New-York tribune., 1879-02-24
DPAUING THE LINES.

Truly, WHO INC ldulp uoluH ''tu W '''''
even the present House may be brought back
to something like honesty. Fifteen months
ago, November 2, 1877, the House voted, l4o
nays against 107 yeas, not to lay on the taDie
the bill for the repeal of the Resumption Act
Afterwards, June 18, 1878, 1t voted on
the bill with notifications proposed by
the Senate-yeas 140; nays, 1O5; but
+ n two-thirds majority being requisite
the bill went to sleep for the season. On
Saturday, February %, 1879, Mr. Ewing
managed to get it up again, with srndry
knavish amendments reported by bis com
mittee, and made % speech about IT..
The vote was taken on Mr.. Garfield :
motion to lay the bill on the table,
and rcsulted-yeas, 141; nays, 40. The
supporters of resumption have just
one more vote than the opponents of resump-
ton could muster in November, 1877, or Ill
June last. Thirty-three members have been
walked up to a sense of their former FOLLY
and thirty Of them are Republicans. Only four
so-caled Republicans voted with the Demo
cratic repud atOrs. namely, Kelley, OF PeDnSYI-
vania: Phillips. Of Kansas Oliver. OF Iowa. ana
Fort, of Illinois. Two of these have already been
shelved by their constituents and Mr. Kelley
whose fidelity to the promise he made to act
loyally and faithfully with the Republican
party may be questioned, and Mr.. Fort, who
slipped into the next Congress by minority
vote, will do wisely if they withdraw
wholly from the alliance with repu-
diators before the people have another shot at
them. Mr. Butler. who heard from the
people of Massachusetts last Fall, was
also on the wrong side. and 10j Demo
crafts. OF the votes to lay the bill on
the table, 27 were cast by Democrats
little over One-lfth OF the members
of that party voting. The Republicans voting
stood ia for public honesty and common
sense, and against both. The two parties
were fairly represented; p out of 2o Re
pubiicans are for public honor; out OF
Democrats are for reputation.
The change in the position of members Is
very encouraging. When this dishonest bill
was first brought into the House, ID ctobcr,
1877, the repudiatOrs mustered 1Jo votes Oh
the first test of strength for the naked bill
without disguise or pretext There was some
change in the names, but none In
the number OF its supporters, from
November 2 to June, but gradual
Improvement in opinion was shown IN the
notifications made in the bill itself SO to
speak. the bll was veneered and vanished u
great deal, and made less indecent and often
sivc, though scarcely less mischievOus. But now
q large majority Of the House has voted to Kill
the bill altogether, with or without veneering
Two important events have enlightened MEM
bers. Resumption has been accomplished, and
the people have voted again. The elections
have proved that the Republican party
grows stronger in proportion as 1T manfully
defends the Nations honor, and that the party
is moving steadily toward absolute unity
and compactness in support of resumption,
ard every other measure that is requisite to
the maintenance of public faith. They have
also Taught some Democrats that any en-
couragement of repudiating schemes or soft
money hereses tends surely to divide, defeat
and destroy the Democratic party.
In the next House the Democratic majority
will be iusieniGcant. The number of sound
men who care for the public faith is I'M
doubtrdlv larger than it is in the present
HOnse. and if the Republicans there are prac-
tcally united, as the Republican constituent
ces are, in favor of honest money and
pubhc honor, the Democrats who are Of like
mind will be compelled, on every question of
this character, to defeat their party. Ii would
be wise for them to begin, as the Grecnback re-
pndiatoIs propose TO. III the very organization of
the Houso-to refuse their votes to any candidate
for Sneaker who will not so organize that body
that assaults upon the public faith shall no
longer come from the committees. If Demo-
Gratis of the better class see fit TO do this at
the outset, they have power to put an
end. for two years at least, to the eff
fort to pass measures which assall the
Dublic honor and disturb all commerce and i'll
dustry. If they do not, having the power
they may rest assured that their party will be
driven into position of full and absolute
responsibility for every such measure of dis
urbaucr and dishOnOr.