The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-26
Attempted Partisan Tyranny Over the
Minority in Congress.
4 SIGNAL AND MANLY DEFEAT
The Republican Caucus Plot Frustrated
by Republican Votes.
LORN 10 y Isl A N A
FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.


JGNoMINIoUs DEFEAT OF THE CAUCUS ATTEMPT
TO BIND FREE SPEECH IN THE HOUSE
MANLY REPUBLICAN VOTES REGISTERED
AGAINST CORRUPT PARTY TYRANNY-pEEP DE-
JECVIoN OF THE LOBBY.
The day turned out to De exciting and event'ul.
n least in the House. The caucus determined on
Saturday night TO begin The work OF regulating
the Southern States by measure regulating
which in this case meant suppressing-debate
IN the House. Accordingly this morning Mr..
Cessna, deputed for that work 10y the
caucus made a motion that the rules be so altered
that nenceiorth, during the remainder OF the SEES
sion, but one dlatory motion should be allowed
TO interrupt or postpone immediate action on any
bill or report wnicn might be presented to the
House. on this motion OF Mr.. Cessna men
ranged themselves 1T once. and, with a good
deal OF suppressed excitement, it was seen
that the vote would test the strength
ana conference OF the administration side
OF the House. Two-thirds were required to
pass it. and If two-thirds could be obtained for
gagging the House and suppressing debate, or
course it would be the power OF the admins
tratien to pass the most violent measures yet
spoken of-the two years. appropriations for the
army the provisional government bill, the martial
law bill-whatever they liked, in fact
There was no debate Mr.. Merriam, of New
YORK, in few pithy words protes ed
against measure which would be useful chiefly
to put through the House every subsidy scheme,
every JOB, however bad, which a committee might
report Many who heard Mr.. Merriam's protest
remembered that MI. Cessna, who was then trying
to gag the House, the supporter OF the noto-
nous Chorpennlng claim, and not lew noticed In
the lobby, as the voting began the anxious faces
OF the small band Of male and female lobbyists VINO
tlv
claim through.
1t Is probable that no one in the House knew
beforehand whether Mr.. Cessnas gag resolution
would be adopted rejected. There have signs
OF dssa tsfaction in the caucus, and the carpet
Daggers talked Indignantly OF people 1ddling
while Rome was afre; but the fddlers were not
an orchestra and no one knew precisely how
numerous they would be on vote which was to
test their party devotion. and the friends OF free
DEBATE were nervous, more nervous perhaps than
the Cnorpenning and other lobbyists who
peeped In at the doors and hoped that
their opportunity had come or was rapidly
coming. The call OF the yeas and nays consumes
nearly an hour in the House, and every vote was
eagerly listened lor M Bunlnton, OF Massachu-
setts, was the first republican the alphabetical
list who voted against the caucus. Burchard, Of
Illinois, ana BurlcigD, OF Name. followed IN swift
succession, and In due course came Foster, of
OHIO; Hale OF Maine; Hale, OF New York; Kasson,
Lloyd, Merriam, Phelps, OF New Jersey; Pierce,
Ross, Amber, Smith, John Q. Smith, Willard, OF
Vermont aad Willard, of Michigan.
Two thirds OF the House have not voted for the
resolution and the rules are not therefore sus-
pended reported Mr.. Speaker, and immediately
members began to look over their voting papers
ana comment upon the result IL was found that
Aessrs. Dawes and Garfield had not voted at ALL
ia limo
tary remarks upon their reticence. 1t was
understood, however. that they would
have voted against Cessna's gag resolution had
n been necessary to defeat Is; but it must be con-
fessed that the position OF a reserve force which
these two gentlemen choose sometimes 10 occupy
IL not pleasing to their fellow members and sub
jects them sometimes to observations which
would hardly please their intimate friends. The
"truiy loyal" part OF the House was amazed, not
70 say dumbiounded Indignation, and at what
they call nothing less than reasonable detection,
was quite fierce for awhile. There were even
members whoNoud not understand what Provi-
dence had IN store for the country, when such u.
blusnlng treason TO the party was permitted. on
the other hand, there was some disappointment at
one or two votes for the gag resolution notably
thai OF General Hawley, or Connecticut who, it
had been supposed, would on this occasion vote
for free speech instead OF against 1t, as ne did.
Meantime, while inside the Mouse conflict
ing emotions found vent, outside IN the lobby
the ChorpeRnlng people and the subsidy
people and the rest OF that kind went OF
with pale faces, for they comprehended very
well that they had met with defeat from
which, unless the Senate caucus GRAMS their
matters into the appropriation bills, they Will
hardly recover. The vote was iul, eni It was
ssir trial Of the strength OF the combined admin
istration and corruption lorces. There were
nearly as many democrats as republicans absent,
ana the eighteen republicans who to-day voted
for free discussion saved Congress ana the coun-
try rom dsgraceiu session. Those who know
the House win see that this small Test vote
tains larger part OF the brains OF the repu5l-
can side, and these eighteen gentlemen are more
than likely TO stand together IN future In opposi-
ton to the introduction and passage OF corrupt
&nd tyrannIcal measures. IL should be understood
10y The country that though this attempt OF the
caucus was ostensioly, and doubtless honestly,
IN the minds OF many OF Its supporters,
meant only 70 secure the adoption OF what they
call "strong policy for the SOUTH II it had sue
ceeded &c would have opened the door Tor a
multitude OF the corrupt Jobs which lie in wait for
just such an opportunity. This was plainly under
stood In the House well as IN the lobby
and IL Is probable that this afternoons vote
against the gag resolution will save the country
. good many millions OF dollars. "A the Jobs in
Washington and In the country are behind this
ching" exclaimed one outspoken republican. 1t
y already threatened, however, that many Of
shese Jobs, as well as the vndcuve measures 5ov-
ard the south Will reappear. tacKed on 70 appro-
priation hills, when these come over rom the
Senate and that an attempt will be made
90 frignten the republicans into party vote by
Threats OF calling the new Congress TO pass some
Of she appropriation bills; bat FOR the present
victory 70 clearly with the friends OF honest and
sensible government, and as four republicans,
voting AGAINST the Introduction OF measure
where q pwo-thirds vote is required, can cause its
failure thexe is ground to nope that no corrupt or
bad measures can be forced upon the House.
THE NEW LOUISIANA 1SvEsT1GATIoN-BITTE
PARTISAN COMPLAINTS OF THE ACTION OF THE
SUBCOMMITTEE SENT TO NEW ORLEANS AND
THEIR ABsUBuTY.