Daily Kennebec journal., 1875-12-06
Congressional Preliminaries.
EACH PARTY HOLDS SACAUCUS
Hon. NJ. e. Kerr Of Indiana, the
Democratic Nominee for the
Spcakership.
THE REPUBLICANS RE-NoMINATE THE
OLD OFFICERS.

Washington, December 4.
The canvass for the speakership has been &C
lively conducted up to the last possible moments.
The floor and lobbies of the house have been
crowded since l.30, and they are with difficulty
being cleared of those not entitled to participate
in the caucus. The only new development Of
late has been the determination of the Va. dele
CATION TO vote unanimously for Whitehead for
clerk. The friends of Randall and Kerr seem to
be equally confident and predictions of this, that
or the other person being elected as compromise
candidate are as numerous as heretofore.
II is not known among the most prominent re-
publicans Of the house whether they will hold q
caucus or not but there is no doubt that the present
officers of the house W i'll receive their compliment
tary vote
Long before II o'clock the time fixed for the
meeting of the democratic caucus, crowd moved
TO the capitol, crowding the doorways to the
house. At no time heretofore has there been
more anxiety respecting the organization of the
house than now.
The caucus was called to order by Fernando
Wood. J. Q. A. Lamar was chosen presiding
officer. On the third ballot, Kerr was chosen by
a slight majority, and the nomination was then
made unanimous.
The republican members held caucus tonight
and re nominated Mr.. Blaine for Speaker, and all
the other old officers.
The democratic caucus this evening nominated
Adams of KY, clerk; j. &. Thompson of o.,
geant-at-arms; l.. H. Fitzhugh Of Tex, (formery
sergeant-at arms of the Confederate congress)
door-keeper; James Stewart of Va, postmaster; ;
Rev. J. l.. Townsend of Washington, (Episco-
palian) chaplain.
Representative Kerr received many of his
friends, to-day, who called to congratulate him on
his nomination for the speakershp All parties
concede his fitness for the position.
Surprise if expressed that the west and south
carried all the Offices for the two or three hum
dred places. There are at least one thousand ap-
plicants. Some of the defeated candidates COM
plain that certain members, who promised them
their support were guilty of breach of faith,
having deserted them ON the ballot. At least a
dozen of the defeated candidates came hther with
high anticipation, but now wonder that they had
SO little strength.
Rev. j. S. Townsend, who has charge Of the
Episcopal church at Washington, and who reed
a ma ority Of the votes of the for chaplain
of the house, was nominated by Hon. VIM. H.
Barnum, who stated that Townsend had been
driven out of Connecticut by the republicans OF
that State for his political views.
The first business Of to- morrow will be the call
ing of the roll of members by NJ c. Pherson, the
present clerk, and the administration of the oath
of office; next, the election Of speaker, doofkeep
er, sergeant at arms, postmaster and chaplain.
Questions affecting the seats of some of the
members may arise, and in consequence the organ
ization may be protracted by debate. In view of
snch an event, the President will not transmit his
message to Congress until Tuesday noon.
The document is longer than that Of last year
by about five printed pages in document form,
and contains upwards of 10000 words. The mes
sage will be telegraphed to the press of the coun
try, all reports of the heads of departments with
the exception of the report of the secretary of the
Interior have been sent hence, to be held for pub
location unit il the message is sent to Congress.
The printn. of thelabov report has been de-
layed, but copies will be forwarded tomorrow
The contents Of the message has been studiously
concealed.
There is much speculation with regard to the
appointment of the standing committee of the
House, and already representative Randall has
been accorded by outside parties the chairmanship
Of the committee appropriations, Fernando
Wood on ways and means, and Cox foreign af
fairs, but such caste of course, is without the
least authority, and several weeks may eiapse
before the speaker himself will announce the
committees.