The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1881-04-15
A PRINCIPLE.
That Is What the Republicans Are
Fighting For.

Washington Telegram to Chicago Tribune.l
The Republicans more plainly defined
their position to-day relative to the con-
test now pending in the Senate than they
at any previous time have done. They
denied that they were engaged in petty
scramble FOR the possession of the minor
offices of the Senate, and affirmed that
they were contending for two great prin-
ciples First, that it is the constitution
al right and duty of the majority in this
country to govern second, that it is the
duty of the Republicans by every means
in their power to encourage that element
in the South which seeks to disintegrate
the Bourbon Democracy by guarantee
iLg to all classes fair election, a free
ballot and an honest count. That the
Republicans have constitutional ma
iority, aside even from the vote of the
Vice President, there is no doubt, for
not only Malone, but David Davis.
voted with the Republicans upon that
question. David Davis stated in his last
speech that, the Republicans having OBJ
tanned possession of the committees. his
vote would not be interposed to prevent
them from logically completing their or
ganization by the election of officers.
Mr.. Davis has been absent two days
from the Senate, and has not sought
pair, which favors the Republicans SO
that the Republicans stand on the strong
ground Of d Numerical majority Of two
Senators upon this question, while the
Democrats are forced to accept the posi-
ton of revolutionary flibusters. As to
the second point, it was made clearer to-
day than ever before that the Republi-
can Senators think That they have as
surances, on which they rely, that their
present movement is an important one
in the interest of the breaking up of the
solid South. The mails come from Vir-
ginia daily laden with evidences that the
stand which the Republicans have taken
in support of Mahone's independent
position is strengthening the opposition
element in that State, and greatly dis
cotlr cling to the Bourbons that if the
the Republican side the result will be of
great assis 'ance in the movement for the
overthrow of B9ur bonism in the fall
elections and the election Of an anti
Bourbon Governor, Supreme Court and
Legislature, which will elect the Sena-
tor who shall be the colleague of Senator
Malone after next spring. The fact of
the possession of the Senate offices
the Republican Senators treat as
insignificant. The Readiusters in Vir-
ginia also regard it in that manner.
Their theory is that the resolute fight
which the Republicans are making
in support of their candidates, one of
whom has ventured to come out from
Bourbonism and to defy it, is token to
every man of that class in the Southern
cottntry that, If he Is bold enough aid
brave enough to assert his convictions
and to defy Bourbonism, the solid Re
publican party North will extend to him
the hand of fellowship on national
grounds. Whether the Republicans are
misled or not in this opinion, the thirty
eight Republican Senators from the
North and West. without an individual
exception, certainly believe that that is
the situation in Virginia and in other
portions of the South to day. It is upon
that ground that they place themselves:
and the contest that Is going on In the
Senate; therefore, they wish to have re-
garded not as struggle for the petty
spoils of the Senate offices, but as
great contest, than which none has
been more important since the war.
which involves the enforcement of
all the amendments to the constitution
and the recognition of the sanctity of the
freedman's ballot, the exercise of which
Bourbonism seeks to prevent or to de-
stroy. It is for these two reasons alone
that the Republican Senators assert
(and are in earnest when they assert it,
that they will keep the Senate in con-
tinuous session during the summer
rather than surrender their constit1-
tional right and duty TO control the Sen
ate or to abandon contest which will
bring encouragement and dismay to
what they think is the growing indie
pendent movement in the South, The
bourbon Senators understand this, and
clearly gave expression to their fears in
the vigorous speech which Senator Beck
made this afternoon. He said that the
Virginia fall campaign had begun upon
March in the Senate Chamber that
the Republicans were now seeking to
elect that Legislature and Senator
which should wrest the Old Dominion
from Democratic control and that he
and the thirty-seven Democratic Sena
tors with him were bound to STAY here
and contest that issue in the Senate
Chamber. The isstte is clearly Joined,
and the mere offices themselves are rap
idly being lost sight of in the debate
which is each day assuming broader
proportions. The matter of confrma-
tions, too, the Republicans say, is tri-
fling, for with possibly one exception
Chat of the vacancy ON the United States
Supreme Court bench) there is not
single Office in all the list named which
IS not now filled by competent person,
and the republic will receive no detri-
ment, they state, by the fact that the
placemen and the spoilsmen are COM
PEELED to stand aside and wait until the
principles upon which the republic itself
is founded, and which the Republican
party has been striving to secure, shall,
if possible, be secured now. Republic
can Senators, commenting upon the
fact that the Northern press quite
generally condemn their course here, say
that the Republican press, when they
fully understand the situation, will mod
lily their comments, and in any event
that the position assumed by the Re-
publican Senators has been taken after
the most careful deliberation as to the
policy which was best for the party.
Two of the new Republican Senators
spoke to-day, and helped to strip this
contest to some extent of the disguise
and mystery which the Democrats have
sought to throw around it. Senator
Hawley, of Connecticut, made his maid
en- speech, and Senator Sherman, appar-
entity to the surprise of the Democracy,
very earnestly supported the Republic,
ans in their position as regards Malone.
If the Democrats adhere to their posi-
ton they will in effect force the thirty
eight Republican Senators to take the
stump in Virginia in opposition to the
Bourbons. This reinforcement to the
anti-Bourbon element had not been ex-
pected.