Year: 1878

Sufficient returns, official or semi official
have been received from all parts OF the
country, TO show with reasonable certainty
the complexion OF the next Congress. The
New York TiMc5 concludes that the Demo.
crats viii have a majority Of seven in the
Senate, while in the House they viii have
ten or twelve, with about the same number
OF Greenbackers, who will, it thinks, gen.
orally vote with them. This is essentially
the same as We put il down in our estimate
last week. The Times says:


The Forty-sixth Congress begins lis term
of Office on the 18th of next March 1t viii!
he Democratic in both branches-the House
by majority OF ten or twelve, with eleven
or more Greenback votes, mostly safe for
the Democrats on strict party measures, not
financial; the Senate by majority OF sew
en- or eight, with one Independent inclined
TO the Republicans. The majority in
neither house is sufficiently strong to carry
extreme partisan measures, since these in
the absence OF two-thirds vote, could only
succeed by deadlock on the appropria-
ton bills, always hazardous thing, and
more likely than ever before to fail. The
net result OF the elections OF this wear.
therefore. is 10 administer a severe check
TO the Democratic party, and 10 secure a
tolerably even and safe administration of
the general affairs of the country, apart
from the currency and finance, for the two
years following the next session of Con-
gress.


The Herald thinks the election resulted
in pretty complete defeat of the Demo-
cratic party, and considering the fact that
the greaterportion of the Greenbackrs cleo
ted are OF Republican antecedents, it re-
CARDS it somewhat problematical whether
the Democrats viii be able to command in
the House, on any partisan measure, even
bare majority. The Herald says:


The latest returns cut down the Demo-
cratic majority in the House of Represen-
tatiyes TO point where il is in fact no ma
jority at all Tor no one can foretell how
the Southern independents will vote; and
OF the Greenbsck members, who are in
creased TO eleven, five or six are OF Repub-
hcan antecedents, and will on party ques-
tions vote with their former friends. From
present appearances the Democrats will
need help 10 elect a speaker when the next
Congress meets. This is melancholy exhib-
II Tor party which confidently expectedly
a majority of p or 50, which only a wear
ago was so sure of the next Presidency that
ii had hard work 10 determine upon whom
to bestow the great Office. and was so conf
dent OF controlling the next House, that il
thought almost anybody good enough to
be nominated Tor Congress.


The Herald doesn't take a very hopeful
view of the Democratic future, and
in referring TO the management and general
conduct Of the party, it uses very plain
terms, and terms that are anything but
complimentary to the party which it pro-
nounces "little better than a mob,n and
which it says has thrown away its oppor-
tunity OF electing the next President. The
Herald adds:


A year ago the Republicans were diyi-
ded, and the Democrats looked on at their
quarrels with amusement. To-day the
Republicans are united, and the Democrats
are split into factions whose leaders op-
pose each other far more bitterly than the
Republicans. They are divided not only
by personal differences but on principles
and politics, and it is not too much to say
that the Democratic party of the country is
to-day little better than a mob, which has
just now about as much chances to elect
the next President as it has to bring about
the millennium by strict party vote.