New-York tribune., 1878-01-19
ANOTHER ASSAULT ON Mr.. FRENCH.

CAUCUS CALLED BY HIS ENEMIES "A FAMURE-A
REroRT UPON HAMLIN BY MATTHEWS.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEl
WASHINGTON Jan. 1S.-Another attempt to re-
move Mr.. French Sergeant-at-Arm of the Senate,
was made in the Republican caucus this morning.
The rival candidate for the place is Mr. N G. Ord
way, formerly Sergeant-at-Arms of the House. The
result of this movement as of every similar one
during the last two or three years. was the over
whelming defeat of Mr.. French's enemies.
The caucus opened with motion from Senator
Dorsey that the Republicans proceed to the nomina-
tl0n of a new Sergeant-at-Arms. This motion was
supported by speech by Mr. Dorsey, in which he
Tecited the causes of the dissatisfaction existing
among Senators against Mr.. French, all of which
have been repeatedly published, and none of which
reflect upOn his character either as an efficient Of
fcer 4 man.
Senator Spencer a longtime enemy of Mr. French,
followed; and Senator Hamlin, in speech support
ing the resolution referred to a recent publication
in Cincinnati, in which Scrgeant-at-Arms French is
reported to have spoken lightly of the senior Sem
ator from Maine. Mr.. Hamlin said that such a
thing as this was not becoming in an officer of the
Senate and that for indignities of this kind Mr..
French certainly ought to be removed.
The Massachusetts, Senators are reported also to
have been favorably disposed TO n change.
Immediately after Mr.. Hamlin's complaint Of
criticisms and offences against his dignity by Ser
geant-at-Arms French, Senator Stanley Matthews
arose. His speech the turning point Of the eau
GUS He called the attention of Senator Hamlin to
the fact that when Mr.. Matthews had been a mem
Der of the Senate only few days, gross misrepre-
sentatioDs concerning him were published i'll a
New-York afternoon paper, by correspondent,
who was also officer of the Senate, and that
wuen the Senator from Ohio applied to Mr..
vii
the usages and propretes of the Senate, to know
what it was wise to do about the matter, Mr. Ham
lin replied "You had better grin and bear it,"
Senator Matthews retorted to-day, with all due
Difference to the Senator from Maine he thought he
had better grin and bear the assaults upon his
dignity and not hold the Sergeant-at-Arms respon-
sible for statements made in letters of newspaper
correspondence
Mr.. Oglesby also made brief speech in support of
Mr.. French's retention, saying that he was not
supporter of the present Scrgeant-at-Arms nor of
Mr.. Ordway his competitor, but that if Mr. French
was discharged il would make another pubic scan
dal and that it not for the interest of the Re
publican party to have such scandals created. lie
could not see anything to be gained by 1t.
Senator Saunders. Of Nebraska, followed in the
same strain.
At a later stage in the proceedings Senator Dorsey
intimaed his inclination to act with the Democrats,
in order to secure new Sergeant-at-Arms, rather
than that Mr. French should remain in his present
position. ThereupOn Senator Sargent put the ques
ton directly to Senator Dorsey, whether under any
circumstances he would vote with Democrats, and
receiving Affirmative answer, Mr. Sargent left
the room with the remark that he had no more busl
ness with that caucus. A number of other Senators
did the same, and the effort TO remove Mr. French
was an ntteI failure,
The quarrel among Senators over the patronage
distributed by the Sergeant-at-Arms was comproIn-
ised by an agreement that a committee of five Seua
tors should he appointed to confer with Mr. French
on the subject.