The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-06-04
PARTY DISCIPLINE.
THE DEFEAT OF THE DEMOCRATIC
CAUCUS ON TIE QUESTION
OF ADJOURNMENT
The Condition of the Public business
More than Thirty Bays WOrk
for Congress.
Special TO the Democrat.1

RIGGs HOUSE.
Washington. D. c., May 81. 1878. !
The miserable weakness Of
DEMOCRATIC PARTY DISCIPLINE
in Congress and the systematic lack Of sys-
tenn which characterizes it's policy has been
freshly illustrated In manner which may
prove disastrous.
THE QUESTION OF Ado UBNHEET
is one OF unusual delioacy as we'll as Of first
class Importance this year. A great variety
OF considerations operate to this end, all bear
ing upon the success Of the party at the next
election. Unfortunately there is small ele-
ment in the Democratic caucus which Is
guided exclusively by narrow local interests
or devoted TO selfish purposes and hobbies,
and this element has on several occasions been
strong enough to defeat, by deliberate deser-
ton to and cooperation with the Radicals,
all the plans and determinations OF the
caucus. The most important of these de-
fecti0ns, by far, occurred yesterday. The
caucus night before last was unusually full
and it's edict was pronounced with much
greater prep0nderance, than usual against
any consideration Of the adjournment 0I1es.
tiOn whatsoever until June g. This action
was accepted on all sides as q declaration hv
the Democratic party that its policy was III
hold the session subject to such contingencies
as might arise out of any of the important
movements now pending. 1t was freely con-
tended and generally conceded that for the
Democrats to fix q day for adjournment would
be equivalent to signing articles of capitula-
tiOn to the Radicals respecting all DISAGREE
ing legislation, or place the Democratic mar
ty, If it should insist on it's reduction of the
army and other measures Of retrennhnent
in the attitude OF obstructing the public busi-
ness; so that, In the event OF failure Of aDv
AnnFnnFIafiOn
necessity for a called session, the resD0nai
bility therefor could be mainly thrown unnD
the Democrats. Thus it was judged expe-
dent by nine-tenths or more Of the Demo-
Gratis in the House to lay the adjOurnnenf
question aside altogether for the present and
hold 1t m abeyance until legislation ghonId
be Sc far disposed Of that the fixing - 2 sle44ee
OF adjournment would leave very little for
the malignant ingenuity Of the Radicals tn
work upon. But here, as in other Instances
eight or ten Democrats, who fancy tbaTnselveS
wiser than their party, have defeated fhe
plans OF the organization by voting to fix day
OF adl0urnment, and thus put the virtual
control of Legislation at it's most critical gtage
in the hands of the enemy.
Let us look briefly at
THE CONDITION OF THE PUBLIC BIJsrrgss
-Four appropriation bills, all Of minor i'm.
pOrtance, have been passed, leaving the bnIk
OF the public business still in hand and still
under fierce controversy. This embraces tbo
army bill, which reached the Senate yestar1 4ns
day and has yet to be considered both In com
mittee and In open Senate. 1T will eeTtainTJ,
be sent back to the House with important ami
vital amendments. The legislative, execu
tive and judicial bill is now pending in fine
Senate, and will also be amended to a c0nsid-
erable extent. The sundry civil and peneraT
deficiency bills are both unreported to tba
House and cannot get out of the committee
room for several days. Besides this there are
the special leyee bill, the Pacific railroad biIl
and several other important measures with
out taking into account
THE TARIFF BILL.
to defeat which was the main object Of tbose
Democrats who voted with the Radicals trs
overthrow the caucus programme.
Thus it will be seen that there ia af Iaasf
thirty days work on hand at the lowest cal
culatiOn, which would have run the session,
TO the first OF July If things had been left to
take their ordinary course. l venture to saw
that the Senate will allow the resolution IN,
adjournment on June II to lie Der0,I 1,ntiI
wlCnln y lew Gays OF That time and then pass
It suddenly, leaving the Democrats no alter
native but to surrender on all disaRreeinp
or take the eresponsibiIitV of Hore
ng an extrasesStOn. | Judge that the fol-
owing points may be considered settled
First-That
THE DEMOCRATS HAVE LOST ALL THEIR ADJ
VAETAGES
rs the dominant party In the House
SeoOnd-That no mea8ures of financial
commercial or industrial relief for the De0nie
Will get through.
Third That the Radicals will carry all
heir points on the army bill
FOurth-That very few or none Of the Dern-
)crats who bolted the caucus will eDi0v an
opportunity to bolt in the next Congress.
The first three OF these points are deDlors-
)ie., But the prospect of the fourth point af-
Qrds some consolation for the disaster of the
'IheF three' A. G. B.