-
sccutlon by his own party Tor the next six
months at least. Meanwhile the party
will find that Mr.. Hayes has been Of con-
siderable advantage to it. The sue
cess Of Secretary Shcrman--a success
which is likely to prove brillant--in
insuring specie payments against the OBJ
staclcs interposed by Congress, may be
turned to good use as an electioneering
topic next autumn. With the reasonable
part OF the country this Is the best card
that can be played, and it is wholly due to
the republican administration and not at
oil to the republican Congress. Without
this trump it is difficult 10 sec what chance
the party would have for winning anything
in the Congressional elections. The whole
credit Of resumption will belong 10 the re-
publican administration, unshared by its
own party in Congress. 1t will form the