National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-03-09
Shall There Be an Extra Session ?

Snall IhePe be an Extra session
The subject of an extra session of Con-
gress is beginning to be much discussed
The failure of the funding and the appor-
tionment bills, and the desire for investi-
cations by congressional committees OF
the methods whereby several Bourbon
Congressman were returned elected In
the face of overwhelming m4orltles
against them, are among the reasons
urged for convening the two Houses OF
Congress in extra session. If the Presi-
! dent shall decide in favor of this, it is
thought the session will not be called for
an earlier day than the 1st of May.
If the inquiries in the Southern con-
tested-election cases could begin in May
We might hope to have decisions before
adjournment, and Lowe, of Alabama
Lynch and Buchanan, of Mississippi; Lee,
of South Carolina; Stovall, of Virginia,
and other Liberals like them would have
their seats, in place of the men they de-
feated at the polls. This is most essential
to the safety of the organization OF the
House. The slender majority of the adj
ministration in that body is attributable
to wrongs which should be speedily
undone. The vacancies created by
the elections of Conger, Hale, and
Frye to the Senate and the appoint
ment of Morton as Minister to France
could all be filled at special elections i'll
time for May session. The apportion-
ment bill ought not to be considered un-
til the contested-election cases are set
tied, if such a course is practicable. The
sickness of two or three members on the
Republican side might enable tempo
rary opposition majority to prevail in the
passage of an apportionment bill rein
forcing by trick of figures the frauds
which many fear have been perpetrated
in the census.
The failure of the refunding bill will
cost the people, in the matter of interest
which might be reduced, from twelve to
thirteen millions of dollars.
If an extra session should be called it
would enable the President to test the
sincerity of those of the opposition who
profess a willingness to give hearty
support to the administration. Now,
when the new government is just begin
ming life, with declarations of general
good-fellowship from many who are of
the Democratic household, an extra
session would perhaps be attended with
less friction than would the regular
session which is to come after months
of time shall have reformed the Demo-
cratic lines.
This is not simply a party question.
The sooner the fact can be demonstrated
that in each House of Congress the friends
of the administration are in the majority,
the better for the security of business sta
bility. - If an extra session would develop
the fact that our one hundred and forty
eight regular Republicans in the lower
House would be reinforced by halfa dozen
Liberals already elected, and eight or ten
more who are entitled to seats which
have been certified to others, and then if
the two independent Senators would act
III friendly spirit toward the admins
tration, and perhaps be reinforced
by two or three Liberal Democrats,
the power of the Bourbon Democracy
for harm would be ended. These things
are all possible, and the accomplishment
of a portion of them only would remove
the dread which will otherwise be felt as
to what may happen in Congress in De-
cember. The affairs Of the country are
now in good, healthy condition, which
fair start of the Government in May
would continue. A long waN might
cause a sense of uneasiness which it
would be better to avoid.