Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-05-23

3TAUNTON, VA.
FRIDAY MORNING. MAY %, 1879.
THEPR AND CONGRESS.
Nothing is SO well calcula ted to attract
the thoughtful consideration of the people
as the accommodating strength which
has been gained in the United States I'M
der Republican rule, by what, for simple
name, may be called the One Man Power,
except, indeed, the disposition of a very
large portion Of them to yield to it. The
present difference between the President
elected three years ago and congress
elected only year ago, is well-calculated
to define sharply both its growth and the
purely partizan support that it receives. 1t
might be reasonably supposed that the
present congress at Washington represen-
ted beyond question that vital principle of
a repzblic, that a majority shall rule. It
was chosen so lately from the people that
the cheers of the hastings have hardly
died out of the hearing of its members.
The issues were of two kinds: one, the
the financial feature of the government, to
which both parties subscribed in the honest
money representatives they sent; the other,
the continuance of the legislation of the
past fourteen years as far as it tended to
concentrate all the powers Of the Union
at Washington. On the latter issue the
Democrats sent a majority who were op-
posed to it. The feeling of the majority
nsf the people was against the way in which
the federal government has been run by
successive Republican administrations, land
the congress now at the capital is there to
give further voice and effect to that feel
ING. On the question of keeping the ma
tional faith, little difference has existed
between the parties, and what supplement
tary legislation was necessary to resump-
ton has been unobstructed, but at the
first step in another direction dead lock
has arisen. No man of prominence has
been more fully committed against the use
of the military arm Of the government by
former acts than the President; indeed, he
so decidedly opposed it as to draw down
upon himself the enm1ty Of the leaders of
his party, and for long time was avoided
by them, the avoidance being often aug
mented by open hostility. But to-day he APP
pears in full accord with those leaders,
and in his two vetoes Of the bills relating
to the use of the army, thus reconciles his
inconsistencies: 81 am opposed to the use
of troops; will never use troops at the
polls during my administration, but I want
the law in a shape that l may use the army
if think it necessary" That is about
the substance of what he says. It is true
that the constitution gives him the right
to call out the militia of the States, but
that does not answer; he must have the
Federal army for use if in his judgment it
is necessary. If a man is furnished with
all the necessary means for self defence,
and then desires the possession of yet an
other weapon, the fair inference is that he
wants it for something more than self
defence, and SO at this day, when politi-
cal party, which yields the power of the
government, is already furnished with
every means to keep the peace, and is still
struggling to retain one other, while at
the same time it loudly proclaims it does
not intend to use it, the fair inference is
that it does intend to use it, and in a way
outside Of and beyond the mere matter OF
keeping the peace and guaranteeing free
elections.
We suppose that there are few men who
suspect Mr.. Hayes of nefarious designs,
but compare the President of to-day with
the President of two years ago, and the re-
suit will point to very partizan and un'
scrupulous ruler in the heat of a Presi
Dental election year from now. We are
quite prepared by the rapidity of Presi'
dent Hayes progress to find that in 1880
his views about The use of troops will be
AZ broad as those of his predecessor and
his ideas of the proper mode, time and
place for using the civil authority OF the
government at elections will be as liberal
a those of the famous Johnny Davenport.
With his present advisers the public need
not be surprised to see telegram next year
similar to that sent by lack Chandler in
'7e and with preparations quite as extern
siye to back it. When One Man at the
head Of the government begins by multi
fying the action of a congress fresh from
the people on the repeal of laws passed
fourteen years ago, we may look to his
after acts with apprehension.