Daily Kennebec journal., 1879-06-02
POLITICAL AFFAIRS.
The Ohio Democrats..Wm Allen De.
clines Nomination..

cunes NOmlnatlOns
New YORK, May 81. A Cincinnati des
patch says VIM. Allen positively declined be
ing considered a candidate for governor by
the democratic convention.
Democratic Caucus--Thc Session Very
Prolonged.
| WASHINGTON, May 81. Members of the
Joint democratic caucus committees of the
Senate and House, assembled this morning.
and at 2.30 were still in session. There is a
full attendance. and it is thought some plan
of procedure will be agreed upon before they
adjourn.
Later. The meeting was Of four hours
duration, and reached substantially unan-
nous agreement as to the course of action
that should be adopted by the dominant party
in Congress, with regard to appropriation
bills. Senator Thurman presided. Hamp-
ton and Goode were absent.
After full interchange of views, and an
especially minute examination of the Presi-
dents veto message, in connection with sun
dry existing statutes prohibiting interference
by the army with elections. il was decided to
recommend the immediate passage of the bill
making the usual appropriations for the sup
port of the army throughout the next fiscal
year, but containing proviso that no por-
tion of the money therein appropriated should
be used for pay, transportation. equipment or
subsistence of any troops used for police pur-
poses, to keep peace at the polls.
1t was further decided to recommend the
passage of the legislative appropriation bill,
in substantially the same terms as last years
bill, and for the same amounts, except that
they shall be more mnutclv specified, and
except, also, that il shall not make any pro-
vision for the payment of supervisor or dcpu-
~ marshals of elections. The new bill will.
however, contain clause providing that no
officer shall bc appointed on any obligation
incurred for any object for which a specific
appropriation shall not have been made bv
Congress.
This clause is already on the statute book,
with the exception of the words "or obliga-
tion incurred" and there is also an existing
law which prohibits the diversion of any APP
preparation 10 purpose different from that
Tor which 1t had been specifically made.
lhe committee next agreed to recommend
the passage Of a separate measure, embody-
ing those sections of the vetoed appropria-
tion bill which provide for amendments of
the law concerning the method of drawing
lurics, and for the total abolition of the iu-
rOrs' test oath.
In view of the fact that the President in his
veto message makes no comment on these
provisions. it is believed he will promptly ap-
prove them when presented to him by an in
dependent bill.
1t was also argued to-day. in behalf of the
adoption of the programme above outlined,
that the President cannot iustifiably withhold
his signature from an appropriation bill,
merely because it omits to make provision
for particular object, and that in the antici-
pated event of his approving the present bills
the democrats will have accomplished for the
next wear pxxrtIy what they wauld huyo ar-
complshed for an indefinite period of time by
former bills and what they may continue to
accomplish by similar legislation, as long as
they remain in power.
In response to an objection raised by a few
OF those who participated i'll the meeting to-
day, that the adoption of this policy would be
construed As "breaking down on the part of
the democrats, Its advocates made point
that altl ough there had been indiyd dual ut
tcrances in favor of Withholding supplies, in
the event of failure to secure the enactment
of the political clauses originally embodied
in the appropriation bills. it is not true that
any such stand has been taken by the author
itv of the party. On the contrary, the ques-
tion whether such a stand should be taken,
had never been acted upon by a democratic
caucus OF either branch of Congress, or by a
caucus committee, until this afternoon
The joint meeting adjourned until Monday,
by which time the recommendations agreed
upon will have been formulated in appropri-
ate phraseology, by the subcommittee, con-
si>ting of Senators Thurman, Eaton Vance
and Bailey. and Representatives Chalmers,
Springer, Ewing a.d Reagan. and submitted
for final approval, preparatory TO presenta-
tion to "a joint caucus of the democratic MEM
bers of both Houses, which will probably be
held Monday