Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1877-02-24
CONGRESS-.
Cancus Of the House of Representa-
tiVes.


tiVes.
Saturday last, a caucus of the House
Representatives, was held Feb. II, at
which it was agreed that no factious
proceedings should be adopted for the
purpose of obstructing the further ac-
ton of the Commission. The caucus
adjourned till Monday the 10Th. when
the following proceedings took place:
Yesterday afternoon caucus was
short, and the only motion put was for
a recess untilssevening. While it was
pending, Ellis, of Louisiana, spoke by
unanimous consent for some time. His
speech was q pathetic plea for his
State. He wanted to know what the
Democrats intended to do for Louisi-
ana. His people, he said had suffered
long and borne patiently, because it
was for the best interest of the party
Now, if Hayes was to be inaugura-
ted, it followed as a natural conse
quenCe that he mustTecCgnize Packard,
for to recognize Nichols would be to
repudiate his own title to Office. His
people could not longer endure the
Packard government, and they wanted
to know what they were to expect from
the great Democratic party. Ellis
speech created priOund sensation.
Nearly all of the many who spoke
this evening declared that the party
must protect Louisiana. A number of
propositions we're made. Some favor
defeating the Army Appropriation Bill
altogether, but the Conservatives say
this will not do, and the country will
not support such action.
The most favorably received propo-
sition was to engraft on the army bill
a clause prohibiting any use of the
army to support State Governments in
either Louisiana or South Carolina.
| 1t is more than probable that some
such clause will be ingrafted in the
army bill. If the Senate refuses to
pass it the House will yield nothing,
| but force the Senate to take the re-
| sponsibility Of defeating the bill.
| Mr.. Joyce declared that the whole
Of the election to the Presidency of the
grand fraud of Grammercy Park had
been superb Democratic cheat from
| beginning to end.
Mr.. MacMahan said the decision of
the committee in the case of Louisiana
was worse in its consequence to the
American people than the decision in
the Florida case. As to Oregon the
Democrats looked forward with much
hope to the decision in that case.
Mr.. Rice protested against the wrong
and violence embodied in the decision,
] and argued that the whole subject
should be referred back to the Com
mission.
Mr.. Hurlburt moved to amend by
striking out the word mot"
! Discussion was opened by Mr. New,
who said that he had voted for the
Electoral Commission Bill without
hesitation or mis-givings, and he was
/ ashamed Of the support which he had
given to that measure. He accepted
( without qualification bis humble share
of responsibility. lie would vote to
sustain the objections to the decision
Of the Commission.
He was in favor of proceeding with
out unnecessary delay to the compile
ton of the count.
Mr.. Seelye said that in the case of
the Louisiana election corruption on
one side seemed as heniOus as cruelty
on the other side was horrible.
He found it quite impossible to say
which OF the two sets OF Electors from
Louisiana were the voice of the true
will of the people of that State, and
would have been hard to find wiser
and more candid men than those who
had pronounced the decision of the
Electoral Commission. He appreciated
the strength of their position. Con-
gress could not be too jealous of the
constructive right OF State to choose
its Presidential Electors.