The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-24
TILE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS.
sYILL THE STUPEyDOUS FRiUD BE
DEI'EI TED ny DELAYS?
The Majority of tho Democratic Ecprcsentn- !
tivcs Wnvcring- g-sOnc southcrncrs Opposed |
20 TIIIbusterIng and Othcrs FnvoIIng Il.


WASHINGTON Fob. 23-1'he Democratic
members OF the House who arc determined. at
all hazards. TO prevent the counting in of Hayes
| have received great encouragement during the
| past few days from their constituents. Tcle-
grams and letters have been pouring in upon
| them from every quarter of tho country.
| urging them to stand firm and defeat the crown
| Ing outrage by forcing now election. Those
| Democrats from the South and North who have
| been opposed to the intcrpostion OF delays in
counting the electoral vote have also heard from
their constituency. Whatever they may say about
representing the sentiments OF their constituents
II is very certain that they have not received let
tiers and kilograms approving their course. On
| the contrary. there has been such n tremendous
| pressure brought to bear upon them that the
majority are wavering. and many are inclined
| to join with those who took their stand before
| Louisiana was counted for Hayes
| 1t ia not true that the opposition TO delay
comes altogether from the South Some Of the
| would-bc leaders Of the Northern Democrats are
| as radically opposed to fillibustering as Ben Hill
| or any Of his class. Mr.. Morrison Of Illinois Is
| opposed TO any delay and so are Cox Of New
York. Clymer and jerks Of Pennsylvania. all
| the Massachusetts Democrats save Thompson
| and two or three from Indiana and Ohio. The
Missouri delegation is said to be nearly
unanimous against delay. At the last
two caucuscs held by the Democrats
the opposition TO fllbustering was very strong
Indeed, not more than q score OF members
were in favor OF taking determined stand
Since then. however. this forlorn hope has been
reinforced. until now the opposition TO
it can rally but little more than a
score and half Of members. Tho main
strength Of this opposition comes from
the South. The head and front Of 1t is Ben Hin
of Georgia who is outspokcn. and whose inilu-
ence is sufficient to control some OF the strong
est men in the Georgia delegation.
There arc others however. from the South
not so bold "a Mr.. Hill. who have been up to this
time disp9sed to 9low Mr; Hayes 70 come in
stion, Mr.. Lamar is the foremost exponent
Of this class; He has all along iett that
barrassing position. He is the Chairman OF
| the Democratic caucus and farls in honor
eaHtGs 10 may s1S detcTmnS @ R1 Rt tRe sSme % time it Is
very evident that he would glady welcome a
peaceful solution Ct the present dinicul:
| and humane policy WIS adopted 10y his admins-
tration toward t.,e South. He would counsel
| no opposition 10 Mr. Haycss administration on
Hampton Is recognized in South Carolina
Of the other Gnit States 'u are ' given pIp''n a
living chance. He would not demand Of
Mr, Hayes administration any portion OF the
| Federal In'ronag". ~ u means Oi encoura. iug
the formation oil a southern l"publi.an rariy
lln would, however, insist that local Federal
offices. su II - Marsha-hips. ID strict Attorney
ships. and Post Onircs should ba given To-
worthy and competent naive southrrncrs.
without regard to thrir political opinions. SO
far as know Mr.. Hill would not ask anything
moro.
There arc however. Democrats from the
South who would be willing to undertake. the
tA-k Of building up a Republican pnrty in that
section provided they had tho distribution Of
the Federal patronage: and it cannot be-
lief on The part of Southern men that
| tla safety urosu4ritV md lHpuf of tnp
South demand at their hands the accept
an, Of any fair nnd honoraole terms VII III
i~iraton. They Justify themselves 10y arguing
tnnt so long "a the south - rohdly Democraiig
@so arayrd rStd asanst % INST Hs''n Glenn. nani iG hat Y he
South cannot eNpet q fair and equitable d y
| trihNtiOn of the public moneys. Tn" policy OF
informal IMPROVEMENTS has cupti'a,ei large
portion Of tho southern people. Th"y
%sae ,H that yov1 '9r oSy HrSsT@" G9 ninth nadsri
1t the hands Of the Federal Goycrnment. II
they can have large appropriations for the
Improvement of their rivers and hgrhqrs. for
tho construction OF stately public buildings,
and. above all. u the general GoNcrnmani vi
grant "A subsidy 20 the Texas Pacific Railroad.
aud provide for III" CONSTRUCTION of leye,s along
tho Mis- s~ippi river they believe that tide Of
proNcmcnis. This infauation. with the greed
oi the hundred thousand and more persons who
want nu opportunity 10 ninulf, RI their devotion
for the old fag 10y drawing large salaries. las
undoubtedly exercised potent influence un
many Southern Democratic members ol Con-
Wnen the ncws leaked out Of the Electoral
Commission to-uay ht O'clOr X that the partisan
majority thereof would insist upon counting
the vote of Watts, the ineligible Oregon cle tor.
the effect On the Demo- ratio side OF the House
WAS @ ns,qnIy P,rcsrdpIe. An MN inI9Imai I caucus
t"nsibly to consider the condition Of the appro-
praton bills. but really to deyse some means
wnrh would brlng, about more unnnmons
action on the part of tho Democratic, majority
in regard 10 the course 70 be pursued in Joint
convention. 1t was there determined that
| soon IL was learned what
the acton OF the C?mmiSsiop would be today
tomorrow morning. and II caucus held this
evening. AT half-pust three o'clock. therefore,
motion for rcc'ss was made and carried, AMI
made from the Clerk desk that the Democratic
members should remain IN the hail AMI attend
Al / O'Clock the caucus was called TO order by
ths Sc9eirman TdT Mr tgmag' Mr kone W.T. Of
Mahon Of ONO offered resolution
e, ne on 7 that the House no,
Try ,he senate to meet oc thcm @ in i1n i
nitcr the announcement OF the decision in In,
Oregon case and the separation OF the iw,
Houses. the House would take recess unit
e Monday at 10 o'clo X, and that a caucus shOUlu
b, ,h.d Tomorrow, evening.
Following this. Mr.. kohr ~ Missouri offered
) n substitute Ia the efect that the cOfnt of IN,
electoral votes should proceed without delay ol
MI NoIi o ONO moved to amend by saving
? | "Gifor tWo hours dnlmte." etc. This amend.
m.pt t. the sulottuteWa accepted 10y Mr.. Kohr
| Mr.. NJ Muhon OF ONO lhrn made n -hou
% speech IN favor Of his resolution. He took TIA,
| ground that the Democratic minority should
make haste slowly, ana that Il was OF vital im.
| p1rtau 'c that they should asro' upon som,
o. H'fti'd plan. Ile counsnllcd harmony Enp
urged that IL was necessary, after the dc'!s ~
n tho Oregon ci.so had been heard
tat q final caucus should be held an,
| that thcn some settled policy shoulg
| no determined upon. For his par
l>> WAS in fnyur Of tinring every Obstruction
Mhl'h could be lnl"ip0sct unlor the ltN {,
prevent the counting IN of Mr.. llWrs. But If d
| majority of the Democratic mcmbcrs deter
B | mined otherw SO, he should peacefully submit
, He was supported 10y Mr. Vance of Ohio. VIII,
. appeni 4 20 the southern Democrats not I,
listen a. tIn promises and pledges Of Rnpubli-
run-. who claimed that thoy were authorized py
Nj. llA}c7 ~ pledge his administration (,
- policy different from that which hnd boon
pursued ly the Republican party towards tn,
South. lie called the particular attention Of
s S,ou'' ern Democrats, TO an editorial arti,
issue OF 1uo.day Inst. hi, nrl, bcsar
hy ask kng the question. why. If Louisiana b.
% j ''puhllonn by II handsome nuIur.ty, cauno
/ cratic minority " 10 answer thil Mr.
( | Comfy the particular friend and politira
adyser OF Mr.. Hayes takes up tw,
columns OF ths pnpcr. Ito usserls thH
the Republican party IN Louisiana is compose,