Year: 1874

Election OF United states Senators.


No sooner are the elections over than the
resultant canvasses begin. The present year
is no exception to the rule indeed, owing to
the sweeping victories Of the democracy, the
distribution of patronage the election Of pre-
siding officers in the Assemblies Of the differ
ent States and the choice of United States
Senators for the next Congress become not
only the absorbing topics Of political discus
sion but the chief ends Of political action.
In Massachusetts the republicans have saved
only the Legislature, and there will be severe
struggle over the candidates who wish to fill
the seat which Charles Summer occupied for
nearly quarter Of century. In Pennsyl-
vana too, the republicans have barely saved
the Legislature, and Senator Cameron may be
compelled to yield something in the matter Of
the succession to Scott and remain in his own
seat, in spite of his wish to retire, in order to
save his party from disruption. In Michigan
Senator Chandler is beaten, and the choice of
his successor will occasion o lively faction
fight and democratic Senator is not an i'm
possibility. Senator Carpenter, too, is be-
ieved to be beaten in Wisconsin. In this
State the Senatorship will be the cause Of un-
ceasing agitation during the next two or three
months. Twenty-six States in all will have
new Senators in the next Congress. Seven Of
these have already chosen them, five States
more will certainly elect democrats, and this
number may be further increased.


Thurman will be his own successor being
already elected, and Morton will have q
democratic colleague. Brownlow is lost to
the Senate forever, and even Ramsey may
yield to democrat Many changes are i'm
pending, as will be seen by the completer
analysis we present elsewhere. In all this
there is great public and political interest
an interest SO great as to interpose danger
which we are all apt to overlook. In the pres
ent crisis Of political parties, when neither
democrats nor republicans have any settled
policy, it becomes important that all living
issues should receive q living Interpretation.
The recent overwhelming victories fail to in
dicate anything like fixed policy for the
lutuIc uAu VIC PcoPie Will uOt De content 10
90 into the next Presidential canvass without
settled course of action on both
sides. The condition of the South,
the depression Of trade, the cry for in
fation on the one hand and the demand
for contraction on the other, all ask recog-
niti on, with some plan Of settling the question
each of these problems presents. Just now
we have parties without principles; but this
cannot last much longer. If year goes by
and the democracy fails to fix upon o policy
which will commend itself to the people the
splendid triumph of Tuesday may 60 for
nothing. The republicans can better afford to
go without principles than the democrats, but
neither can afford it, and consequently it fol-
lows that the democratic leaders, if they
would rule the country must rule ii upon
platform in unison with the popular will
There is danger that they will give
their time to assured results, as the
election Of United States Senators, in
stead of devising a satisfactory way out Of
the difficulties which now embarrass the
country. Every new Senator ought to be
man who understands the best interests OF the
people, but the people are not disposed that