New-York tribune., 1886-05-03
q TIME 10 CNLO1D.' y

The first Democratic Congress after the war
WIS elected in 1871. 1t was not 50 much Il
Democratic success as a Republican defeat.
Democrats had done nothing to entitle them to
public confidence, but Republicans in the care
less security of long-cOntinued power had done
much 10 forfeit it, President Grant then in
his second term, was not far out OF the way In
his Interpretation OF the lesson OF the election
when he SAID it was a notice to the Republican
party that IT was time to unload. The inter-
pretaton was accepted as true, by common con-
sent. Republicans OF all sorts agreed that the
defeat was a notice to unload The only ques-
tion was what to unload. 1t was not difficult
for those who were at all familiar with the
politics of the period TO guess pretty nearly who
and what were in the Presidents mind, but as
he had left il indefinite, everybody felt at
liberty to fill the blank. The suggestions as to
who and what should be unloaded were many
and various. One was that some OF the states
men who had suffered investigation should be
dropped another that on the contrary the mis-
chief making persons who had melted the in
vestigations should get Oft; some said the
Presidents friends were heavy to carry, while
tie latter retOrted that it would make plain
sailing if only the Presidents critics could be
dumped into the Democratic scOw or left some =
where on an uninhabited island and there
were some even who said it would Tighten the
cargo if a newspaper or two should be dropped
over the side.
The situation is recalled by the present con-
dition of the Democratic party in Congress.
There is general admission that the party Is
not making much progress just now. Indeed,
| phns ono m V
with unconcealed disgust that the whole
concern is going backward rapidly. They all
say it is time to unload, but they can agree no
better than their opponents did dozen years
ago as to who and what should be unlOaded.
There seems to be q wide difference OF opinion
regal ding the Civil Service reform for one
thing. 1t is said that the Democrats in Con-
gress are practically unanimous in the opinion
that this is the heaviest load the party has to
carry and should be the first thing to be
thrown off. The Hon. Timothy j. Campbell of
this city, is the only statesman who openly and
frankly avOWs it, but he represents q sure dis
trict, and can afford it. The rest are more or
less tangled up " ith commlttals made during the
Reform campaign and cannot be SO OutspO6cn.
Their idea is to throw it over quietly in the
| night time On the other hand the Mugwump
| newspapers-few in number, but bOisteiOus as IL
victorious baseball club-maintain strenuOusly
that the fgure-hoad of the Star-Eyed oddcss
is not only all that keeps the ship afloat, but in
fact all there is Oh board worth saving. Mr..
Morrison has very heavy tariff bill on board
which Mr.. Randall thinks might be unlOaded to
advantage; to which Mr.. MorrisOn's answer is
that Mr.. Randall himself is no feather Oh the
party's back, and that Pennsylvania costs more
tU carry than it is worth.
Ii has been suggested that if Cabinet officer
or 80 were thrown overheard it might bring re-
| lief. An intimatlOn to this effect being con-
yeycd to Mr.. Garland, he said there was little
to choose between the hot water he was already
in and the cold water he was invited to- he was
willing, however, 10 throw overheard several
hundred thousand dollars worth of Pan Electric
stock, which being mostly water would take no
hurt from getting wet Allusion having been
made to the Secretary of the Navy as the
propcr person to play Jonah for the ships bene-
6t. Mr.. Whitney declined with great prompt
ness, Iemarki1g that having already been
swallowed and cast up by a Roach it was
hardly fair to ask him to take shy at the
whale. Meantime, the Democrats being mostly
IN the forward part Oh tIic sup anu inc Mug
wumps on the quarterback having good time
with the President, there are mutterngs W
forward that the best way to unload is t.
bundle the Mugwumps over the side and send
the President hims after them. All hand,
agree that it is high time to unload. The qucs-
ton is who shall so overheard.
And now there climbs up over the side o
this overloaded craft, and into the midst of the
discordant crew, Mr.. Jefferson Davis, bringing
with him the heaviest part of the cargo from
recent wreck, to wit, the doctrine Of State
Rights; heavier than ever from being water
logged Mr. DAVIS is in excellent spiIils