The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-12-06
Gettlng I.eady tor the Caucus.


WAsHINGToN, December 18th,
The canvass for the speakership has
been actively conducted up to the last
moment. Itis now minutes Of . p. NJ.
and the floor Of the House ia with diff.
Guilty being cleared OF persons not entl.
tied TO participate In the caucus about to
be held. There are no new developments
except the determination OF the Virginia
Delegates to vote unanimously for White.
head for clerk. The friends Of Randall
and Kerr seem equally confident, and the
prediction Of this, that or other ::persOn
being elected, Us compromise candidates
are as numerous as heretofore.
THE HALL CLEARED AND READY FOR AC-
TON
The work Of singing ont and ejecling
outsiders was completed about 2;l5 p. NJ,
when the caucus was called to order by
Fernando wood. On his motion J. q, c,
Lamar, Of Mississippi, was chosen pre-
siding officer, and on the motion Of Mr.
Holman, Of Indiana, Mr.. Banning, ol
Ohio independently, was made Secretary
LAMAR's SPEECH.
Mr.. Lamar on taking the chair said
"Gcntlemen, in calling me to this position
Of responsibility and distinction you have
conferred an honor which | appreciate
most highly, and for which | thank you
most cordially We here are confronted
with crisis IN the history Of the Demo-
cratic party and Of the country which
brings to our party grand opportunities,
but IS at the same time freighted for lls
with solemn responsibilities, and live do
not improve these opportunities and rise
to the measure OF these responsibilities
the fruits Of the great political evolution
which has brought us here to-day will be
for liz like the fruit which grows upon
the accursed sea.
pTsQUTsITIoN ON THE POPULAR BRANCH
OF THE GOVERNMENT.
The people Of this country, by over.
whelnling majorities Of States and major
itics in States, have placed the Demo.
cratic party, after long period Of exclu.
sion from power, In the possession Of the
most important department OF the Fede-
raj Government. When | say important
| do not mean that the individual mem.
bers are invested with imposing preroga-
tives or great personal distinction. The
departments OF patronage, those which
hold and command the glittering prizes
Of Government emoluments and honOrS,
are the coordinate branches OF the Gov.
ernmeut, which are still under the con-
troll Of our political opponents. The
members Of the House Of Representatives
have no patronage whatever beyond that
Of the appointment OF n military or naval
cadet, and their compensation Ia barely
adequate to n lie Of republican simplicity
and prudential economy. There are
many offices in tho gift Of the Executive
far more profitable, and in the public eS-
teen far more distinguished than that Of
a seat in the House OF Representatives, but
this branch Ia, nevertheless, under Our
matchless system Of government, the cor.
ner-sLone Ofour fabric OF liberty, because
II Ia the only department Of the Federal
Government directly responsible to the
people OF the country and receiving It's
movers directly from their hands. All
other branches OF the Government IRE
two or three degrees removed from the
people In the mode Of their selection and
In the nature OF their responsibilities.
But while the House OF Representatives
Is Immediately responsible 10 the people,
all the other baanches Of the Government
are responsible TO this body. The people
Of the country have charged the Demo-
cratic party III the House Of Representa-.
tnes with the important duty Of bringing
these coordinate branches Of the Govern.
ment to their just responsibility.
WHAT THE PEOPLE DEMAND.
The people demand at our hands a
sweeping and thorough reform In the
civil service, which shall be conducted in
n spirit that will secure the appointment
10 places OF trust and responsibility the
honest, the experienced and the capable.
There Ia also an imperative demand that
a vigilant examination he made into the
administration Of the public revenue OF
the country; that all the public accounts
shall he scrutinized by III, and corruption
ierreted out, and wrong.doers, no matter
how high or how low, shall be iearlessly
artaigned and freely exposed and pun.
ished One OF the pressing demands upon
ia IL to perfect and adopt such system Of
taxation as will bring In the required
revenue with tile fewest restrictions upon
commerce and with the least burden to
the people, and that bntden equally dis.
tributed and Skilliully adjusted.
Owing TO the exigencies Of the great In.
tetnecine conflicts incident to the life OF
almost every country also to perniciouS
system Of llegislation, our people are suf.
tering from the evils Of an ifredeemable
currency.
THE CURRENCY QUESTION.
In meeting and grappling with tile diff.
fiCulties ni this vital and perpleXing
question, IL will be our duty to take care
that nothing is done which would impair
the good faith Of the country, or tatnish
the public honor, or lower or disturb the
the credit Of our Government, but we are
to remove those distractions which bar
the progress and check the prosperity Of
the American Republic. II IL our duty
as Democrats; it Is the duty, and ia to be
the glory Of the Democratic party while
IL controls this House to see that the Ma.
tional debt Is paid, and that the currency
Of this Democratic Republic IL made
equal with that Of any nation on the
earth.
NICE TALK, BUT SOME OF IT ALtrrLE THIN.
The grandest aspiration Of the Demo.
cratic party will be TO restore the Cons.i.
tuition TO liz primitive strength and au.
thority, and 10 make II the protection Of
every section and Of every State In the
Union, and Of every human being Of every
a., ooIor and CoHdilinn In Aha iSrJ III.