New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-01-02
AI,BANY Y.
SUIT or THE REPUBMCAN CAUCUS

ALBANY, Jan. When the contest reOpeno'l this
morning the lines became 50 sharply defined
that the third candidate. Mr.. Prince, unable tO
retain his forces. Indeed. this bad all along
been forcseen The fight was between the Federal
Office holders. backed by the prestige Of the Admin
istaOn, and those WHO for various are Op-
posed to the man aud methods by which the Repub-
| lican party in the State OF New-York. has been put
| i'm letters In plain words, it Fenton and COnk
! ling The activity Of Federal office holders
moro Extensively manifested than at Syracuse Every
| public place crowded with them. Indeed, il is
! a m stery how the public business can have been
| carried on. The fact that to-day is a legal holiday
may partially explain i.
| Gov. AlvOrd conducted his canvass with great
ability and tact Though target for SANDERS OF the
most malignant character he main tanned throughout
an admirable courtesy and good nature fOuT-ifihs
of those who voted in the Republican caucus were
new to Albany and in this the Custom-House party
| found their great advantage. Mr. Myord. poor
man. after years of service n.fedswher many have
made their fortunes represented an old poll
tician more adrot but hardly ess unscrupuOu3 than
Tweed himself He was held up as the headcenter
| of the Canal Ring aud the sheet-aBChor Of the
| Salt monopoly. And yet this man. with heavy
odds against him. and positive disadvantages
| as ia candidate-nOtaby, his unfortunate III
favor of the New-YoIk Charter lacked
Smith. his successful competitor receiving
only one vote more than the number necessary fora
choice The vote stood 30 for Smith; "A for Alyordi
| ? blank. Mr. West of Saratoga was absent. The
total number of votes was &C. and the number
sary for a choice 49, Mr.. Prince at time had in
the neighborhood of so votes, or less, firmly
committed to him, but most of them
of disposition too timid TO render
him any effective service. Mr.. Prince
had no such forces to aid him in the posses
sion of his successful opponent. In the midst OF
arms peace societies" well as the laws silent
The Young Mems Republican Association. at their
meeting ia the morning took action whatever.
and the delegates became mere lookers-On. When
the caucus met in the evening and the candidates
had been nominated previous TO the first informal
ballot Mr.. Prince withdrew his name before tho vote
was taken.
Mr. Rush c. Hawkins. who may be set down IN ad-
vance as one of the exhausess gas bags Of the AS
sembly. took occasion III seconding the nomination
of Henry Smith, to insult Mr.. Alvord by repeating
from memory one of the stereotyped attacks ola
New-York journal. Whether not there DO
any advantages in educating such men as MIR.
Hawkins, that member will probably learn soma-
thing between this and the end of the session. Tho
ballots were counted in the deepest silence. but
when the result was announced there was yell Of
exutation from the army Of assessors, inspectors.
| wegheIs, gaugers aud other placemen who packed
| the galleries.
Tho contest for clerk was decided in two ballots
The first gave 80 votes TO Mr. Underwood Of Albany
| 20 to johnson of Steuben; ~ to Undermll of Chan
tauqua and to A. n. Cole of Allegany. Then TN.
deThill withdrew, and Underwood was chosen By
precisely the same vote that was cast for Smith.
| Little interest was manifested in the subsequent
proceedings, the soldiers and Germans carrying of
| most of the honOIs. When the stenogTapher cams
TO be nominated, Mr. MoultOn of New-YOrk, in his
zeal for reform. actually proposed to dispense with
this official unnecessary extravaganza, and such
is the rawness of many of the newl y-eected
members that this retfenchment seriously sup
ported The stenographer. it need hardly be said IL
one of the most important aud useful functonaries
of legislative body, and fortunately we TO have
one who Is thoroughly competent. The presiding
officer of the caucus was Mr. Twombly Of New-York
and he filed the position well. After the first ballot
when Mr.. Alvord gracefully withdrew his name.
Mr. Smith left his seat in distant part Of the Cham.
ber coded down the AISLE and shook hands with
his opponent. This spectacle drew out great ap-
pause and it is 30 be hoped that the respective sup
porters of the two candidates may hereafter get
along together as harmonlOusly as their leaders.
Mr.. Smith is gentleman of conceded ability and
force against whom personally nothing can be OBJ
ected. His position Speaker will be difficult
one. But there is reason to doubt that he will
endeavor to act honoTaby, and that the atmosphere
of the Legislative Committee rooms will be pureH
than it has been Of late years AS to the rest, the
future will soon enlighten u.s. The members will be
sworn in and the organization completed tomorrow,
when the House will probably adjourn until next
Monday, to give the Speaker time to arrange the
committees.
1t is reported that tomorrow, after the Organzs-
ton of the House, Col. Hawkins will introduce the
Charter of the Committee of Seventy, and without
referring it to Committee, move its immediate
consideration in Committee Of the Whole.
The Senate caucus was rather a tame affair
Senator Woodin of Cayuga presided, and Senator
Palmer of Dutchess acted Secretary. James
Terwilliger was nominated Clerk without opposition
He will appoint Charles k. Dayton of Suffolk. Jour
nal Clerk Henry A. Gdden of Orleans County.
Deputy Clerk, and w. w. Pearson of Westchester.
EngrOssing Clerk. 1t took ten ballots to determine
who should be Seargeant-at-Arms. The fayorits
candidate for the first five counts being Edwin j.
LOOMS of Chenango On the sixth ballot he lost.
running down from twelve TO nine, then
to eight. The seventh vote being equally
divided between three candidates. The eighth
ballot brought LOOMS up TO eleven. the ninth in
creased him TO twelve On the tenth count, LoOmis
received thirteen-the coveted majority OF all the
votes cast-and was then unanimously nominated.
The scramble the minor offices was protracted
and earnest. The distribution of the patronage
about as fairly done could have been expected,
and appeared to give more than the average salts
faction. The majority of the Senate have not yet
determined in what way the Committees shall be
appointed. The Lieutenant-Goyer being in the
minority will not be ntrusted with that duty. Two
propositions before the majOrityOne to have the