Wilmington daily commercial. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1866-1877, 1875-02-19
SECOND EDITION.


THE " CONFEDERATE STATES " TO RUN THE NEXT
CoNGREss-TuE CHANGED TONE AND ATTITUDE
OF SOUTHERN MEN-TnE NORTHERN DEMOCRATS
EATING HUMBLE PIE, As USUAL.
Correspondence Cincinnati Gazette
WASHINGTON, Feb. Is.
A significant incident occurred at the Capitol
a few days since, which speaks volumes concern
ing the temper of a large element on the Demo
cratic side of the House.
A correspondent had printed paragraph IA
vorinS the election OF Mr.. O'Brien, of Maryland.
as clerk of the New House. The correspondent
was Immediately waited upon by several South
ern members, who attempted to persuade him
from any further advocacy of this gentleman.
He was Informed that the objection was not to
Mr.. O'Brien personally, but to the State which
he represented In the elegant and expressive
language OF tho member speaking for the South,
Maryland was "puke State'--tnat is, as he
proceeded to explain, "a Southern State which
during the war was neither cold nor hot, neither
Confederate nor Union" The South intended
to control the organization of the next House,
and had votes enough to doit. No border State
that failed the Conte1eracy in the war should
be recognized i'll that organization. The real
South, the old South would hold the balance of
power, and the representatives of the "puke
State u" would be made to stand aside. To the
question, "What do you propose To 10 with
kentucky2" the reply was " kentucky is 'puke
Doubtless Nils iouii would have received the
same condemnation had she been named.
Further, at this interview, it was declared
that the South intended 10 claim prominent
committees for ex-Coniederate Generals. and
two of these were named Gen. Eppa Hunton,
of Virginia, il tho only Southern Democrat now
oh the Military Committee who is reelected,
and he should be Chairman of that committee
in the next Congress-. The South would igsist
upon that. For the same reason Whitthorne, of
Tennessee, would be Chairman of Naval Affairs
To this programme the entire delegation of
ons of the largest Southern States was commit
ted, according to this gentleman who was speak
ing for them. There was 10 sham about this
interview. The was no bluster or bravado about
it. 1t was cool business consultation between
prominent Southern Democrats and a correepon-
dent whom they supposed to be in full accord
with themselves. 1t clearly shadows forth the
platform Of the strongest element that will con-
tend for the control of the next House.
1t is fair notice to the North OF what it may
expect from the day the present Congress ad-
journs-namely an active struggle within the
Democratic party for the full restoration OF the
South to political CONTROL 70 far as that party
can Low restore it.
These signs have been frequent and unms-
t ikable throughout the present session. In tie
last Congress, the Confcderates bore Themselves
quietly. The tone and temper Of Lamai's eulo
gy OF Mr.. sumner seemed u fair exponent of
their position. Thor conduct toward the Re-
publican eido of the House carried with it traces
of an admissij N that they held seas in Congress
through the orbcarance and magnauimity of Il
great Government. BIT all tlIls has changed.
On that side now the old spirit is settling down
again. and dehantly asserting Itself. There are o
few men of large idens and cool heads like Lamar
who are constantly eXerting Themselves to curb
these manifestations which they understand SO
we'll. Bat Mclean and john YOnng Brown now
represent the Southern Democratic elements, and
not Mr.. Lamar. Republican members who sif
on the opposition side of the House have daily
cause to notice the change which has taken
place. They say at the laet session the under
current of comment upon the proceedings, which
lows on increasingly among members, contained
little bitterness Of expression to-
ward Republicans. This condition has wholly
changed, and now, 'hese members say,
scarcely day passes and never an hour during
political debate, that coarse and insulting re-
marks about Northern mon and Republicans are
not heard OH the Democratic side of the cham
Der.
Nothing has occurred since the elections of
ast fail which has given tho managers of the
oms developed by the outbursts of Mclean and
Brown The managers see that their power ss
lot equal to the emergency; THAT they can not
rush the old spirit swelling strong again in
he breasts of their moro fiery Southren mem
)ers; and that the danger of rousing the North
before another Congress has come and gone is
me which they can not over estimate. But
while they see clearly that they can scarcely
rope 10 crush tnlb Lew uprising ana sell -hsser-
ion of the confederate element, at the same
ime they have not the courage to denounce it,
tnd as Of old, they must even yield to it, aud
humble themselves before it, The majority on
he Democratic sde deplored the scene III which
Mclean and Brown were actors and yet not a
Northern Democrat or a Southern ono dared to
'cte TO censure him. The game is success il
876, and for this the Northern Democracy will
ay itself low at TIE feet of restored Confeder-
ties, as in the old time II bowed hlmbly TO the
liz va nnMpr.