Year: 1879

CoNGREss-The extra session is drawing to close:
the necessity should have existed for its CALL
and would not if the dominant party had needed the
counsel of its wisest leader Senator Bayard. When
the caucus meeting called and the plans proposed
which were afterwards carried out, of tacking politi
cal riders the appropriation bills the measure was
stouty resisted by Mr.. Bayard, who was so emphatic
in his opposition to class such legislation as revO
lutionary" The hotspurs of the party pushed him
aside to find themselves after three months of acri
monious debate thwared by the hands of stern ex-
ecutive and thrown by their impetuosity just
where the far-reaehing Senator told them they would
be- The chief executive is as much an arm of the
government is Congress. and authorized by the
constitution to interpose and antagonize what he
deems harmful legislation. 1t is power that should
be sparngly used and always in the interest of the
people against the Vaccinations of politicians
Parties are be trusted their chief aim is for
power and President Hayes has found 1t necessary
during his occupancy of the Presidential Chair to
throw himself across the path of the leaders of both
the great political parties. The laws which were
sought To be repealed were not such as commended
themselves to the true republican sentiment viz the
genius of our institutions but the violence growing
out of the bitter strife which originated and sue
ceeded the war in dorment intensity, made one
necessary as represSve measure of the other. Arms
were arms whether in the Darshaled shot guns. con-
ceaed brace of pistols the much objected to regu-
lar soldiery. One should be withdrawn as much as
the other and to be in harmony with free govern
nent must be- So in reference to the ballot in the
northern cities. No amount of reasoning can make
it appear right that few wards in the debased parts
of our large cities by repeating ballot box stufng,
&c thereby casting thousands of illegal votes should
set at naught the honest expression of the people
Where there are so many degraded people and
so many corrupt Office seekers. the honest people
who give tone and character to our institutions
should be protected in their franchise This protec
ton should be accorded one shade of opinion as
much as another If it should be turned into abuse
wise councils can always find means of remedy
The tilt between the President and Congress on these
measures has resulted in victory for the former no
because he convinced them that he right or the!
were wrong but because he had superior strength b!
virtue of his constitutional prerogatives How mucl
of an Outreach after political capital there was
both parties to the contest is not for us to say but
cannot but be regretted that there was not a NOR


single to what was right and Just rather than wha
would make votes for this and that party. Nothing
has been gained by the extra session but intensife
political feeling-the "stalwart" has become NOR
stawart and the Bourbon more Bourbon still. The al
tempt to repeal the laws giving the President powe
70 employ the army in the enforcement of the law
or the laws giving Supervisors and Marshals power
prevent or punish frauds remain unrepealed by tn
inteypositlon of the Executive. The House hG
abandoned all effort to deprive the President of an
power as to the Army one which he neye
claimed nor exercised-the power to 'use trooI
a.. the polls" The power to station troops whel
h, thinks they are needed for the public peaC
r4mains unchallenged. The refusal to vote appropr
tons to enforce the election laws is all that remains


settle and it is said the President stands ready wit


another veto for any act that attempts to depriy
them of their full force to protect the ballot