The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-04-09
washington.

Washington.
THE ABSORBING QUESTION IN WASHINGTON
| YESTERDAY WAS THE ELECTION OF DOOR
KEEPER OF THE HoUsE-sUCcEss OF GEN
ERAL FIELp--A DEMOCRATIC yICTORY-How
GENERAL SHIELDS WAS REwARDED-MR.
BLAlR's PLAN 70 UNSEAT HAYES AND SEAT
TTLDES-BLAINE rs. THURMAS-7HE TAX
0N DEPOSITS OF STATE AND NATIONAL
BANKS-THE INCOME IAX---vARIOUS ITEMS,
| &C.
IFrom Our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, April S.-The absorbing
question here to-day was the election Of a
doorkeener, and the galleries Of the House
and the passages leading to it were thronged
with people anxious to witness the sluabble
over the position. Since the electoral ques-
ton was, before Congress such interest
| among outsiders has hardly been mani
tested. Yesterday and Saturday the Re-
publicans were busy, and wanted first to
defeat the Democratic nominee; and fall
ing in this, to force the Democrats to
a Confederate. General Butler urged
The claims OF General Shields, and alluded
pathetically to the gallant services OF the
hero of two wars. Mr.. Frye, OF Maine, en-
deaYored to show that the Republicans did
not reject General Shields when he was
elected to Congress from Missouri because
he was Democrat, or because he was not
elected, but for the reason that lie was elect
ed by fraud. flow righteous was Radical
ism in those days. Dir. Eugene Hale made
4 a,ta rig 81 III q III n
org to bite the Democracy about the legs.
Nessrs. McMahon, Cox, Blackburn, ely
mcr, and Bragg answered the Republican
advocates OF General Shields, and showed
how hypocritical were the pretences that
they are the friends OF Union soldiers,
citing notable instances in which their con-
duet was directly to the contrary. General
Butler alluded to the fact that in the dis
charge OF his duty he had banged man in
New Orleans, and Mr.. Blackburn replied
that he bad always heard that he never got
near enough to any other Confcderatcs du-
ring the war to hurt them. Mr.. Bragg, OF
Wisconsin, proposed to place General Shields
on the retired list of the army at salary
OF $4,000 q year, and this was heartily re.
sponded to BY the Democrats. General
Butler, however, said the late doorkeeper
knew enough to know that was then out OF
order. Mr.. Cox, OF New York, was par
ticularly happy. After good deal of par
Elementary skirmishing vote was reached,
and the names OF the candidates. General
Field and General Shields, being so much
alike, it was difficult to tell whom members
were voting for. Every once in a while Re-
publican would say with emphasis " General
Shields" ,and then Democrat would cry out
Immediately afterwards, General Field"
or g General Charles w. Field" There was
a good deal OF rejoicing among the Demo
Gratis, and not little chagrin among the
Republicans, when the Chair announced the
result, as follows: Field, 1913 Shields, 1C1;
John II. Trent, OF Tennessee, s.
DEMOCRATIC TRIUMPH.
The Republicans commenced the fight
believing they would get the better OF the
Democrats, but the sequel shows they were
badly beaten, for no sooner was the cleo
ton OF Field announced, and before they
bad time to shed crocodile tears over the
defeat of Union general, than Confederate
General John b. Clarke, OF Missouri, offer
ed a resolution placing General James
Shields on the retired list Of the United
States army with the rank and ray OF a
brigadier-general. Hale, Frye & Co. saw
they were badly sold, and the resolution
was adopted with only six votes in the mega
tive. This will be concurred in by the Re-
publican Senate, ard General Shields will
enjoy for the rest Of his life yearly salary
OF over SIS ,0C0. The Democratic members
OF the House have not looked rs happy this
session as they did after this well-timed,
patriotic performance.
MR.. HEWITT AND MR. BLAIR.
John Jasper is not more persistent In his
theory that the sun moves around the earth
than Mr.. Blair is in his effort to unseat
HAYES and seat Tilden. Mr. Hewitt says,
however, to-day that he will not vote for a
bill to establish tribunal as is proposed to
try this question, but he would give Mir.
Tilden an opportunity, if he desires it, to
test his right TO the presidency. He adds,
however, that he does not believe that Mr..
Tilden has any connection whatever with
the move which Mr.. Blair has inaugurated.
General Banks and other leading Republi-
cans think Judge Blair is backed by Demo-
Gratis OF prominence and influence.
NEGRO CONGRESSMAN HAPPY.
1t has been believed that the South Caro-
lima contested case Of Cain Us. O'Conner
would be sent back to the people by the
Election Committee OF the House, but this
morning, after speeches by Mcssrs. Payne,
OF Washington, and O'Conner, contestant,
and Gains colored lawyer, on motion Of
Mr.. Turney Democrat), the committee
unanimously resolved that the evidence
taken by the special committee sent last
session to South Carolina shall not be adj
mitted as evidence in this case, as was
urged by the contestants. The effect OF
this is to defeat O'Conner (Democrat) and
give Cain (negro RadicaD the seat he now
occupies. This looks as if q Democratic
committee can do even black Republican
justice.
~. BLAINE AND THURMAN.
The announcement that Mr.. Blaine was
to attack the consistency Of Senator Thur
man did not draw crowd such as attended
the election OF doorkeeper of the House;
but this did not prevent the Senator from
Maine from reading copiously from the de-
bate OF 1873 on the Pacific-railroad question