The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-11-14
How the senate Will stand.

The composition of the Senate of the
Forty sixth Congress can be more ap-
proximately ascertained now than that
of the House of Representatives. The
Senate being perpetual body, always
organized and having a quorum of
duly-elected senator's, is nevertheless
subjected to radical changes every Con-
gross, one-third of the terms of its
senators expiring with the end of each
Congress. The States, therefore, elect
for the new session of the Senate, which
may be convened on March next in ex-
ecutive session by presidential procla-
nation, twenty-five senators of the new
class. OF this number seven have been
already elected, and but two of the
class of 1878 reelected, Mr.. Morrill,,
IN Vermont, and Mr.. Allison, from
Iowa. The States yet to elect are Ala
bama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecti-
cut, Florida, Indiana. Louisiana, Mis-
souri,, Nevada, New Hampshire, New
York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina
and Wisconsin. A decided majority
of these will return Democratic sena.
tors, Colorado and Wisconsin alone
being at all certain Of electing Repub-
lieans, and even in the latter State the
senator promises to be the result of
coalition. The present Senate stands
politically: Republicans, 80; Demo-
Gratis, SO; Independent, /. To secure
control of the Senate, the Democrats
do not require more than forty votes.
As they will lose no State now repre-
sented by Democrat, all the gains will
increase the present representa- ton.
The Democratic senators ready
elected, therefore, in California, Ore
gon and Ohio give the Democrats
forty-two. The Republicans concede
the election Of Democratic senators in
Alabama In place of Mr.. Spencer, in
Florida in lieu of Mr.. Conover, in
South Carolina in lieu of Mr.. Patter-
sons seat and Arkansas in lieu of Mr..
Dorsey, thus increasing the number to
4G, and leaving the Republicans 30
senators. On this showing alone the
Democrats will have a majority OF 1G,
which is even larger than might be
estimated at the first glance. Tie
Democrats, however, have q rea-
sonable prospect Of gaining
senator in Illinois, New York,
Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, possibly
Nevada. But in any event q large
working majority is already assured,
with prospect OF increasing it in the
class of 1881, which embraces vacan-
cies in California, Mississippi, Nevada
and Wisconsin. The Republicans are
making their calculations 10 hold on
to the Offices Of the Senate till Decem-
Der 1879 (when the Forty-sixth Con-
gress conYenes), but this is hardly proba-
bic, as the President generally convenes
the Senate in executive session, while
the present Congress may decide to
provide for q new session of both
houses. There are one hundred and
thirteen officers Of the Senate for =
body Of seyenty-six Senators IN one
hundred and fourteen fer the House
which comprises two hundred and
members and twelve dele
gstes-three hundred and four in all
This simply illustrates the extrava-
RaRce OF Republican management.
The Democrats will undoubtedly re-
duce the Senate force one-thIrd IL not
ene-half, and then have quite e. eff
cient an organization.-Wo Worlfs Hdsh-
i1qf0z Lekfer