Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-04-15
TIE SENATORIAL BgAR-aARDEN.

than to expose in the fullest possible way
the dsgeneracy of its members. and to
create public sentiment which will be
disastrous to the policy these members
have so conspicuousIy placed above all
considerations of national needs. Not the
least singular part of the performance
which is now going on al Washington is
the position assumed by the gentleman
from Massachusetts, Mr.. Dawes. That
gentleman has of late thrust himself into
the foreground on every occasion, and
curiously enough, without ever achieving
anything but rebuffs. His efforts to i'm
press upon the Senate and the country the
idea that great constitutional struggle is
being fought out have only resulted in
making him absurd. His toploftieal flights
have been so manifestly ont of harmony
with the occasion that they have produced
very much the sensation OF opera bouffe.
What, for instance, could be more ludi.
crous than his recent answer to Harris IN
regard to the power of the majority in the
Senate? It was perfectly evident that he
was creating giants only for the purpose of
telling them with his rhetorical club, and
none of his colleagues showed the least
sense of the solemnity of the occasion.
Mr.. Dawes appears to imagine that the
eyes of the nation are upon him, and that
therefore it behooves him to assume a
dignity and seriousness which do not be-
long to the circumstances 1t is to be
regretted that the Senate generally cannot
recognize the nature of the impressions
which the present proceedings of that
body are making upon the country, for if
they did change in the programme would
assuredly follow.
When Mr.. Dawes is not indulging in the
heroic vein, somebody on the Democratic
side is sure to be batting Malone. In
deed Malone batting has become the
favorite amusement of the Senate, and as
he is full OF the kind of frothy fight
which passes tor courage in that cham.
Der, it is easy enough to engage him in
combat. His last set-to was with Hill of
Georgia. The latter expressed the opin-
ion, in roundabout way, that Mahone's
vote had been bought. OF course the
Virginia Senator resented this, and with
his accustomed imprudence he undertook
70, h Hill aitbar c+ata %na
charge plainly. He succeeded in neither
purpose. Hill distinctly refused to make
specific charge, but at the same time he
observed that he had his private opinion
of the fact, and that if Senator Malone
intended to call everybody to account who
held that opinion he would have his hands
full. This, of course, was cruel reminder
of the famous story of Nell Gwynne's
coachman. That functionary appeared
before his mistress on one occasion with a
battered countenance, and on being ques-
toned said that he had been fighting with
man who had ibeled Nelly's virtue.
On learning this she laughed, and coolly
told her rash champion that if he was
going to do battle with every man who
held that opinion he would have his work
cut out for him.
Now Senator Malone is, unfortunately
for himself, in very much the same kind of
position as Nell Gwynne. The popular
belief in his political virtue may be said to
have ceased to exist. Few people, per-
haps, believe that he sold his vote in a
direct and open way, as venal voters sell
the franchise at election. But there GER
tainly is widespread conviction that he
made a bargain with the Republicans
whereby he was to secure the Secretary
and ergeant.at-Arms of the Senate, and
whereby, also, his Readjusting friends in
Virginia were to obtain the support de-
rivable from Federal patronage. And if
Mr. Malone holds himself ready to do bat
tie with all VINO think thus of him, he viii
fad that he has undertaken a contract
which is several sizes too large for him to
execute. The plain truth is that nobody
doubts his venality, aud that there never
has been any serious denial of it attempted.
The Republicans are by their present
conduct only bringing these facts closer
home to the people. They are holding up
Malone, and talking about him, and
causing him to be talked of, so much, that
presently everybody Will understand the
whole situation perfectly, and what is still
more serious, everybody will remember it.
The Democrats, in batting Malone, are
acting with quite unaccustomed sagacity.
They have nothing to lose and very much
to gain by this deadlock. They know that
their best policy is simply to uncover the
whole of the discreditable bargain, and to
cause it to be exposed to the country, and
as it were fixed in the pillory for all to
gaze their fill at. They are aware also that
the Republican masses are not at all salts
fed with the choice of George Gorham for
Secretary of the Senate that he is re-
garded as a thoroughly Enthusiastically,
disloyal, disreputable adventurer and
that because of the putting forward of so
Objectionable person, the Republican
members Of the Senate will obtain no sup
port from the party. In fact this is
machine quarrel and one of the dirtiest OF
the kind, and no intelligent Republican
desires the success of the Republican Sen.
ators in it. The man Gorham ought to be
dropped, and the man Riddleberger, and
the man Malone The Republican party
can hold relations with neither of them
save at the sacrifice of its own reputation.
THE wAITER-GIRL ORDINANCE.
The State Supreme Court has rendered
decision declaring the so-called waiter-girl