New-York tribune., 1878-04-05
TIE DOORKEEPER,S EXIT.

TIE REPUBLICANS VERY NEARLY GET C"Nlhob or
TIE ELECTION OF COLONEL PoLKs SUCCESSOR
,pY TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIBUNEl
WASHINGTON. April 4-Mr. Polk has been re-
moved from his position as Doorkeeper, atter three
days of disgraceful squabbng, in which MAJORITY
of the Democrats have exhausted every parhainenU
arv strategem to save an 0fhcer VINO was ho1 oiiS
clearly guilty OF maladmDstratOn, but OF such Nio
,tions Of law as would make his conviction certain
IN any court of justice In spite OF the Vo'tS Vi "
large majority of the Democrats present who &C.
sired to mass mild resolution of censure and allow
him 70 retain his position lie has had to follow IN
the foosteps of his llustriOus predecessors III inc
same Office.
About eighty Democrats stood by Colonel POLK 10
the last but the Republicans, assisted by minority
of the Democrats, were masters OF the stuatioh'
MANY of them felt sympathy for Colonel folH' oe-
lieying that the Democratic members were as much
to blame as be for the recent gross violations Oh H"
vet they stood firmly together, and by large ma
jority declared the Office of Doorkeeper vacant
The second resolution Of the Committee on Civil
Service Reform, giving the control OF tne Door,
keeper's Department to the Sergeant-at-Arms until
new Doorkeepcr should he appointed, came very
near being beaten Many of the friends of Mr.. Polk
were so enraged at his removal that they voted with
the Republicans and the majority against alowIng
Mr.. Thompson to exercise the Office even Temporal
rly would have been about twenty-five, IL the Dem
ocrats had not discovered what the plans OF me ne
publicans were Enough of them then changed
their votes to prevent these plans from beng cared
out; D-,,;oo,, s;,o ,.os ,o nro
ceed at once to the election of a DOOrkeeper nc
Democrats were all at sea, and without candldate
on whom more than twenty OF they "Oulu H nafo
6een likely TO unite The Republicans were ready
70 placo i'm nomination Mr.. Sherwood, q gallant
Union soldier, formerly Postmaster OF the House ana
an officer whose record is spOtless. IL NaS eA
nected that enOugh Democratic votes would nave
been cast for him to secure bis election. lhe Demo-
Gratis to prevent coup detat of this sort adjourned
the House and they will now, probably, nave an ol-
portunity TO hold q caucus and agree upon announcer
candidafe for this position, for which they nave
found it SO difficult to secure respectable oihcer
A General Press dispatch says that Mr.. Goodall,
of Illinois; Mr. Patterson, of NewJersey, formerly
doorkeeper; Mr.. Mccoy. of Maryland; Mr. Field,
of Virginia; Mr. Philip PendletOn, of West Vir-
ginis; and Walter II. French, of Massachusetts,,
are mentioned in connection with the doorkeeper-
ship of the House. nomination for which will be
made tomorrow afternoon by the Democrats in
caucus. The last named gentleman was formerly
tally clerk of the present House of Representatives,
and his friends present his name on the ground that
the States east of the Alegauy Mountains have no
officer Of the house, though they cast nearly
million of votes for the Democratic ticket i'll the
last Presidential election, and gave fifty electoral
votes to Tlden and Hendricks The employees OF
the House, under the doorkeeper, express much in-
ferest in the result of the election of dOOrkeeper as
continuance in their positions is involved IN IT,
Every new doOrkeeper always makes changes Tor
the accommodation Of friends. Much sympa-
thy is expressed for Colonel Polk, the re-
firing doorkeeper, who is believed to be honest but
who. without thinking of the consequences Yielded
to the opportunities of members in the distribution
of patronage depending on the promises OF some OF
them to justify his conduct in that particular and
IN not acting IN accordance with law.