New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-07-04
A REVIEW OF THE SESSION.

VERY FEW LAWS OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE ENACTED
AND VERY FEW MIsCHIEvOUs ONEs THE PRIN-
CIPAL ACTS OF CONGRESS.
IFEOM TIE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUEEl
WASHINGTON, July 2.-Congress did almost moth
inc during the extra session just closed that needs
especial notice or review. 1t was distincuvely
political session, brought about for political pur
pose and devoted almost exclusively to political
discussions.
The extra session was no accident. 1t was de-
lberately determined upon by the Democratic
leaders, who puTpOscly put into the appropriation
bills legislation which they knew that neither the
Senate nor the President would agree to; and If
they had seen any indications of spirit of COM
promise among the Republicans, they Nould have
added more of the same sort Their object was
twofoId: first to secure the repeal Of the Election
laws in order that gigantic frauds like those Of
1865 might be perpetrated IN New-IOrk City and
the Empire State carried by the Democrats in
1880; secondly, to turn the attention of the couG-
Try away from the utter failure Of the Potter Com
mittee to discover Republican frauds in the cleo
ton returns in 1876 and from the terribly damag
mgscandal of the cipher dispatches
The Democrats wanted to create
which they hoped to make more successful fight
tsan that of last Autumn. How far they have sue
cgeded every one knows. They have turned the
public mind temporarily away from the infamous
cipher conspiracy; but they have not succeeded in
fixing it upon the points which they especially de-
sired to make prominent. Nobody suppOses--l don't
believe that any of the Democratic leaders will
preteLd-that the country has been alarmed by any
probability of military Interference with elections
by the present Administration, or that any wide
spread fear exists that honest voters to be in
undated by the presence of United states Mar
shas at the peils. But the Democrats have sue
In, inc az Iai
reckless ana revolutionary tendencies, and have
made themselves the most unpopular body of men
that ever assembled in the Capitol. The voters of
this country have made up their minds about this
Congress and the party which controls it. They
know TOO well TO need TO be told again what the
Congress attempted in the line of political revolu-
ticn and what IT accomplishing and If there is any
thing about the spirit and purposes of the Demo-
cratic party shown by the events Of the first
sion of the XLVlth Congress. which the people do
not understand and appreciate, the Republicans
viii TO IL that it is fully explained before the
Fall elections take place.
An examination Of the bills which have become
laws since the 18th of March dsclOses almost no
acts Of general public importance. Two or three
laws have been passed for the protection Of the
country against the yellow fever but these might
lusi rs well have been enacted during the last ses-
bion OF the ALNth Congress had not been for the
4dial adherence of Southern Democrats 10 the eX-
Poaed doctrine of State sovereignty. The new
IessIaion on this subject very crude in its char
acIci, ana will probably prove inadequate 10 pro-
'oct tne country from the introduction and spread
u TINS terrible scourge. At the same time IT is
beginning; and IL is to be hoped that the country
may be spared another epidemic until a Republican
congress Is elected, which will hold it to be const-