Year: 1872

THE PRESIDENTIAL CANVASS.


crrrcrNcr OF CONGRESSMEN - WHAT THEY


THINK OF AFFAIRs-FEARS FOX Thf su0CLsS


or Tur REFORM MovEMENr-A FREE DIS


CUSSIoN. - - ,c,,xp
w,surNGToy March 2S.--No class of poll
,,o,s Is scanning the political horizon with so much
care and anxiety as the Republican members OF 'he
House Of Representatives They read the newspapers
with unusual attention. and the letters they receive nom
their constituents no longer glanced at only 10
see what troublesome requests must be complied
with. but are carefully perused for expressions of
opinion which may show the direction OF the
,a,tcal wind at home. They show these letters
20 each other. They compare notes aud discuss
probabilities. They dcprecate dissenSions in the party
and suggest schemes for alaying them when are
often absurd. and compromises whiohare ridiculous OF
imposshle. although wel-meart They are umid, even
to oowardce in expressing their views when they rear
that what they say may set into print There is scarcely
q man among them who would not dread 10 nave his
honest upon the political situation known 10
the people he represents One does not have 10 80 i
10 find the reason for this recence in men who are fond
Of thinking themselves popular leaders lheir ee0n9
TO come of next FALL the nominating eon'eh~'hs
that are 10 decide their fate close at hand ana ley
are afraid OF taking step In any direcuoh est tuef
attitude should meet with the favor Oh 'neir
constituents They are, therefore, standing sun ana
watching the signs the political heavens Ihey see
everything from their standpoint OF selnteres anu
,lcir observations are therefore, not worth very lnuch
- trustworthy indications Of future events, but the
vigilance Of the watch they maintain gives TO these OBJ
seryations some positive value


These fearful Congressman badly frightened at the
CINCINNATI movement They think it fraught with moth
lug but saStor for them They dare not say word IN
H. support and they afraid 10 condemn In positive
s guace IL IL should result In great uprising lot re-
form that should triumph at the Presidential election
they predict nothing but calamity to themselves ior
they know that men would become its Leaders, ana
secure control of it long before they would venture TO
take the risk of declaring in its favor. There would be
no room for such tary recruits the captains OF
tbc hosts OF REFORM and they would have to fall In as
prvates the ranks They therefore hope for the 1a
are OF the Cincinnati movement although many OF them
AZ heart sympathze with the principles that animate
H. and would oyfuly welcome its success IL they could
he sure no harm would come thereby to themselves
But this is where the doubt The chances in such
an event against them and their eager study OF III
dcations and weighing of probabilities has led nearly all
Of the conclusion that the safest course s In the
language OF Mr Dawes, TO "look alone to the Phade-
ha Convention for authoritative action OF the Republic
can party" They do this however with the same ex-
preston OF regret for condemnation Of the evils that
have given occasion for the Cincinnati Convention that
Mr. Dawes made use Of in his letter disclaimng the
secre sympathy with the movement which Senator lip
Ton had attributed him. III fact since he assumed the
nominal leadership of the House, Mr. Dawes has never
20 well expressed the views Of the majority upon any
subject as in that letter. He struck the keynote, ana
his fellowmembers are fast taking up the tune.


The attitude OF Mr.. Dawes has rather reassured the
doubnc Congressman. Mr.. Garfield, too, whose opin-
IONS courage and antecedents appeared TO indicate him.
more than any man in the House. probable champion
of the new movement has refused to take ground III tS
favor and has spoken Of it as likely to result III Dlng
ting the old Democratic party into power These decar-
ations and other events Of the past week. have I'M
ouestonably set the faces Of vacatng members more
no OF Philadelphia. For the last
few DAYS there has been decided and cheerful
tone on the Republican side of the House than at any
time for month past There seems 10 DC
more hope that the threatening storm Will blow over
81 do Mt believe 1t will be much OF a shower said
Pennsylvania member, yesterday, speaking Of the Gin
cnnati Convention; "it looks rather black. confess
but 1t won't amount 10 much. The old Republican party
will weather it safely" "FOur years from this time"
said Ohio member, movement for reform like that
at Cincinnati will the board; but it is too soon
nowthe people not ripe for it, 1t may be that the
Republican party has done its work. and has no longer
any vtahhng principles; but there Is force In the
body Of a great political organization that makes 1t
power long after it's life has departed In other words
party like machine, which Will continue to run for
some time after the motive power is removed think
we can all see unmistakable signs Of dissolution In
our party it will hold together long enough to run
through the next campaign with scarcely diminished
momentum. That being the case suppose we Repubcan
politicians might better stick the machine until we feel
u breaking down under us" 81 am satisfied from all
can learu." remarked a New-Engand representative.
that the hostility 10 Grants reelection has not worked
down among the people yet any considerable extent
1t nav when get into the campaign and all his acts
subjected to the assaults OF the opposition
admit that few Presidents have ever done as many un-
popular things Grant, but he got so strong hold
upon the confidence Of the people during the war that
the masses of the party do believe things which
We here Washington know TO be true If this House
had the making of the next President Grant would not
get 20 votes but the people have not had the view
of bis Administration that have; they still see in him
the sreat successful soldier, and looking only TO the
general results his three years in the White House,
they find the country has been toeraby prosperous the
has been reduced and no great harm has been done
IN any direction They therefore why he
should not be graed with another term. His renomi-
nation is Of course certain, and believe he will be re-
elected unless there shall be change in public feeling.
admit is possible, but of which there are now no
Indications"


conversation with their friends by leading Republican
members of the House.


Outside OF Congress, and OF course, outside Of the
Departments the prevalent opinion is that the Cncin
natl movement is steadily gaining strength and win be
Joined within the next month by many public men who
have not felt called upon yet TO openly express their
surnort It's generally believed that ticket will be
Nominated There is less probability Of the choice Of
Judge Davis than there was fortnight since There is
more talk OF Mr. Trumbull and moro still OF Charles
Francis Adams an il is not impossible that
not vet spoken of will come TO the surface before the
first of May AL admit that whoever the nominee may De
Either OF the three men named, or OF lfdozen
other Republicans who might be named would receive
the support of the Democracy. II the positive decara-
ions Democrats in Congress can be relied upon as
indicating the sentiment OF the party.


CIVIL SERVICE REFORM