The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1877-11-30
A Tug OF war in rhe seuase.

a Tug OF WAR In Ghe Senate.
Great political interest is manifested
all over the country in the struggle
going on In the Senate in regard to the
contested seats from Louisiana and
South Carolina. That body Is now so
nearly balanced politically, that the
democrats are making desperate eff
fort to gain an equality, and IL they
succeed In regard to the two contested
seats, they will, when the newly elect
ed legislatures of Ohio and Pennsylva-
MIA elect successors to Stanley Mat
thews and Don Cameron, have q ma
jority. The Senate now stands, count
ing Judge Davis as democrat, SO re-
publicans to 80 democrats, with one va
cancy from Louisiana to which Eustis,
a democrat, has been elected, and one
contested seat from louisiana, and one
contested seat from South Carolina.
The vacancy from Louisiana will, OF
course, be filled by Eustis, SO that
we may say that the Senate now stands
IS republicans to &c democrats, and If
the two contested seats are filed by
democrats, the Senate would be tie
between the two parties, and after
March 4, 1879, the democrats would
have tile majority. The republican
chance for q continued majority, or
even for n tie, after 1870, appears to
depend on the decision Of the two seats
now in contest, and hence the pro-
tracted struggle now going on in re-
gard to them.
These contestants are Corbin and
Butler of South Carolina, and Kellogg
and Spofford from Louisiana. The COM
mittee on elections has finished invesri-
eating the Louisiana case, and had
agreed to report in favor of Kellogg
The democrats then resolved to push
the South Carolina case to q decision
first, and last week Mr.. Thurman NOV
ed to discharge the committee from
further consideration of that case, and
to seat Mr.. Butler, and two of the re-
publican Senators, Patterson of South
Carolina, and COnover of Florida, voted
with the democrats in favor of Butler,
giving that side two majority as far as
his case was concerned. Several Sena-
tors are absent, but all are paired except
Sharon of Nevada, who is at home at
tending to his vast mining interests
and having millions of dollars just now
at stake in speculations, absolutely re-
fuses to go to Washington to vote with
his fellow republicans, and If he resigns
the democratic Governor of Nevads
would of course appoint democrat Il
fill the vacancy. The course of Como
YER and Butler is undoubtedly due tC
the fact that they wish to continue IL
public service, and that their emily
chance of reelection is to now satisfy
the democratic party of their respec.
tive States. Thurman presses hi
motion to vote, and the republican,
are doing all in their power to delay 1
vote in the hope that Sharon will re
turn, or that ConOver, Patterson o.
Davis win finally join them and decide
against the admission of Butler. l
those three Senators, however, persis
In voting with the democrats in thii
matter, Butler will be admitted, and
they also vote with the democrats wheI
the Louisiana case Is acted upon, thu
Senate will be q tie. They hold tn,
balance of power, and upon their &C
ton depends the political cOmplexiOl
of the Senate for, possibly great ma
ny years. Butler will be remembered
as the southern hero of the Hamburg
South Carolina massacre of negro mill
tia In 1876. Both on that account anC
on account of the illegality of his cleo
ton by the South Carolina Legislature
the republicans oppose his admission
as Senator from that State.
Later news. as will be seen by on
Congressional reports, shows that tn,
Republicans are ahead yet In thei
parliamentary struggle. though 1t q
not over. The uncertain political po
sition of Judge Davis, as well as o
Conover and Patterson, complIcate
matters so that no one can fOretell tn,
final result.
Senator Plumb received a Telegram
last night from Washington, saying
that Kellogg's case now had the prece
dence, and that lt was deemed certain
that he would be admitted AS soon as
vote was reached. This will adj an
other vote to the Republican side an,