The Democratic advocate., 1879-11-15

Congress will meet this year on the first
day Of December, which happens to be the
first Monday, prescribed BY law for The
meeting. Il is easy to predict that no
legislation Of political character. or 10
volving issues between the two great par
ties, will be passed The questions which
disturbed the extra session will probably
be dropped, as they ought to be after tho
timidity exhibited by the Democratic lead
ers, who went into the fight very hot and
came out Of il very cool. Even if their
original movement was mistake in policy
lit certainly was not in prineiple--yet
when once made and the party committed
to it, the only course left was to 20 on to
the bitter end
The people admire pluck under all cir
eumstsnces. Mr.. Thurman and his asso-
ciates announced emphatically at the reg.
ular session that they would never vote
appropriations, except on certain conditions.
The Republican chiefs answered that the
conditions would never be yielded; and then
they went to work to make Hayes obey
their behests and veto the bills containing
the prescribed terms. After long wrang-
ling aud little exhibition of practical wis
dom, the appropriations were passed, un-
der prctence that the demands had been
complied with. That experiment cannot
be repeated with any prospect Of holding
the Democratic party in line. The rank
and file will not follow cowardly comman-
ders, after they have once been misled.
The Republicans aud the Democrats will
both seek to gain favorable position for
the Presidential campaign. This has been
for many years past the experience of all
sessions Immediately preceding an cleo
tion for President, Politics has become
a game with a stake of six or seven hun.
dred millions of annual receipts and ex-
penditures to handle; immense contracts
and jobs; one tGndred thousand offices:
the Treasury and its vast operations, the
public lands; patents; Indians and the
other large business required for a grow
ing population Of forty-six millions or more.
Besides this great stake, the Rcpubli.
cans have an additional interest which has
made them desperate in the efforts to re.
tain possession of power at almost any
cost. As long as they can hold on to
office, and manipulate the public accounts,
and make the records of the departments
conform to their necessities, there will be
no full exposure of the overwhelming
frauds and rascalilies that have been per-
petrated since the close of the civil war.
The lame explanation of Mr., Boutwell, and
Mr.. Sherman in regard to the appalling
discrepancies in the official statements Of
the Treasury as to the public loans aud
the other issues, have only served to ex-
cite increased suspicion aud to fix atten.
tion more closely on that point. Under
the greatest disadvantages, the Committee
Of which Senator Davis Of West Virginia
is Chairman have succeeded in establish
Ing certain facts which, when put before
the country in the form of u report can
not fail to create a profound impression.
They have found millions improperly
entered, and balances forced to cover up
these fraudulent charges. Volumes of the
most important accounts are missing, aud
it is evident from their connection with
the public loans that they were purposcly
carried off and destroyed to hide villainy.
In some Of the existing books whole pages
are torn out, and they are otherwise mu.
tilated, and erasures visible TO the eye, and
others to an ordinary magnifer, may be
counted by thousands. All these charges,
this thieyery, this mutilatiou, and this de
struction relate to the most important
books aud accounts of the Treasury
Can anybody believe that such criminal
with the records of the Treas
ury, extending only over a limited period
of years, and all pointing to intentional
fraud and forgery to cover up excessive
issues. counterfeiting and stealing, was the
result of meIr nccideut2 No wonder the
Republican leaders seek to solidify the
North against the South by sectional
crusade, aud to ignore all those material
questions upon the solution of which the
general prosperity depends No wonder
they cry out for "stroug man. who will
trample the Constitution under foot, use
the army to crush out opposition on the
slightest of pretexts, aud subvcrt the
Government to the worst partisan objects
This is their game to win the next elec.
tion, to bury out of sight the iniquities
which blot the career Of the party and Of
many of its prominent leaders, and to
prevent the punishment which an indig-
nant people would administer after full
exposure.-N T. Saa.