The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-27
The Defeat OF the Republican Caucus
ProSramme.


of December the republican majority was SO
discouraged that, for the first week or two,
there seemed little hope of retrieving the
broken fortunes of the party. Yet, in spite Of
the adverse elections, it still held control Of
the government But the republicans were
so divided that there was no prospect of their
making an effective use of their power during
the brief period before democratic House
will be able to block every new measure.
There was q necessity for doing something
before the opportunity slipped out of their
hands. 1t was now or never. They had re-
course to that potent engine, the caucus,
and succeeded in producing Fictitious
unity on the subject upon which their
conflicting views seem most irreconcila-
BILE. trimming finance bill was agreed
on by caucus and pushed through the
Senate, and then q House caucus adopted
it with similar success. The bill amounted
to little as o measure Of finance, but it
was dexterous party man9uvre, which
gave an appearance of unanimity to the re-
publicans in Congress on the question upon
which they seemed most hopelessly divided
When they had succeeded in bridging that
chasm the respondent feeling with which the
session opened was much relieved. If caucus
discipline could harmonize the dscordant
elements on that question what could it not
do? The new year. therefore, seemed to
open with revival of confidence, and had it
not been for the supendous Louisiana blum
der the republican majority might have
accomplished wonders before the 4th of
March. They might have admitted Colorado
and New Mexico as States, thereby gaining
six Presidential electors; they might have
patched up compromise civil rights bill in
caucus and forced it through Congress they
might have recognized the kellogg govern
ment AMI kept their hold on Louisiana for
period overlapping the Presidential election,
and have made army appropriations for two
years, relieving the President from depend
ence on the incoming democratic House.
This cup was dashed out of their hands by
tie great outbreak of public indignation on
the military dispersion of the Louisiana Legis-
lature
But even then the republican members did
not abandon their faith in King Caucus, who
had done such wonders in disciplining the
party into unity on the difficult question of
the currency. Caucus after caucus was ac-
cordingly held but the previous abiect submits
sion to that form of tyranny was broken.
After several abortive conclaves, in which
some republican members declined 10 partici-
pate, and which some others attended only
to manifest their contempt Of carpet-bag zeal,
q caucus at last succeeded in adopting q
scheme for gagging debate and strangling OPP
position in the House. The substance of this
precious project was repeal or suspension,
for the residue of this session, of the estab-
lished rules Of the House long in force and
deliberately adopted for preventing hasty ILL
advised legislation. 1t was project for
stripping the minority of their parliamentary
rights and enabling the caucus to ride rough
shod over every attempt to oppose its DEGREES.
1t proposed virtual transfer Of the powers of
legislation which belong to the House to
secret conclave, whose majority. instead Of
majority of the House, it tried to invest with
the power of passing bills. Caucus dictation
is bad enough, even when it acts within
/
O tyranny which deprives members of the
free exercise of their judgment, and constrains
them to vote against their sense Of the public
interest But when caucus assumed to
trample down oil the ordinary safe
guards of legislation, when it undertook
to gag discussion and render the opposition
members as powerless as if they had been ex-
PEELED from their seats, it was high time for
honorable republicans to break the yoke Of
caucus tyranny ana resume their individual
freedom. The country is to be congratulated
that there were independent republicans
enough 10 deIeat this odious scheme, which
would have opened the door to every disgrace
full job of the lobby, as well as to the high
handed measures of the thick-and-thin sup
porters of the President.
The revolt against caucus despotism when
! it undertook 10 subvert the rules of the House
and abolish them for the remnant Of this ses-
sion will weaken this despotism when acting
within the rules. The republican members
who emancipated themselves in this instance
will be likely to reclaim their freedom and ex-
ercise their own judgment under future at
tempts at caucus dictation. The authority
of the caucus has been too conspicu-
ously shattered for Independent mem
bers to bow servilely to its discipline
in any case in which they may think caucus
decree detrimental to the best interests of the
party. We should attach less importance to
this rebellion against caucus tyranny if it
we're not so well supported by republican pub
lie opinion outside of Washington and so
perfectly justified by the excellent letter Of
Vice President Wilson and the presumed
views of Speaker Blaine and other republican
statesmen Mr. Wilson publicly warned the
party that it 'cannot recover its lost power
and prestige by policy of rewards and pun