Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-05-04

The Election-Again.

In our article OF Yesterday IN regaru ="
the elections so soon to be held IN TINS city
we made no reference 10 the fact that SIX
months hence there Will be elections IN
the several districts OF virginia for con
cressmen. at which elections it IS probable
the old Commonwealth viii be deprived for
the first time Of the right She has e1er.
eised for more than a hundred years OF
conducting her own elections IN her own
way and certifying to the Federal House OF
Representatives the results OF all her
elections for congressman. The con-
cressional elections OF this year are there
fore likely TO bo the most important
which have ever occurred. If they
result in the choice Of House OF Repre-
sentafiyes composed. "a far Gs Its majority
u concerned, of men who respect the
rights Of the several States and the Consti-
tuition of tho United States, then the
nation will take q new lease Of lite. IL, on
the other hand, tho election machinery
which Mr.. HoAR's bill proposes TO put into
operation shall elect TO the House of Re
personalities a majority Of Republicans,
then it NAV be said without hesitation that
the Government established by the fathers
no longer exists. Whatever form of gov
eminent may succeed the present one, 1t
will not be such a one as the trainers of the
Constitution supposed they were erecting;
and however slowly and imperceptibly the
Government may glide down into the gulf
of despotism, il Will surely land there in
the end.
rs not small matter that we speak Of.
REED as soon as he got the gayel IN his
hand blazed the way to the land of con-
gressional despotism. He enforced what
ever rules he chose 10 enforce, and left the
Others TO be used at will. He continued
thus TO conduct the business Of the House
Of Representatives until that body. follow
ing his lead. adopted REDS rules as its
rules. Now REED has the power to compel
Che passage of any bill which the Ropubli-
can caucus may order TO be passed. If no
quorum votes, he either counts aquorum as
present, or else Deputies some underling
of his own or of the Clerk of the House of
Representatives TO inspect the hall and re-
port to him whether or not a quorum can
be made up by counting as present all the
members in the hall. If there be enough
members in the hall, he declares pessedthe
bill which call Of the yeas and nays had
Sust failed TO pass.
SO, in the Senate, the first step has been
taken towards the adoption Of REEDS
rules, or similar ones. for the government
of that body. WILLIAM T.. CHANDLER. the
notorious conspirator of 1877, has intro
duced into that body several new rules
which will. il adopted, destroy the repu-
sation OF the Senate as deliberative body,
and sink il to the same level TO which the
House Of Representatives was sunk last
December or January. We expected the
Senate TO follow the lead Of the House of
Representatives because We could not see
how otherwise CnANDLER's and HoAR's
schemes could be forced through the
former body.
Here in the Richmond congressional dis
trict we should even now begin to prepare
20 secure the election of Democrat 10y
such a majority as that he cannot be un
seated. 1t is important that as many con
gressional districts as possible should re
turn Democrats to the next House; for il
may happen that the people may elect 81
large a majority Of Democrats as that thu
Republican Clerk of the House Of hepre
sentatives will not dare TO make up rol
of members containing majority Of lie
publicans.
The election Of tho 22d in this city vii
have a bearing-and may have highly i'm
portant bearing-upon the congressional
elections of next fall. Let us roll up sucl
majority as will cause the conspirator
against the government of the fathers t.
pause in their mad career.