Year: 1879




culties under which peaceabls and lawful
tree government is carried on in the United
States. These organs of what may be
called "blatherskite" opinion are yelling
at each other and furiously daring each
other to do their worst. and each assures
its half dozen readers with the most solemn
emphasis that the opposite party is bent
upon the immediate and unconditional
ruin of the country. If we might believe
the republican "blatherskite" our dear and
precious Union stands upon the verge of
new civil war, and the approaching session
of Congress will be the signal not only for q
revolution in tho control of the two houses,
but for general overturn of our glorious
political institutions. II, on the contrary,
we could believe the democratic ''blather-
skite," it is the mission of the extra session
to save the constitution from violation and
the liberties Of fifty millions of people from
the base designs OF a corrupt, desperate and
tyrannical band of conspirators.


All this would not be worth speaking of
were it not that here and there respectable
public man or reputable journal chimes
in with this disgusting and senseless
clamor, as when Governor Wade Hampton
the other day told HERALD correspondent
that he thought Congress ought to sit
continuously rather than omit the
repeal of the supervisor laws, or
when on the other side Senator Hoar COM
mits the stupidity of giving to that poor
creature, Jefferson Davis, the dignity and
importance of martyr, by moving to ex-
clude him from the list of Mexican war pen
sioners. 1t is depressing to find ''blather-
skite'' invading the ranks of decent and re-
sponsible men, and Statesmen" so called,
no more sense than so many village post
masters or ward politicians.


1t is in the midst Of this clamor of the
"blatherskites" that the new Congress is to
assemble ; and it is, perhaps, too much to
expect that the Representatives and Sena-
tors will not be somewhat influenced by the
outcries of their ''home papers" These
eminent 'organs Of an enlightened public
opinion" will yell furiously from now until
the houses are organized, and the ins put
out and the outs put in, after which there
is reason to hope that they will more or less
subsidc. Meantime we propose to offer
few words Of moderate counsel to the assem-
bling Solons.


We advise them to remember that the
country wants peace and quiet and leisure
to attend to business 1t does not want to
waste the spring and summer in listening
to the brawling Of parcel OF empty-headed
politicians. 1t wants Congress TO pass the
necessary appropriation bills as quickly US
possible aud 60 home. 1t does not believe
that either the democratic. or the republican
party is engaged in plot against all our
liberties. 1t has not read either the ma
jority or the minority report OF the cele-
brnted Potter committee with the least in
terest and it does not want either to 60
back to the last or to Jump forward to the
next Presidential campaign at this time. It
warts to be rid of politics for short period
and regards this extra session as a calamity
and nuisance. If any Congressman
doubts this let him ask the first solvent
business man or industrious mechanic he
meets in his district, and he will be told
that as usual the HEn.LD is right, because
it is on the side Of the people, against the
politicians.


The extra session is blunder for which
the democrats are more responsible than
their opponents, though it is o fact that
several republican Senators of the "Stal-
wart" sort kindly helped their democratic
friends into the mire, as they have fre-
quently been accustomed to do. The most
sensible thing the democrats can now do
and that which would most grievously dis
appoint the republicans, would be, as soon
as tho two houses arc organized, to pass q
law continuing last years approE .iations
for six or eight months of the next fiscal year,
und then without further words adjourn
and go home until December. But we do
not expect SO much good se:.se of the demo-
Gratis, tor if they had it they would stand
n much better chance of carrying the next
Presidential election than they now do.
They have yet another string to their bow,
for they can pass the appropriation bills
at once; then put into separate resolutions
the repeal Of the test oaths, the prohibition
of the military at the polls-two measures
which the republicans will not oppose, be-
cause they have openly committed them
elves to them and, finally, into another
resolution--the repeal OF the supervisor
laws, which the President is likely to veto.
When that veto comes, and when tho re-
publicans have committed themselves to
these laws by voting to sustain the veto,
then the democrats have chance TO nd-
journ at once and appeal to the people at
the'next elections, and if they are shrewd
enough to do this, without bluster or fuss
or delay, they will score heavily against
their opponents.


We ask tn EN- to consider not merely what
better but what else they can do? They
have not sufficient majority in the