National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-04-07
PepulafoRof The National Capital. 100000
An Honest Confession.

II is not often that the Democrats make
an admission detrimental to their own
gide.' They are unscrupulous, but eau
tious; determined, but wrong. And yet
they are occasionally thrown off their
guard. Our Democratic cotemporary at
the National Capital is fair exponent of
the true inwardness of the Democratic
fhbusterers in the Senate, and it was be-
trayed into an admission yesterday which
knocks the ground from beneath the
Democrats in that body and leaves them
standing ON thin air, more the objects Of
pity than of fear. 1t incautiously admits,
in referring to the Republicans in the
Senate, "they are the majority. The
Democrats, the minority, have nothing
to do with it 1.-THE condition of affairs in
the Senatel and cannot be responsible
for anything" Such an admission and
assumption is marked by more assurance
than logic. Under every legitimate prin-
ciple involved in a republican form of
government the majority rules and the
minority submits, except when it resorts
to revolutionary methods to accomplish
its purposes.
The present case in the Senate is plain
one. 1t is not at all complicated when
viewed in the light Of candor. The Re-
publicans "are the majority-the Demo-
Gratis the minority" The Senate pro-
ceeded to organize its committees under
the principle of majority rule, and the
minority submitted with becoming grace.
Then came the question of perfecting the
organization ofthe Senate. The majority,
according to all usages, nominated its
candidates for the leading offices and
moved to 60 into an election. Then the
minority entered upon its work of OBJ
struction and revolution, and from that
hour, under the rules of honor which
open the way for revolutionary filibuster-
ing, the further progress of the Senate has
been confronted and impeded. The reso-
luton to go into an election Of officers
for the full and proper organization of the
body preparatory to a proper discharge
Of its duties has been made the signal for
revolutionary antagonism, and that atti-
tude has been assumed and held by the
minority with a perverseness not equaled
by its conduct during the dark and bloody
years of the late unpleasantness.
Under these circumstances, who is re-
sponsible? Is it the majority, who have
the legitimate right to control the action
of the Senate, or the minority, who have
no right save that of graceful submission
to superior power? All reason, all logic,
all precedent, and every principle of
right will declare that the responsibility
lie at the door of the obstructionists.
There popular Judgment will consign the
responsibility, and there it will remain
in spite of any measure of sophistry that
may be summoned to the occasion by the
champions of obstruction and revolution
The American people are not such idiots
as to be deluded by the illogical positions
or arguments used to bolster up the pend
ing Democratic rebellion in the Senate.
The cry that Senator Malone has de-
serted the Democratic party, and hence
revolution is justifable, is lost upon the
wind that bears it forth, and it becomes
matter of ribaldry with the American
people. The record shows that Sena-
tor Malone was not elected by
the Democratic party which sent the
other Democratic Senators to their seats.
He is the creation of new party, as for
eign from that of the national Democratic
party as is the Republican organization.
He is the architect and arbiter of his own
senatorial fortunes. He owes no allegiance
to the Democratic party, for the reason that
it would have crushed him into the earth
while on his way to the seat he now oc-
cupies if it had had the power. But it
had not In spite of Democratic hostility
and methods of antagonism, the Legisla-
ture of Virginia declared him Senator,
and he owes nothing to the Democratic
party save an honest Indignation and
a manly hate. He follows his own afini-
ties, and, as an independent and honor
able man. he viii continue so to follow
until he enjoys rich inheritance of salts
faction over Democratic discontinue.
The Democratic minority in the Senate
is responsible for all the consequences of
the pending deadlock, and if it had any
proper appreciation of duty and popular
sentiment it would speedily retire from
the field of its dishonor and permit the
public business to proceed without fur
ther delay. Unless it has lost its COM
mon sense it win do SO.