The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-10-09
A REvoLrTuo>ARv CONGRESS.

There is an increasing number of evil
dences to show that the Congress to az
semble in December. will be the most
momentous to the South since the first
presidency Of Grant. That the Repub-
licans will make a resolute effort to
pass the registration law, and laws
similar to it. all directed against the
welfare and peace of this section, there
cannot now be shadow OF doubt.
The n. Y. Tribune of Monday, the most
influential organ of the party. has an
article that reflects the determined ard
truculent spirit of all its associates. 1t
emphatically reminds Republican Con
eressmen that the conduct Of the Gov
ernment has been entrusted to them in
every branch, and they cannot shrink
from the performance of any difficult
duty on the plea that their strength Is
inadeouate.n 1t calls upon the Re
publican constituenciesto force thelrrep
resentatives to resign unless they con
stantly and faithfully attend the slttIpgs
Of the House to discharge those dill
emit duties TO which it refers. Their
most obvious duty it declares to be to
frame and adopt rules which shall not
deprive it Of the reasonable power to
carry ont the wishes of the people as
expressed in their election;' by which
it really means that the majority shall
ruthlessly override the minority, and
mass laws that are calculated to plunge
the South into anarchy and blight all
those interests that are so rapidly ex-
panding in prosperity.
Congressman Reed. the most proml-
rent candidate for speaker OF Congress,
uses in his article on obstruction IN
the National House, in the October
number of the North american Rerie'r,
substantially the same language ex-
pressed with more moderation. I'm
d oubtedly," he says some effort Will
be made next December to change the
rules so that the scandals OF the last
Congress shall be avoided. lie Is even
more direct than the Tribune in speak
ing of the rights of the minority 1T
is absurd, a." he writes CONTEMPORARY
Ito talk about the rights of the minority
as such. The rights they have are
simply those which serve to guide the
whole house, acting by its majority to
safe and correct conclusions.
Safe and correct conclusions Prcba-
bly, no euphonious phrase ever yelled
more insidious hypocrisy than tins
does.
Our intention is to facilitate public
business. - he declares with an air OF
unctuous virtue. we must. therefore,
establish new rules-rules.unlike those
Of the present House, which only de
lay and Illustrate action. That Is, I'M
der the rules Of the last House, the
minority could, by course of obstruc-
ton, prevent the passage Of any law
that was obnoxious in its general char
acter. while under the rules to be
adopted they will practically be mere
spectators in the halls of Congress.
There is no mistaking the meaning OF
Mr.. Reed and the Tribune. They viz
tualy proclaim that the first step OF
their party in Congfess this winter Will
be to adopt such rules as will effectuaily
smother the will Of the minority. and,
therefore, place the House as completely
under the control of the majority as If
the minority did not exist; in other
words. as if the voting power OF the
Assembly was unanimous. instead OF
hat voting power being. with the ex-
ception of few votes. equally divided
between the two parties.
Having obtained an unquestioned as
tendency, the Republicans will proceed
to decide so arbitrarily in the disputed
election cases that they will probably
increase their majority Of five members
to fifteen or even twenty-five. They
will then 90 on to pass such election
laws as will tend to place very large
part Of the South under the heel of the
most degraded classes, white aud black
which will inevitably lead to violent
disturbances that will cast permanen!
cloud upon our peace aud prosperity,
and stain our coed name in the eyes OF
the world.