The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-01-02

sURY CONTEST AND CAMERON DIsTRACTING
THE REPUBLICANs-A GENERAL SMASH PRoBA-
BLE-oEARY IN RESERVE TO BREAK THE RINGS
THE PROPOSED SENATORIAL CONTESTS UN-
PROMISING.
From an Occasional Correspondent.
HARRISBURG, Jan. l, 1870.
Religious devotion has not been the rule here
to-day amongst the lawgivers of the Common
wealth, and judging from the knots of excited
men to be seen on every hand, the confusion of
tongues in all public places, and the anxious
faces OF members and their retainers it is nof
unreasonable to presume that most of them for
got their morning prayers as they rose from
their uneasy couches. Yesterday was a busy
day, but this holy day of rest has been IL sort of
political Donnybrook Fair, aud sore heads are
thick as falling leaves in autumn.
Hitherto, for some years, the preliminary
struggles at the organization of the Legislature
have been wholly on the Republican side, while
the Democrats sat coolly by and enjoyed the
wrangle with clever philosophy; but this year
the political ENHANCEMENT is knotty beyond
precedent. The Democrats have the Senate
and power has brought them a world of trouble.
Eleven men would be chief clerk; twenty-seven
men would take the lesser clerkships; and forty
nine men at least would take the other Offices
AherD would WELD the mace in the Senate and
sport the title and pocket the pay of Sergeant
alarms, whereupon the rural Democrats de-
mand less Democracy and little more flavor of
respectability. Ahern will therefore be bowled
out, and loud and deep curses come up
from the bhoys of the gallant
Fourth ward kingdom of the
redoubtable Alderman. Tony Laws would be
assistant clerk, and might have had good show
had not regular John Rodgers family of the
'gang" demanded legislative perqusites. Some
opposition is developed to Wallace, but he will
go through and take the chair of the Senate
Buckalew does not love him, but party neces-
sity will make the nineteen Democratic Sena-
tors appear to be harmonious. "Uncle Jake
Zeigler" is on hand, looking as benignantly upon
both Democrats and Republicans as young
girl with her first new bonnet. He will be
elected, much to the disgust of Charley Carri-
gan, or any other man who wants
the place. Charley made a desperate
plunge, but he was short-winded, aud
fell early In the action. He is classed
as one of the political heavy-weights of the
party, and is likely to get good Office in about
forty years, if he is patient and faithful. Ahern
will probably give up raids pom the Legislature,
and go home to run for President of the Young
Mems Christian Association. If he does Mully
will back him and see George H. Stuart and 90
any amount better that may be necessary to
win. If Tony Laws fails he will take charge of
the Bedford Street Mission, with Sam Josephs
as chaplain. Mully's bar-room will be turned
into daily union prayer-meeting, and the
Fourth ward will be run as general camp
meeting for the next year. 1t is estimated that
one year of such probation will bring the
'gang" up to the standard required for cerking,
pasting, and folding and making fires in the
Senate.
In the House the Republicans have their spe-
cial troubles. There is the Treasury ghost,
worse than the ghost of Banquo: it won't
down, and it takes the most hideous shapes,
and hops in just when it is most not wanted.
The Treasury ghost haunts everything and
everybody in the House on the Republican side.
Webb would be Speaker easily, but the Trea-
sury nightmare dIsturbs his dreams and frets
nass waking hours. The Cleckship and the
minor offices are all dragged into the seething
caldron of the Treasury complication. And
as if every possible sorrow must be crowded
% the Republican fold just now there is
cameron piled upon it-a dying, fostering, poll
tical carcass, with just life enough to fling the
stencil OF his rottenness into every Republican
face. He wants the Treasury, because it has a
million in it of surplus money, and he comes in
like bull in china shop, and threatens to
smash any amount of Republican crockery. 1t
looked for while last evening and to-day as If
Cameron and the Treasury might prove too much
of load for the Republicans, and that their
power would be destroyed even in the organi-
Mr.. Reinoehl, of Lancaster, has been
roposed as an anti-ring candidate for Speaker,
and there are quite enough of Republicans to
join the Democrats to elect him, if it shall be
necessary to brain the Cameron ring at the
start; but tonight it looks as if harmony may
be restored and the Republican organization
carried through in the House. If this be done,
there will be a surrender of the ring, and the
Treasury will go to some acceptable man.
Irwin is stronger now than last year in the Re-
publican ranks, and Taggart has also positive
strength of considerable proportions, while
Mackey could command the caucus, but Is not
safe for election. 1t Is terribly mixed kettle
of fish, and the candidates for the offices of the
House would be glad if the State had no Trea-
sury to distract the political currents All agree
that the Constitutional Convention must destroy
this bone of contention by making the Treasurer
elective by the people, and placing the public
funds beyond the reach of spectators.
could give you more speculations tonight
than page of your paper would accommodate
but Cui bono? Just as fast as a slate is cleverly
made up it is as cleverly smashed, and so we
go from hour to hour until there is no rest for
the weary, perspiring army of candidates.
Mackey is calm, but anxious and vigilant Quay
is philosophical and treless Irwin is jolly aud
confident, and Don Cameron nervous and at
bay. He is bold in purpose, versatile in inven-
tion, and desperate in execution. He will lose
no tricks within his reach, and don't care if
the whole machine is broken into fragments if
he can't run it his way. But the Legis-
lature is against him, and great results