Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-10-24
WASHINGTON.
Republican Caucuses-The Con-
ference at Secretary Sher-
mans,
Special Dispatch 10 the chicago tribune.

L 1
mans.
Special dispatch to the Chicago Tribune
WAsHrNGToN, ID. c., Oct 2l.-The
account of the conference of repub-
leans at Secretary Sherman's house,
OH Friday night, can be supplement-
ed by the following detailed state
mcnts Of the speeches of the different
This conference also sug-
gcsted that tho different state rcpub-
lican delegations hold conferences on
Saturday night. This was done to a
limited extent. Among other con-
ferences held were those of the Illi-
nois and Iowa delegations. Sccreta-
ry Sherman had very little to say,
and nothing in reference to the South
ern policy, He urged upon those
present that il is important that re-
publican members should call upon
tho President and talk freely with
him. He thought it would be Sc
rious mistake for them should they
absent themselves habitually on &C.
count of their dissatisfaction. In an
swer to the expressions of dissatis-
faction with the civil service order
and its operation.
SECRETARY SHERMAN INSISTED
that the order had been misinterprct-
ed and misunderstood. In this he
was warmly seconded by Garfield
and Foster, each taking the position
that the Presidents intention was not
to prevent office-holders from taking
properly active part in the cam
paign after the convention had put
ticket in the field.
Gen. Cox, of Ohio, defended the
President, indicated his cordial sup
port of his entire policy, and argued
that the President had simply carried
to their practical effect the principles
enunciated in the republican plat
form and in his letter Of acceptance.
At this point he was interrupted by
Frye, of Maine, who asked Gen. Cox
to point to that plank in the plat
form or that clause in the letter of
acceptance which foreshadowed the
appointment of an cx-Confederate
and lifelong democrat to Cabinet
position.
Mr.. Grape, of Massachusetts,, indi-
Gated his support of the President,
both in his Southern policy and his
civil service order. Frye, of Maine,
spoke in very strong terms in con-
domination of the Southern policy,
and as to the civil service reform de-
clared there was nothing in it. Hale
confined his remarks chiefly to the
real subject before the meeting, nance
Ily, the treatment of the anticipated
I1amncrof ic roc olufinn
NEITHER GARFIELD NOR FOSTER
; had much to say in reference TO the
Southern policy, but occupied them.
selves chiefly with the discussion OF
! avoiding a split in the party upon
+ any vote which the democrats might
: force.
!, Martin /. Townsend, of New York
, said he felt very kindly towards the
President, and had desired to sup
9 port him cordially, but that he had
/, become impressed by the reports
which he had read from time to time
! that the President regarded members
of Congress unfayorabiy, and that, al
: he was considered a tolerably homes
, and respectable man at home, he die
: not care to introduce himself at tn,
f White House, where he could NOT b,
4 certain of the standing which he oc
. cupied.
I, GEN. BUTLER.
, spoke with great earnestness IN re
|, gard TO the importance to tho coun
! try Of unfolding and continuing thu
Republican party. Speaking of it al
/, the hope of the country, he took thu
position that the great object Of re
, publicans was to insure it's success
His remarks in regard to civil servict
reform were directed to Gen. Cox
: speech upon that subject, and were
q FILLED WITH sNEERs
D at this portion of the policy.
LII regard to that part of Cox
Y speech in which he declared that tn
n President was in full sympathy witt
: the party, and only desired its good
. Danford, of Ohio, asked what evi
t dence there was that the Presiden
: sincerely desired the good of tn
0 party in his selection of a Cabinet, il
9 which there were at least three mem
4 bers who did not care straw wha
D became of the Republican party, nj
0 luding to Evarts, Schurz and Key.
8 Cox, in his reply to this, declared
it to be unfair to assume that thes
gentlemen were not in accord wit
the party and that they did not desir
its success.
THoRNBURGH, OF TENNESSEE,
said that the Republicans of that sec
ton were utterly disheartened, tina
9 there was no longer Republican or
/ ganiZatiOn in the State, that they hat
: no representative in the Cabinet, an,
: that they were obliged, when seekin,
Y anything in connection with the Post
Office Department, to 60 over tn
4 head Of that department to the Presi
| dent himself, and that Southern Re
J publicans would not confer directl,
/ with the P0stmaster-G General.
/ At this point Blair, of New Hamp
) shire, inquired of Thornburgh wheth
!. er, when they had visited the Presi
3 dent, they had received any satisfac
f ton from him. and whether they ha,
ever been able to obtain what the,
4 wanted.
d Thornburgh said they never hat
, been.
I CANNON, OF ILLINOIS,
: reported that there was very gcner
Y al feeling among the Republicans o
: his State that the President had no
, properly cared for those TO whom Ii,
! owed his election, and there was yer,
: great dissatisfaction as to his treat
], ment of Southern Republicans.
4 Dunnell, of Minnesota, stated tina
the Republicans of his State were no
: cordial towards the President.
Conger, of Michigan, expressed tn
t opinion that, in his State, the Repub
lican feeling was that the policy O
4 the President towards the South mus
I be accepted rs a matter of fact, and q
: something which it was now impossi
j bic to remedy, and that, in regard L
: the Civil-Service order, at least nine
: tenths of Michigan Republicans dis
approve of it totally.
THE GENTLEMEN PRESENT.
The following are the persons who
were present at the conference: Hale
and Frye, of Maine; Hendee, of Yer
! mont; Butler and Grape, Of Massa
! chusetts; Blair, of New Hampshire
, Martin l. Townsend, of New York
Russell Errett. of Pennsylvania u. ID
Cox, Garfield, Foster and Danford, oil
Ohio; Conger, of Michigan; Thorn.
burgh, of Tennessee Dunnel, OF
Minnesota; Price, of Iowa; Page, OF
California; and Cannon and Bnrch-
ard, of Illinois.