American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1881-05-28
Democratic Duty.

The Republican supporters of the
Administration are already instructive
ly turning to the source from which
help must come, if it come at all, to
the President in his extremity--the
Democratic minority. A Republican
paper says: eff the Republican caucus
shall undertake to hold any nominal
tiOns in allowance to suit one or two
Senators, some Democratic Senator
with a proper sense of the Constitu-
tional duty of the Senate should move
to confirm the so-called contested
nominations, and thus dispose of them
in their order" This is an admission
that the President is forced to look out
side his own party for succor; that he
is compelled to lean upon the Demo-
cratic minority in the Senate for the
support which a Republican caucus
may deny him; that he is forced to ask
Democrats to protect him from an af-
front offered him by his own party.
which, if allowed to pass unresented
and unrepaired, would deprive his Ad-
ministration of half its capacity for
usefulness. and leave it to founder like
a wreck through the four years of its
term.
And the admission is true. The Adj
ministration is at the mercy of the
Democratic minority. Circumstances
not of their making have placed the
fate of the new President in the hands
of the thirty-seven Democratic Sena-
tors. 1t is for them to say whether he
shall be strong or weak, and whether
his Administration shall be success or
failure. 1t is true they owe nothing
to President Garfield. But do they owe
anything to Senator ConkIing? Are
they under any obligation, public or
personal, to assist the arrogant New
York Senator and his friend, Vice
President Arthur, in humiliating the
chief officer of the Government who, if
he be Republican, has at least given
some assurance that his policy will en-
body the minimum of Republicanism
and be as liberal and non-partisan as
he can make it? While the Democratic
Senators are not under any obligation
to President Garfield. they are under
obligations to the country. They owe
duty to their country, their party and
themselves--and that duty exacts of
between a liberal Republican Pres
ident and an uncompromising
Republican Senator, backed, up
to this hour, by bigoted
Republican caucus. The Republican
caucus have concluded course of mex
cusable laundering and stupidity by
an issue involving either the
of the President or the dis
comfture of Senator Conkling. The
Senators, whether they de-
sire it or not, must take one side or the
other; and as it is strictly Republican
quarrel, involving no general principles
except as its solution may project its
effects upon the general condition of
the country, we believe we express the
unanimous desire of the Democratic
when we say that every Demo-
cratic Senator ought to assist in pro-
tecting the President from the defeat
which the Republican caucus has pre-
pared for him. If the Democratic
should trample upon the reso-
luton of the caucus, wrench the Rob-
ertson nomination from Mr.. Conkling's
put it to vote, and, with the
help of the few Republican Senators
who are friendly to the Administration,
confirm it in spite of the opposition of
Mr.. Conkling and his friends, the whole
country would shout its applause of the
bold and generous act.-.St. Louis Re
Dub[iruN