Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-04-16
THE SENATE DEAD LOCK.
The View "TPue Democrat -
Takes OF Il.

Tuesday last called attention to the
fact that if the democrats should go
home, there would be only 80 repub-
licans left, less than a quorum" and in
this way the so.called democrats could
defeat the reorganization Of the senate,
ifthey chose. There is just as much
truth in this imaginary fact" as in
the charge that Malone, by sllying
himself with the republicans in the
senate is a traitor to the organization
calling itself tho democratic party.
What can be thought of an ~organiza-
ton whose prominent leaders are SO
reckless of truth in their statements
If the statement were true, judging
these men by their action, statements
and evident purpose to hold the SEN
ate offices until December" for their
sons, nephews, cousins and ~favorites,
and to defeat Mahone's party in Vir-
ginia in the fall, they would go home
and thus accomplish their purpose,
but it is not true.
From the "bull-doEing" talk Of some
Of these democratic senator's, it
would seem to be their lordly will that
there shall be but two parties in this
country, regardless of any consistency
or agreement in principle among the
component parts of either, and that
the people shall send no one to con-
gress who will not surrender his in
dependence and manhood and attach
himself, body and soul, to one or the
other and servilely obey its caucus
| dictation upon all questions, whether
in accordance with his Judgment, or
not, of right or policy. These men in
their arrogance go even beyond them
selves in this naughty assumption Of
absolute dictation, as the people will
yet teach them.
The facts are there are in the senate
81 so called democrats; 81 so-called
republicans; l independent, (Davis,)
acting mainly With the democrats, but
not to the extent Of going home, or
caring a pin which side controls the
senate Offices; and / readjuster, (Ma-
hone), acting with the republicans on
the question of organizing the senate.
The 81 republicans, l Independent and
/ readjuster constitute q quorum; and
so Beck and his crowd will not 90
home, for that would enable the re-
publicans to organize at once. 1t
would be best for them to 60 home,
but they, as usual, don't see it though
Garfield does, and therefore gives them
all the rope he can, with which to hang
themselves, by not calling an extra ses-
sion Of congress, and thus ending
their work of self destruction. / call
these men, so-called democrats and
republicans, because most Of them are
democrats or republicans in name
only, and in nothing else. Senator
Davis, in his recent letter to Martin,
utters a solemn truth, of which the
poor people of Tennessee have re-
Gently lad sad experience, that
"the monopolists control, influence
and handicap both the republican and
democratin parties"
Beck Governor Kemper and others
have declared it necessary to keep up
the disgraceful squabble in the senate
by the privileged motions to adjourn
and to 60 into executive session and
thus hold the senate Offices till De-
cember to prevent Mahone's carrying
Virginia again in the fall, and this
time getting thereby the governor,
legislature and supreme court. The
sooner a party whose continued exist
ence depends upon senate patronage is
o%verthrown the better for Virginia
and true democracy. What a pitiable
confession for men and senator's to
make, and what a contemptibly low
opinion of Virginians and their own
organization it evidencesl But moth
ing will save that 'funder party" in
Virginia. 1t is doomed and foreor-
dained to certain destruction, as the
event will surely prove. If all the
geenback, gold standard, bi-metalie
standard, hard money, soft money,
protective tariff, revenue, subsidy
aud anti subsidy democrats and all
the other sorts among the 81 So
called democratic senators, 90 down
to Virginia to canvass for. the "brok-
ers' bill party" they cannot ave it.
The more Ben Hills, Hamptons and
Becks that 90 down to canvass, the
larger viii be the majority and the
more decisive the victory of the re-
adjusters. Malone stands for the
sovereignty Of his state, its honor,
its right to control and dispose of its
revenues, and for the welfare and in
terest of its people; and they will
again sustain him. The organization
in Virginia calling itselfthe conserva-
| tive party deserves sto die for its re
peated betrayals Of the people there,
as a like organization in Tennessee
deserves to die for its violated pledges
TO the people here.
In view of recent events, how
prophetic seem the words of that pa
triot and true democratic statesman,
Vallandigham, always clear headed
and discreet, uttered upon grand and
memorable occasion, after a glorious
victory by his party under his lead in
Ohio, the first after the war, in 1867.
They seem to me, just now, peculiarly
applicable. You, who call yourselves
democrats, and particularly here in
Tennessee, read them, ponder and
study them:
"Finally, men of Knox, We have
won p great and magnificent vic
tory. What shall we do with
lii? Upon this question, so
! comprehensive, so significant, so mo-
mentous, depends not merely
whether the democratic party shall 10
forward to future and further tri-
umphs, but whether it shall live. If
it shall be true 10 principle, true to
the men who represent principle, full
, If courage. h%earkenin0 10 no timid