New-York tribune., 1875-12-04


lBY rElRaPAPR TO The TRIBuNB.l
WASHINGTON Dec. 3-The contest for the
Epeakership of the next House. or at least that part
of IL that has taken place in Washington. has been
short and sharp. Scarcely week ago the capita
seemed only Just beginning 10 awaken from its sum
mer quetude and during little more than nan Oh
the time has the for the severai caiuiua'es
been at all earnest OF excited Tonight 1t VIII close
with its result in greater doubt than IL mas heeeu
70 be AZ almost any time since It began.
The Democratic Representatives have now almost
all arrived n great number reaching Washington by
the trains to-day and this evening, though iew
FINN remote sections of the South have been de-
tained 10y the rregularity of trains and telegraph
that they will be unable to reach here III time Tor
caucus tomorrow afternoon Accompanying the
members are hundreds of seekers for Offices in the
gift of the House. hardly State which sends Demo
cratic Representatives failing Ia send with them
quota at least equally great to assist IN carrying on
the business of the House. When to these are added
scores of active Democratic politicians from all over
the country who not for the Offices Tor them
solves but TO help their friends take part in the
speakershp contest or simply 10 look on and see the
fun; and when a majority of all these classes are
turned into the Hobbies and corridors OF three OF
four hotels with few hundred Of permanent resi-
dents of Washington smoking, drinking, talking
arpuing. the excitement rising and falling like
long swell OF the ocean, the scene becomes about as
much confused as any one is likely to see AZ the
capital, except in the House of Representatives,
when il is in session. Every person III these great
and excited crowds is seeking information. " How
stands the fighti" is the question every one asks,
and few are able TO answer. The friends of each
candidate are sanguine, and think that they have
pleges enough ia insure the choice of their candi-
date but a comparison of the lists they exhibit
shows that very little dependence can be placed on
any of them. There may be canyasses made by the
candidates themselves their near friends, that
NAV be in degree trustworthy but these are seen
by very few and even they doubtless have many
mistakes.
great number of Democratic Representatives
have openly announced their preferences, and have
pledged their support either to Mr.. Randall, Mr.
Kerr, OF Mr Cox and, i'll return, some OF them have
probably been promised good positions on commit
fees should their favonte be elected. But large
body OF the Democratic members still remains
unpledged. and many of them aTe counted upon by
both sides When approached by the friends OF
either candidate, they receive them politely, and
assent 10 all they say about the merits OF the gentle
man they hope 10 elect but are careful not TO COM
init themselves. 1t is this large, independent vote
that makes il SO difficult a matter for any one to
Judge, even this evening, when the contest j. about
closing low IL viii result.
Considerable excitement has been cansed during the
last two or three days by reports that have been cir
culated here and elsewhere az to pledges that are
faid 10 have been gwen by each of the leading can
didates 10 the representatives of special and import
ant interests in return for their support. For
instance il has been repeatedly asserted that
Thomas Scott has pledges from Mr.. Randall that
Lac will aid the Texas Pacific scheme in return for
the aid which Mn Scott's powerful lobby can give
him in his present contest. This Mr.. Randalfs
l. Ia Aanv 11.pV
made no pledges, except that if elected he
will appoint fair Committee on Railroads and Ca
nails Mr. Kerr they say, has done as much as this.
AT the same time, there is no doubt chat Mr.. scott
prefers the election Of MIR. Randall over Mr. Kerr,
and that the men in Washington, who are generally
counted as the friends of bis scheme are working
for Sir Randars So, too those representa-
tves from the South and Southwest, who are
supposed TO he committed 10 the support of the
Texas and Pacific bill, are generally counted
on by Mr. RandaIps friends to vote for him in the
caucus tomorrow. But his managers say that this
should not he used az an argument TO injure Mr..
Randall because he cannot he expected TO turn
away any votes that lie can honorably get, and if
the Texas Pacific people, knowing bis anti-subsidy
record are wiling 70 support him without pledges,
that ought not 10 lose him the votes Of the opponents
Of that scheme
As the contest seems 10 a loOker-on to be one of
man and not of princpies all candidates being con
sidered by those who have known them the longest
and best as above reprOach, il is not probable that
the Texas Pacific support viii drive any votes away
from Mr.. Randall. On Wednesday and Thursday
the tide seemed to be turning in favor of Mr. Kerr
great number of Representatives, who are counted
among his supporters, arrived in town those days,
and his forces seemed TO gain strength very rapidly.
But to-day the friends of Mr. Randall appear to have
rallied, and late this evening are more hopeful.
Still 10 an outsider there seems little ground
for either party to be greatly confident
1t is thought possible by thai the baottug to-
morrow NAV result In n deadlock; that the friends
of each candidate may be persistent that the cleo
tion of either Of the three will be impossible; and
that in this case some new man may he taken up
This hardly Geems possible, because 1t is believed
that either of the three would prefer 10 have one OF
the others elected than any new man, since in The
latter event the defeated candidates would have one
less chance to be appointed TO the COM
mittee cbaiImanship be desires, as there would
be one more man 10 he provided with first
class place on the floor The for subordinate
Offices of the House is surrounded by more un
certainty than that for the Speakershp. The latter
has so OveTshadowed the Others III Importance that
very few persons, except the candidates for the
coveted places and their friends, have given them
much thought attention. A widespread impress
sion prevails that A. d. Banks of Mississippi is one
of the strongest candidates for the Clerkshp, and
Mr. Thompson Of Ohio for the position of Sergeant
alarms.
Lateral IL o'clock tonight, the friends Of Mr.
Randall were in the highest spirits and said that il
il not possible to beat their candidate. The follow
ing is their canvass hich they say under rather
than above the mark: New-IIampshire /; Con-
necticut 3; New-York, 2; Ncw-Jersey, Al Penn
svlyania II. Ohio 10: Delaware, | /; MARY land, {;