New-York tribune., 1879-04-21
TIE SANE Old WOLE

The BccIis and Blaclbums in Congress are
roaring very gently just now. They would like
to have the country believe that when they
talked of wiping out every vestige Of the legis-
latfOn Of the war and Of starving the Govern
ment to death unless they were per-
mtted to do so, they really meant
nothing serious; in short, that they are
no wolves at all, but only innocent sheep
incapable OF doing any harm. 1t Is pleasant
to see them in such Il peaccable and amlable
humor. but we should nevertheless insist that
the Republicans did not cry Wolf without
cause or a moment too soon. The country
had a rough experience with that breed OF
sheep a few years ago, and Is naturally rather
sensitive when they begin to show their teeth.
1t is not very long since dispute arose about
the constitutional right Of States to
sccodc from the Union, and the gen
tlemcn from the South who are now
managing the Democratic party and making
themselves conspicuous at Washington, took
the side which patriotic Union-loving men
thought the wrong side 1t cost good many
thousands Of valuable lives and a good many
millions of dollars to settle that dispute
When these same gentlemen, few weeks
ago, set up another peculiar Interpretation
of the Constitution, and declared that the Presi-
dent must abandon his right to Judge of the
merits of bill and submit to be cOcrced by
Congress under penalty of having the whole
machinery Of Government stopped, it IS no
wonder people who have not forgotten the
events of 1861 looked upon 1t as a serious
matter.
Nor will they be entirely reassurcd by the
mcaly-mouthcd protcstatOns OF Innocence the
Democratic leaders are now making. They
will naturally ask what is the purpose
OF the extra session if the threats of
last month were only empty rhetoric, and
have already died out with the March
winds What is Congress doing in
Washington if it is to keep within the
limit of its powers and leave laws unassailci
which the Democrats do not possess the con-
stimuonal two-thiraS to repeal, in spite of the
Presidents veto There was no need OF an
extra session to raise the question before the
country OF the wisdom of repeating the leeis-
htion which is so obnoxious to the Democrats.
That issue was fairly raised and fully dis
cussed at the regular session last Winter and
the two parties made their records uponit True,
the Democrats did not then have the Senate,
but the control of that body makes no
difference in the logic Of their position. The
two houses together have no moro right than
one alone to force legislation upon the
country against the objections OF the Pre>i-
dent except by a twO-thirds vote, and if the
purpose of the Democrats was 90 assume that
they are the whole Government and the EX-
cc.tiye ought to stand out Of their way,
thry might just as well have set mp that
assumption before the fourth OF March
as since, and made up the case for
the popular verdict. The attitude of
the President and the Republican party
WAS pcrfcctly we'll defined, and there was no
reason to think it would change when the
Senate passed out of Republican control. The
Appropriation bills might have been passed,
the same political issue raised as was i'm fact
raised, and has since only been emphasized,
and the country saved the needless worry and
expense Of an extra session.
Tie truth is, the Democrats are not sincere
in their present professions The threats they
INDUCED in when the new Congress met were
not meant as harmless eascOnadc. Find
ing the Election law barrier to their
success in 1850, they formed delib-
crate plan for coercIng the President
into cOnsentne to its repeal by starving the
Government, and if they have now abandoned
that plan it is only because they are fright
cned at the signs of popular Indignation.
They probably imagined they could make the
issue appear one between the people and the
President, but the people penetrated the
stupid disguise, and saw the issue in its true
light, as one between the Constitution and
revolution. They recognized the howl OF the
rebel wolf. and they will not be deceived by
ihe desperate efforts of the Democrats to pull |
u sheepskin over the animals ears.