Year: 1870

one, too, which the United States itself will
be powerless to quell, for it may result in
series of murderous feuds aud vendettas,
wherein neighbors and relatives are arrayed
against one another.


The Next Conversational EIections-Expecte ted


Disasters TO tho Republican Party.


Calculations have been made, apparently
resting on pretty sound argument, that the
next fall elections all over the country will be
disastrous to the republicans, and that in the
popular branch Of the Forty-second Congress
the democrats will be once moro in the ma
jority. We do not place very much confidence
in these political predictions, but at the same
time we recognize the fact that very general
feeling OF dissatisfaction with the doings of
Congress pervades the popular mind, and that
the manifestation Of that feeling at the polls
may have very considerable effect on the
elections and on the consequent composition of
the next House Of Representatives. Whether
the new element of German adhesion to the
republican party, growing out of its announced
sympathy with the Prussian arms in the Eu-
ropean war, may or may not prove counter
poise to the detection in it's own ranks is
question which has to be taken into considera-
ton In calculating the chances. The German
voters in this country had hitherto sided very
generally with the republican party, except,
perhaps, in New York and some other places
where an attempt to interfere with their Sun
day enjoyment of lager and pretzels drove
them to the democracy. But as they are
unit on the question of Fatherland the party
which gains their good will on that point will
have their almost unanimous suffrage at the
polls This element may therefore be very eff
cacious in warding off or tightening the blow
which threatens to fall upon the republican
party in the coming elections


But why is it that that party has lost it's
strength among the masses of the country and
has begun to exhibit symptoms Of decay9 1t is
not on account Of any dissatisfaction with the
administration of President Grant. On the con-
trary, that has, by it's honest collection of the
taxes, Its economy and it's reduction of the
public debt, commended itself to favor at home
and abroad. But it is on account of great and
pervading dissatisfaction with the doings of
Congress. That body might make public con-
fession of its manifold sins and transgressions
by adopting the language of the Episcopal
liturgy, and crying out 'We have done those
things that we ought not to have done, and we
have not done those things that we ought to
have done, and there is no health in u.s." In
the former category would be included the
numerous railroad land grants by which the
public domain has been plundered for the ben
eft Of scheming corporators. And yet but
little was accomplished in that respect in pro-
portion to what was contemplated. The Sen
ate, far more reckless than the House in all
matters pertaining to the Treasury, initiated
and passed at last session more than thirty
land grant bills on which no action was taken
by the House. These bills will be on the
Speakers table when the next session opens,
and it is to be hoped that the House will be
very cautious as to the disposition to be made
of them. The wisest thing would be to reject
the whole batch.


In political, financial and fiscal measures of
legislation the action of Congress at its last
session was complete nullty. On the very
eve of adjournment patchwork measure for
the admission of Georgia to representation was
concocted and passed, but contrived so cum,
ningly or 80 clumsily that the leading members
of the Reconstruction Committee, from which
it was reported, have been since giving dia-
metrically opposite opinions as to its true
intent and meaning. AS to the other recon-
structed States every one knows that their
pretended representation in Congress is the
merest sham and delusion-a libel upon repre-
sentative institutions. In those States, at
least, the democracy may look for large
accession Of strength in the next House, and
to the shameful disregard of all principles Of
fair play in the political management of those
States may be ascribed much of the unpopu-
larity into which the republican party has
fallen all over the country.


The time spent at the last session in discuss
ing and attempting to mature measures con-
nected with currency and finance was most
unprontably wasted, and although q funding
bill was eventually passed and became law
it has since remained, and is likely to con-
tinue, dead letter on the statute book, not
having the remotest chance Of ever coming
into practical operation. And as to the Tariff
and Tax bills the changes in the law that were
made a. the last session only 60 to relieve the
people in one direction and to oppress them in
another, the difference being that the taxes
from which they are relieved had gone to
enrich the Treasury, while those additional
ones to which they are subjected will go to fill
the pockets of a small body of monopolists.
But in no respect was Congress more dere-
lct in duty at its last session than in its course
with reference to the navy and to the mercan-
tile marine. To it's want of ability rig htly to
appreciate the situation is due the humiliating