Year: 1877

The Battle I'm tho senate.


Five votes were taken in the Senate yester-
day, each of which may be regarded as
test of party strength in that body. On the
first four the democrats had o majority the
fifth resulted in tie. and was decided in
favor Of the republicans by the casting vote
of Vice President Wheeler. So narrow is
the margin on which the republican
Senators, operate that the desertion OF
two Of their members puts them in clear
minority whenever Judge Davis, independ-
ent, happens to vote on the democratic side.
The two republican Senators who kicked
out of the party traces yesterday were Pat
terson, of South Carolina, and Conover, OF
Florida. In some of the five divisions yes
terday both of these republican Senator'S
voted with the democrats, when the latter
had majority of two; in other divisions
one on the other; but from what occurred
yesterday it seems probable that both will
be found voting with the democrats in
pinch If this expectation is realized the
republican party is in imminent danger OF
losing its majority in the Senate.


There are three vacant seats in the Sem
ate-one- belonging to South Carolina and
two to Louisiana. The order in which these
vacancies are considered is of vital concern
to the republican party. The democrats
aim to have Buffers case acted on first, and
if this South Carolina claimant is admitted
they count on his vote to help them
in admitting Eustis from Louisiana, which
would give them clear addition of
two votes in the contest between Kellogg
and Spoffprd. The republicans, on the
other hand, desire that the Kellogg -Spofford
case may come up first. If they can accom-
plish this they think they are strong enough
to seat Kellogg, and hope to utilize his vote
in awarding the other contested seats. Had
Buffers case been brought to vote
yesterday he would undoubtedly have been
admitted, and with this reinforcement the
democrats would have had more than an
even chance for seating Eustis, and,
through his vote, of admitting SpoAord.
The contest is postponed to Monday by an
adjournment of the Senate. We do not
know what plans the republican Senators
may form in the meantime; but Patterson
and Conover SO far committed them
selves yesterday that they are likely to
vote with the democrats for giving Buffers
case the precedence and admitting him. In
that event the republican control Of the
Senate will be very precarious We do not
know where Senator Sharon is at present,
jbut if in San Francisco he cannot reach
Washington by Monday, although in q
pnrty view it would be worth his
while to make the long journey to
save the doubtful republican majority
in the Senate. Unless the absent Sharon
comes to the rescue it is not easy to see how
the republicans are to retain their majority.
BY parliamentary tactics they may be able
to fight of decisive vote on Buffers
case until Sharons arrival, but other
wise the democrats have a hopeful
chance Of getting control Of the Sem
ate and putting President Hayes in the un-
comfortable position of having both branches
of Congress in opposition. 1t is possible that
the republican Senators may get out of this
menacing difficulty by the arrival of Sharon
or by some dexterous coup de main, but the
fact that they are in such extreme danger
demonstrates the mutability Of political
power. ''How are the mighty fallen 7! 1t is
but q few years since the republican party
was omnipotent in every department of the
government; but now, having lost the
House, it is doubtful whether this Presi-
dent will not be dependent on democratic
majority in the Senate for confirming his
appointments.