The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-04-03
THE ISSUES BEFORE CONGRESS.

Every Republican journal In the country
mis-states the issue before Congress-. Ae-
cording to these authorities 1t Ia Congress
that Ia threatening the government with sus-
pension and the embarrassment OF all Its
most essential functions by refusing the
necessary appropriations to carry 1t on. This
Ia by no means the case. OnprOper conditions
Congress has, always and at all times, been
willing to appropriate ell the funds required
by the different departments. and II there
should result any embarrassment 10 the
government from this source, 1t will be
because OF the refusal of Hayes to accept the
appropriations made by Congress-, and not
because Of the failure Of Congress TO provide
them. II will be the Republican adminstra-
tion, and not the Democratic Congress-, that
will BIZ responsible for the paralysis Of the
governmental functions.
we can conceive of occasions wherein the
Executive might, from lofty and conscientious
motives, accept the alternative offered BY
Congress and assume the responsibility
of embarrassing the operations of gov
eminent by refusing appropriations
granted on conditions subverslve
81 law and order and directed against the In
tegrity Or the constitution, DIT which were cal
culated To destroy the rlghtful power and In
iluence u that estate of the government. But
no such reason as this can be urged In this
instance by Hayes. Should he conclude to
veto the appropriation bills because Of the
conditions attached to them, be will be com
PEELED to do 30 On purely partisan grounds,
and will be unable to urge elm
gle grave and honest objection to
them on the grounds Of their unconstl-
nationality. We cannot believe that even
Hayes will gratuitously incur the ignominy
that would follow the assumption OF violat-
ing all precedent by vetoing a repeating law,
on mere party grounds, and In case where
not even a shadow Of suspicion can be cast
on the constitutional1ty Of the action OF
Congress.
The Democrats in Congress appear TO be
acting under full appreciation and knowl-
edge OF these facts. They propose to insist
upon the repeal Of the obnoxious measures az
q condition OF all grants Of money.
Latterly we hear nothing Of COM
that with remarkable unanimity,
they are adhering to their original pro-
gramme. Their intention now appears to be
to leave the discussion entirely to the Repub-
licans, and, after they have exhausted all
parliamentary delays and all the vituperatlon
at their command, to pass the appropriation
bills with oil the conditions which provoked
the extra session attached, leaving to Hayes
the entire responsibility Of accepting or re-
iecting them. We trust that our friends will
remain firm In this determination, and that
they will not permit themselves to be driven
or cajoled from 1t, or to be betrayed into IN
necessary violence and partisan debate by the
turbulence Of the Republicans, assumed for
the very purpose Of provoking rejOinder and
sectional bitterness. Let them keep cool and
carry out their purposes In dispassIonate
but resolute manner entirely worthy of the
great and imposing principles they are strug-
Cling TO vindioate.
There are great responsibilities involved,
but there are none from which the Demo
Gratis have any reason to shrink. They have
raised these question; In the fulfllIment
Of the partys mission and destiny
they had to DO raised ultimately,
and It would be the most ignominious COW
ardlce to abandon the contest at this day, or
to endeavor to shlrk the full responsibility Of
forcing these issues to their last deduction.
The people may or may not approve them,
but that Is the party's chance Upon ques-
tions involving principles Of such magni-
tude no party has any right, In honor, to
count the coste Its duty Is to stand for right
and Justice and leave Its vindlcation to time
and to the better sense of people whose In
tentlons must be good as q matter OF self
preservation.