Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1881-08-11
A Democratic Congress.

A DepOcratic Congress.
A peculiar sweetish smell of the breath
the surgeons state, is sure indication
of the disease called pyemia, or blood
poisoning. We are forcibly reminded
of this circumstance upon reading in a
Democratic journal an earnest appeal
to the party to ''do for the name of De-
.niocracy here what the XLIVth Con-
gress did for it in the country at large
make it sweet-smelling in the nostrils
of the people," That the Democracy
did get into the condition of pyemic
patient, and was near deaths door from
poisoning of the blood. had been sus-
pected before, but it is little surpris-
ing to find Democratic journal admit
ting the fact.
But how marvellous it is, in all Sc
ricusness, to find journalists speaking
in such terms of approval of the XLIVth
Congress-! Does it not forcibly Illus
trate the absolute incapacity of Demo-
cratic leaders and journalists for appre-
ciating the state of public opinion? In
plain truth, the country had never been
more completely disgusted bNpy legis-
latiye or other political body within the
memory of living man, than by the be-
havior of the Democratic majority in
that Congress; and the disgust has been
increasing. Men may possibly differ as
to the justice of this feeling. The fact
that it existed and still exists, has been
demonstrated in the most convincing
manner, and it is a wonder that a single
individual can anywhere be found, even
among that purblind class, the leaders
of Democracy, who has not observed the
manifestations of that feeling. Indeed,
many of the ablest Democratic journal
lists frankly and with great pain have
admitted that Congress had brought the
party into disgrace, had impaired public
confidence in the party, and had gone
far to insure Republican victory. In
scores OF articles these journalists stern
ly rebuked the Democratic majority for
throwing away the best chance the
party had seen for many years."
The failure of the Democratic party,
in spite of rare political opportunities,
in the elections of 1877 and 1873, and its
overwhelming defeat at the elections
last year, was sufficient proof that the
behavior of Congress had disgusted the
people. At its latest session this Demo-
cratic Congress behaved not better, but
even worse. In financial matters it
brought about q needless and violent
panic, by passing a dishonest measure
intended to plunder public creditors and
drive the national banks out of exist
ence. In matters of taxation it outraged
the business interests of the country by
by neglecting everything that ought to
have been done, and disturbing all in
dustry and trade by continual threats of
mischievous legislation. In politics it
insulted the country by turning out duly
elected representatives and by insisting
upon the repeal of all laws that aim to
prevent fraud in elections. Having been
previously restrained by Republican
Senate, Congress disclosed its spirit
fully when both branches were Demo-
cratic. Base, Inscriptions, blind aud
malignant partisanship ruled its action,
and the people saw it so clearly that
thousands of Independent and conserva-
tive voters, in every State where the
voting is free, turned from the Demo-
cratic party and voted against it. In
the face of all these facts. could there be
more absurd untruth than the asser-
tian that Democratic Congress has
made the name Democracy sweet-smell.
ing in the nostrils of the people"
The one fact which more than all 9TH
ers makes the Democratic party incom-
petent to gain or to keep power is that
it is utterly unable to perceive or to un-
derstand public opinion. 1t never yet
has recognized the fact that the country
holds the Democratic party responsible
for the rebellion, for the prolongation of
the war, and for all the dark and bloody
deeds which followed the attempt to es-
tablish loyal governments at the South
after the war had ceased. 1t never yet
has perceived that the sober and con-
servative thought of the country was
shocked and repelled by its repudiating
spirit and aims. In word, not single
one of the great, controlling and endur-
ing movements of public opinion within
the past twenty years has been perceived
or comprehended by the Democratic
party. No wonder, then, that it fails to
appreciate the great disgust which. was
caused by its behavior when intrusted
with law-making power. The country
will not soon forget the only Congress
for many years in which there has been
a Democratic majority in both branches
its unspeakable stupidity, its reckless
contempt for consequences, its base and
shameless partizanship, its desperate en-
deavor to destroy all purity of elections
So well does the country remember, thai
it will probably be long before we see
another Democratic Congress.-N. Y
Tribune,