Year: 1877

Our Democratic friends in and out of Con-
gress do not seem to be in as happy mood
as they were on the 18th Of October, when
Congress assembled. They were then under
a high degree of exuberance Of spirit They
had come from the sunny South, the frigid
North, the rock-bound East, the auriferous
Pacific Slope, and from the populous and
fertile centeH Of a great country, as they sup
posed, masters of the political situation. The
Southern policy, as they fancied, had placed
in their hands "solid South" where Repub-
licanism had been crushed out by single
pressure Of the heel Of executive power.
They had no more dread of Republican
supremacy in fifteen States, where there is
now, and has been since the close of the
war numerical Republican power which,
when left free to exercise itself, is
supreme They regarded the civil
service order of the President as a
paralytic stroke upon the active energies of
the Republican party in the North, which
was to circumscribe its usefulness and sap
its power. They confidently hoped that
some five or six Republican Senators had
become so far detected toward the situation
that their sympathies and votes were to be
found on several if not all, important pO-
litical questions on the Democratic side
With such prospect in their eye, it is not
surprising that the Democratic Senators and
Representatives in Congress, and their lead
ing presses and politicians throughout the
country, should be exceedingly gleeful and
offensive in their tone and bearing. They
could not restrain their joy, and were boast
ful, domineering and presuming in their
acts and utterances.


They at once rallied upon the White
House with their advice and demands relat-
ing to the disposition that is to be made of
the patronage of the Government. In vio-
lation and disregard of the enunciated policy
of the President in his letter of acceptance
relating to the interference of members OF
Congress with appointments system
which he declares destroys the indcpend
ence of the separate departments of the
Government :" which tends directly to ex
travaganoe and official incapacity" and "i,
q temptation to dishonesty hinders ant
impairs that careful supervision and
strict accountability by which alone
faithful and efficient public service can bt
secured, &c, which ought to be eabolishedn-
we say, in disregard of all this, and in vic
lation of the usual cOurtesies and proprie
ties observed by political parties, when theil
opponents are in power, Democratic Sena.
tors and Representatives have besieged the
White House for patronage with all the as
surance that attaches to politicians
when their own party has possession
and rightful disposition of it, The Demo
cratic Senators from Delaware and Georgia
have been "instant in season and out of sea
son" in calling for the bestowal of Offices il
accordance with their own wishes WADl
HAMPTON is clamOrous for recognition as
power in the bestowal of Republican patron
age. Democratic Senators and member
from other States have beset the seat o
power, apparently under the impression
that they are to have matters all their owl
way, until the Republicans here and else
where have stood aghast at the prospect


The last week was eventful US to the in
terests and prospects of Republicanism
The line that the Democrats fancied the,
had broken in the Senate has presented it
self in solid column, and now stands as


unit on all questions Of party import an,
division. This secures the Republican ma
jority in the Senate in its integrity AM
gives assurance to the country that it i