The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1876-12-14
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Especial Correspondence of the Democrat
WASHINGTON, D.. c.,
naa q ISre

urrounded by conditions of such S
moment as have not existed since ]
$50. The contest over the Speaker I
ship of the House had been decided t
n caucus, on Saturday, by the selec-
ion of Mr.. Randall, and he was
mptly elected. 1t was the uni
versal feeling that the House has got
to stand between the people and the
desperate plot to overthrow their
that made Mr.. Randalrs nom
nation inevitable. The situation
pointed to him rs the man qualified
and equal to it. The combination of
circumstances which a year ago had
made his selection impossible had Civ
en- place to a different combination
Of circumstances now demanding it.
He is undoubtedly best fitted, of all
tile members, from long experience,
thorough familiarity with parliamen-
tary practice and personal character
istics to occupy the chair. Those
who have witnessed some of his gal
liant assaults upon the weak points
of the other side of the House, know
better than 1 can describe what some
of those characteristics are-conf-
dence, self-reliance and bulldog per-
tinacity. He has a sharp, piercing
eye, a square, smoat face, with a
frank, open expression of counte-
nance, and is as quick as creased
lightning. His folte is, argument
and when he attacks q subject its as
sailable points are made to stand out
so prominently that to get by them
his opponent must climb over. He
gives the closest attention to what is
said on the other side and is instant
ly ready with tie most pointed reply.
He is impatient and irritable some
times, but never is caught mapping,
and is always magnanimous, in a
parliamentary sense. Few men know
the rules of the House as well as he,
or have them as readily at command.
In the chair he decides quickly, and
dispatches business with wonderful
rapidity. He handles the gayel like
a workman familiar with his tools,
and his voice, though not Of the me-
lodious order, is ample.
The Republicans are not very well
satisfied with President Grants mes
sage to Congress. The opening sec
tons of it are too apologetic in tone
to suit the leaders, who fear that the
explanation of mistakes on the part
of the administration may be taken
as too much of an admission of the
charges brought against the party in
power. Senator Morton is said to
have openly expressed himself in
terms more emphatic than pious. OF
%course that wing of the party repre-
sented by Morton, Chandler, and
Don Cameron-the wing that over.
threw Bristow and Jewell and tho't
it a shame that Belknap was disgrac
ed-would never weaken in the face
of the enemy. But the Democrats
find nothing in the message to praise
/. from their standpoint. 1t is regard
ed as the weakest ofall Grants stats
papers, absolutely without signif
canoe except as a personal history o
it's author and a reference to SOM
events connected with the nationa.
history in which he bore a conspic
d uous part. Most of the Democrats
are not disposed to be misled by his
) explanatory and innocent attitude
When consideled in the light offact!
| and his recent acts there is too mucl
! of the heather chinee so "child-like
and bland" about it. Yet it is ap
parent from his interview with MI
:. Hewitt and the tenor Of this messag,
c that the possibility of Impeachment
has some terrors for the President
and if he could conciliate the Demo
cratic House without throwing over
board his pets, the carpet-baggers
he would like to do it. But the De
G mocrats in Congress put little faitl
e in honied words coming from tn
e same source that indicted a messag
in 1875 repudiating and condemnin:
q in the strongest terms military inter
ference in Louisiana, when the autho
S of the message less than two year
e later, repeats the usurpatior in
more glazing form.
The efforts of the Republicans t
prevent investigation into the fraud
in South Carolina, Louisiana an
. Florida by strenuously opposing thC
appointment of committees now o
their way, has not given their cas-
much strength Or sympathy here
Republicans appointed on these CON
mitteas manifest q disinclination t
serve. If there are no wrongs to b
discovered why fear investigation
. But it is a disagreeable thing for
n strong partisan to be placed in a pc
sition where he must do violence t
h his conscience, if he has any, by dc
nying the truth, or disgrace and de
feat his party by telling it.
e In view of the action ofthe return
g ing boards in the disputed States
) the little contest in The House o
> Monday relative to placing the nam
! OF the new Colorado member on th
: roll assumes great Importance. Til
| purpose of Chandler & Co. to gobbl
d the next House at the same time the
e grab the presidency is clearly ev
4 dent. Now they figure themselve
out n majority, counting all til
lie members returned as elected frol
those States, and the three to /
lie elected from New Hampshire. So
the precedent had been establishe
by Mondays proceedings that tn
, clerk had no discretion in the prem
70 Uses but to enroll the claimants PR
&c senting formal certificates, til
scheme to capture the next Hous
- would be in danger of succeedin,
70 But the result of that skirmish e.
tabl;shed quite a different preceden
ts and under that ruling the clerk wi