Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-06-12
Democratic Congressman and the
President.


President.
The statement sent out from wash
ington that the Democrats in Congress
are dissatisfied with the President, ana
they propose to boycott him-tie him up
Just as the Republicans tied up Andrew
Johnson-if be continues TO disregard
their wishes in the matter of patronage,
can hardly be true. There may be few
disappointed Congressman who are ready
/ to go any length in showing their hos
I tility TO the President, but there is no
good reason for thinking that any con-
siderable number of them could be in
duced to favor legislation which indicated
a want of confidence in him. No doubt
the President hasn't yielded as readily
as many Congressman would have liked
10 their demands upon him for places for
their friends, but they cannot afford to
break with him on that account. They
mu6t have a better reason before they
dare to openly assume towards MIN an
attitude of hostility.
The Louisville Courier Journal, in COM
menting upon this rather surprising state
ment about Democratic Congressman boy
cOtting the President, says cit seems to
us that these Democratic Congressman do
not rightly appreciate their own response
bilities. They, and not the President, are
to be Judged by the people next autumn.
1t is a Congressional, not Presidential,
election to which we are fastening alto
gether unprepared. We take it for
granted that the President, as a Demo-
81
interest in this campaign, but the election
will turn not so much on what the Presi-
dent has done or has failed to do as on the
performances or shortcomings Of Congress
ITSELF"
1t is very certain that the people will
not be slow to ask what Congress has
done, and whether it has faithfully kept
the pledges made to the people at the last
national election in the Democratic plat
form and in she utterances of the Demo-
cratic leaders and organs. When
Democratic CONGRESSMAN shows a dispO-
-sitiOn to attack the President because his
wishes relative to the offices in his dis
trict have not been complied with, it is
fair to assume that he is much more in
terested in securing his denomination
than he is in the success of the Demo-
cratic party. He knows very well
that what the President has or has
not done in the matter of offices VIII
have comparatively little influence in de-
termining whether Democrat will sue
coed him or not, but it may have a great
deal to do with the question whether or
not he will be his Ownsuceessor.
The complaints of Democratic Con-
'gressmen, therefore, must not be accepted
as an indication of the feeling OF the peo-
pie towards the President. The people
are well informed, and know whether or
not Democratic Congressman have rea-
son to complain of the President. 1t does
not require long to decide that the Presi-
dent has shown much greater respect for
the people than Congress has, because he
kept his promises to them. In all the
grumbling and growing INDUCED in by
those who are dissatisfied, no one is bold
enough to charge that the Presi-
dent has violated his pledges or
has ignored the platform upon which
he was elected. Can Democratic Con-
gressmen say the same thing? What has
Congress done towards introducing
greater economy into the administration
of government? Whathas itdone tow ards
reforming the tariff What legislation
can it point to as something that entities
it to a renewal Of confidence?
The President has done his part re-
markably well. He mas not invited
Republicans in prominent places to
retire quite as generally as could be
wished, but he will put Democrats in all
the principal offices before his term of
office expires. There cannot, therefore,
be any blame reasonably attached to him
III tue Congressional elections do not 90
just as the Democrats want them. The
Democratic Congressman will be to blame,
and the sooner they understand that the
party will hold them responsible the
more likely they are to stop uttering COM
plants against the President and apply
themselves to making a record that will
increase the confidence of the people in
the Democratic party.
To make war on the President in any
shape would divide the party into fac
lions and weaken it. 1t is hardly proba-
bic that there are many Democratic Con-
gressmen who are ready to pursue a
course calculated to damage the party.