New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-05-15
THE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS.
A LITTLE GENERAL BUSINESS FIEsT-1nE CAUCUS
RESOLVES To FIGHT UNTIL TUE POTTER REsO-
LUTON Is DISPOSED Of

A LITTLE GENERAL BUSINESS FIEsT-1HE CAUCUS
RESOLVES TO FIGHT UNTIL TUE POTTER RfsO-
LUTON Is DISPOSED or
IBY TELEGRAPH THE TmBCNEI
WAsHINGroN May 1I.-Wben the Speaker an
nouuced the adjournment of the House to-day the
clerk read notice of Democratic caucus to be
held at l o'clock. This announcement was received
with derisive applause on the Republican side
The galleries were soon cleared. he Republicans
were invited to retire from the hail. The officers and
pages were turned out and the secret conference If
the Democrats began
Mr. Clymcr of course, presided. After calling the
caucus together, he recognized Mr.. Fernando Wood.
who moved that the consideration of the concurrent
resolution passed by the Senate which proposes an
adjournment Of the present session of Congress ON
the 10th of June, be postponed until the 9TH Of
June The object Of this proposed delay was two
fold First the Democrats are fully aware that the
Republicans have il III their power TO hiibuster for
month in order TO prevent the passage of their rec
oluton of Investigations and the majority does not
intend to place the fate Of It's fraud campaign thus
at the mercy of its political opponents. Mr.. Wood
had another object III view and that is TO delay the
adjournment of Congress, in order that something
may be done with his Tariff BIZ. lie has by no
means given up all hope OF securing favorable acton
on that measure.
adjournment resolution at an earlier date were
offered Several short speeches made.
Mr. Bridges, OF Pennsylvania, said that at n pre-
yious caucus he had opposed any vote upon the
sideraton of the Tariff Bill The business of the
country in his opinion now demands that the question
shall be settled by the Immediate defeat of the bill
At the same time he in favor of postponing the
tariff question and all matters relating to il until
the question of the cOunting-in of President Hayes
could be disposed of.
Mr.. Hendrlck d. Wright took different ground
from that which ne occupied at the last caucus He
said the tariff question is already settled. lie de-
clared that whenever il comes up in the House
again it will be knocked into a cooked hat He
then referred TO his bill proposing to grant home
stead and lend $500 to every workingman in the
country, and made an argument in its favor He
said Congress ought not TO adjourn until it has
passed that measure and that the petitions Of
hundred thousand men in favor Of it now III the
desks of members; the House could not afford 90
adjourn and ignore them. lie thought that Con-
gress ought to sit until it granted relief TO these
workingmcn. lie said that there is an undercurent
of suffering and Communism, which will one day
break out unless relief is given.
The resolution was finally adopted, fixing the date
for the consideration of the Senate joint resolution
OF May 20.
Mr.. POTTER FIRES THE PARTY HEART.
The most important speech Of the caucus, and in
deed the most striking Of all during the proceedings
IN connection with the proposed investigation thus
far, was that Of Mr.. Clarkson n. Potter.
Several resolutions had been offered to define the
scope Of the proposed investigation, and to deny
that there is any disposition on the part of the
Democrats to interfere with Mr. Hayes's occupancy
of the Presidential chair. One such resolution as
this was offered by Mr. Casey Young, of Tennessee
and was supported by him and Mr. Carter Harrison,
of Illinois.
During the consideration of this resolution, Mr..
Potter took the floor and was listened to with
breathess attention from beginning to end. His
speech was n surprise, even to his Democratic asso-
ciates, and created marked sensation. He ex-
planned the circumstances which led hm to offer the
resolution yesterday and said that his personal re-
latiOns and his actions have been wholly miscon-
ceived and misrepresented by the press of the
country. He said he knew nothing Of tho truth of
the report that his name had been mentioned until
his return to Washington from New-York While
be was in the latter city he did not see Mr. Tilden
nor any one who could speak for him. His relations
with Mr.. Tilden were such that if that gentleman
could have chosen member of the House to present
the resolution, he would probably have been the
last one selected. He had never talked with Mr..
Tildan the subject Of the Investigation. nor with