New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-12-08
FROM WASHINGTON.
rom Our Own Conespondsat

no longer to appre htnd any serious difficulty in set
tiIg the Kansas question, except 10 the contingency
Of there being majority Of votes cast for the Con
stution with Slavery" at the election of Dece mber
81. 1.-THE FIee.St,te men should not vote, and Kan
sss should present herself for admission with an
tyoWed,y Pio-Slasery Constitution, the South would
hardly consent TO have the matter referred back 10
tie people. She could not decebtly sld with honor
desert her frit nds in Kansas in the very moment
when their exertOrs in her behalf were crowned
with unexpected success. The wiser and more
moderate OF the Southern men, therefore, would
prefer that the CONSTITUTION without Slavery"
ticket sbt uld prevail They are satisfied, as well
they may be- with the prohibition of any alteration
Of the Constitution that shall affect the rights Of
property in the ownership Of slaves" in case the
nominaly Free-State ticket prevails; and with the
degrading slave hunting clause, which directs all
civil officers tf The Stale be diIgent " 10 the secur
ling aid rendition Of persons held 10 service or
'labor," clause which illustrates more strongly
than perhaps any other the detesabe nn,mus OF she
LecODpton Convention.
If the Constitution without Slavery" should
prevail at the election of December II there will
not be much difficulty i'll getting the Northern Dem
Ocrats in Congress to vote for it, though most of
them wOUe 7, ject the Constitution with Slavery"
They will swallow the pill If pauslbly disguised,
e,eo If they perfect conscious of the real na
ture IF the dose All that they require is to be able
to maintain at home that Kansas has a Free State
Constitution.
What the people Of Kansas may think or desire lisa
mstter of very slight consideration here in Washing
ton. The clsDor Of few thousand Black Rspub-
hcans in distant Territory will not much affect the
c,urse of nfiors The object Of the leaders Of the
African Democracy, is to get the question out OF
Congress as speedily possible and with as little
oetIment as mfy be to their standing at the North.
nc Il G <h.t 10 nft hoI To
con pton Constitution iu any form will be tolerated
by the Nortbern Democracy, that COnst tuition will
be passed and enforced in Kansas. if need be at the
point o; the bayonet
Az there is very little probability in the present
state Of feeling i'll Kassis that any bat Pfo-Siigery
men Ill participate in the election the chances are
that the "ConshtutiOn, with Slavery" will De laid
before Ccngrtss. The result hardly fail to be
yiot Mt quarrel between tue Northern and Southern
wings of The African Democracy. There are very
few Northern members whose constituencies will
sustain them 10 voting for the Constitution with
Slavery, and very few ulhern members whose con
st tueDcies III sustain them n voting against 1t. Ii
either faction gives way, IL will DO the southern;
bpd what, YER arrangement is made eau hardly fN'
10 be preferable to the LecoDpton iniquity. In any
event, the safest policy for the Free-State men oil
Kansas is not to vote ut all the 2st of December.
Correspondence Of The N. Y. Tribune.
WASHINGTON, Dec b, 1901.
We are at the beginning Of the end. The Demo
cratic caucus met last night, and mustered al uu-
utual tendance. Mr. George w. JONES' of Ten
nessee wes recommended, by his seniority, as pre-
soiDe officer, and Mr.. Rufic, of North Carolina,
served as Secretary. The South thus modestly
divided the preliminary hobors. 1t was Obvious
before the caucus assembled inst the Speakership
eas a foIegope conclusion, as Mr.. Phelps had de-
termined two days ago to decline. Hence ne moved
Nj. Orr's election, ard it was carried without dis
sent. This ought to make Mr.. Phelps leader OF tho
House, by being put at the head Of the Wsys aud
Me ans. AS MIR. CLANCY Jones has taste for
diplomacy and represents the person of the Presi-
dent On the floor be will be Likely to 80 at the head
cf the FOREIGN Relations. 10 this aud some other
selections Mr.. BuchaI an will probably indicate his
preferences, ard they viii be followed.
The tnl, embarrassment that Mr. Allen la to
encounter in the Clerkship from tbs star. was bis
supposed identification with the Interests OF Ju1ge
Douglas, whose position, in regard to kanoas,
threatened to detach portion of the South. Tnat
ficuty was relieved, however, BY Mr.. Aliens
coumitta to the Administration, AFTER which tee
objections fell to the ground and cleared the way
for his success Mr.. Robinson's capital having
consisted in the hope Of this Distraction 1t was re-
duced 10 personal strength as soon as MI Auehs
friends removed the cause. There was no contest
for Sergeant at Arms tie place being conceded to
Nh, Gloss reL ner, the incumbent. Two JOhnsOns,
one ffum New. jersey aud another from virginia,
contended for the place of Postmaster against Mr..
Cuskey If this city, meritOrous and competent
Young Democrat who carried of the prize much TO
he qualification Of large body Of friends IN and out
# his party. As the New-YOrk delegation htd
un ted before the meeting of the Caucus upon Dir.
Woodbridge, formerly an officer al Albany, for
DooIkeeper, it was supposed ne would be chosen,
but Mr. Hackney of Nirgiaa pOied the necessary
votes.
Afer these matters had been settled, the printer
sbp came up and with it no little stir. Mr.. Smith
of Va. wanted postponement until the members
could inform themselves If tbs necessary facts but
Mr.. Clancy Jones urged al election, and spoke
eenely of the services and money contributions oil
Wendell for the great cause. Dir. Clemens a new
member from Virginia, interposed an obstacle
ubich created intense excitement to the effect that
mproper overtuTes had been made, iatended to ef'
ect tbe election of Wendell by reprehens0le means
All now was commotiOn. Mr.. Clancy Jones en-
desvot to pour oil upon the troubled waters, but
without effect for Mr. CT mems injicated pretty dis
tnctly that if Wendell himself did not employ the
means. bis friends, who were active, were MOI as
free from cupabify. Attempts were made to in
terroeaie him specifically but he retired from the
caucus without giving any satisfaction. La the
course of the discussion the Chairman, Mr.. Jones,
said ne would not vote for Wendell even II noml'
mated and when interr0ga ted rs to indorslng the
action OF the caucus, he replied that ne "oud leave
il before that nomination was made II 1t was
DESIGNED. Mr.. Stephens, of Georgia, who Intended
10 vote for Wendell, sgnlfed his determination not
10 do so unless the charges were satisfactorily
eYnla;r.d and in order TO afford fair opportunity