Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-02-26
The Intentions Of the Majority in the
Next Honse. 7s
Gen. Boynion writes 10 the siineinudii


Gen. Boynton writes 10 the Cincinnati
Gazette from Washington rs follows;
significant incident occurred at the
Capitol few days since which speaks
volumes concerning the temper of
large element on the Democratic side Of
the House. ~
A correspondent had printed para
graph favOriDg The .election of MIR.
O'Brien, Of Maryland, as Clerk Of the
new House. The correspondent w,rs
Immediately waited upon by several
Southern members, who aitemptef to
persuade him from any further advocacy
of this gentleman. lie was informed thai
| the objection was not TO Mr.. q Bricn
personally but to the State which hcrep-
resented. In the elegant and expressive
language of lhe member speaking for the
! South, Maryland was "puke State -
that is, rs he proceeded to eXplain,Y"a o
Southern State which during the war
was neither cold nor hot, neither Con-
fedcrate nor Union" The South intended
to control the organization of the next
House, and had votes enough to do 1t.
No border State that failed the ConfeAer-
acy in the war should be recognized in
| that organization. The real South, lie
old South, would hold the balance OF
power and the representatives of the.
"puke State" would he made to stand
aside. To The question, What do you
propose to do with Kentucky" the re-
ply was Kentucky is puke SGate,n too,
and she will have to step down. Doubt
less Missouri would have received the
same condemnation had she been named.
Further, at this interview, it was de-
clared that the South intended to claim
prominent committees for ex-Confeder-
ate Generals, and two of these were
named: Gen. Eppa Hunton, of Virginia,
il the only Southern Democrat now on
the Military Committee who is e-elected,
and he should be Chairman of that com
mittee in the next Congress. The South
would insist upon that For the same
reason WhitthOrne, of Tennessee, would
be Chairman Of Naval Affairs
To this programme the entire delega-
tion Of one of the largest Southern Staies
was committed, according to this gentle
man who was speaking iOr them. There
was no sham about this interview. There
was no bluster or bravado about it. 1t
was a cool business consultation between
prominent Southern Democrats and
correspondent whom they supposed to be
in full accord with themselves. 1t clearly
shadows forth the platform of the strong
est element that will contend for the con-
troll of the next House.
may expect from the day the present
Congress adjourns-namely: an active
struggle within the Democratic party for
the full restoration of the South to polit-
ical power, so far as that party can now
restore it. fs ? -
These signs have been frequent and
unmstakable throughout the present
session. In The last COngressrthe Con- 3
federates bore themselves quietly. The
tone and temper of Lsmar's eulogy of
Mr.. Sumner seemed a fair exponent of
their position. Their conduct toward The
Republican side of the House carried 3
with it traces of an admission that they
held seats in Congress through the for
bearance and magnanimiiy of a great
Government. But all this has changed.
On that side now the old.spirit is settling
down ag ain and detiantiy asserting itself.
There are few men of large ide IS aud
cool heads like Lamar who are constant
| ly eXerting themselves to curb these man.
ifestations which they understand so
well. But Mclean and John Young
| Blown now represent the Southern Dem
| ocratic clements, and not MT. Lamar.
Republican members who sit on the OPP
pUste side Of the Hou have daily cause
to notice the change which has taken
place. They say that at the last session
the under-current of comment upon the
proc edings which flows on unct aiingly,
among The members contained compara-
lively little bitterness of expression TO-
ward Republicans This condi ion has
wholly changed, and now, as ihese MEM
bers say, scarcely day pas :es, and never
an hour during political ebate, that
coarse and insulting remarks about
Northern men and Republicans are not
heard ON the Democratic side of the
chamber.
Nothing has occurred since the cleo
lions of last fall which has given the
managers of the Democratic party SO
much concern as the symptoms developed
by the outbursts of Mclean and Brown.
The managers see that their power is not
| equal to the emergency; that they CAM
not crush the old spirit swelling strong
again in the breasts of their more fiery
Southern members; and that the danger
OF rousing the North before another
| Congress has come and gone is one
which they cannot oyerestimate. But
while they see clearly that they can
scarcely hope to crush this new uprising
aud self-assertion of the Conf edeTate ele-
ment, at The same time they have not the
courage to denounce il. And, as of oldy
they must even yield to it, and humble
| themselves before it, The majority ON
the Democratic side deplored the scene
in which Mclean and Brown were actors,
and yet not Northern Democrat or
Southern one dared to vote to censure
him. The game is success in 1885, and
for this the Northern Democracy will
lay itself low at the feet of restored Con-
fedei ates, as in the old time it bowed
humbly to the slave power
The North may prepare itself for a
stormy Congress after the present ends.
fNhnrt will hn nffnrfo N maintain
| quiet and prevent imprudcnt speech on
the part of the majority in the next
House, but the faith of the managers
that these ends can be secured is very
weak. The signs are many and signif-
cant that the rallying cry which will win
in the organization OF the next House
will be, The South to the front.