The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1879-03-19
Letter

THE POLITICAL HOSTS ON THE
POTOMAC - BLACKBURN AND
-RANDALZ FIX THEIR HEAD
QUARTERS = TEMPORAL CE RE-
FORM IN BEAOKBURN,S CAMP
THE CONTEST FOR SENATE OF
FLGES - UNCERTAIN PREDTC-
TONS as TO LENGTH or SES-
SION-TRE LONGEST PURSE 10
WIN.
WASHINGTON, D. c., March IS, 10.
To the Editor OF the MOrristown Gazette:
All the candidates and Office seekers
on the Potomac appear to be quiet to-
night and are pursuing those tactics
which are known in politics as "still
hunt" In about three days the hunt
will be noisy, open, and aggressive. The
headquarters of the rival candidates for
the Speakership are about seven squares
apart on Pennsylvania avenue. Mr..
Blackburn has rooms at Willards',
where the preliminaries of so many po-
litical campaigns and plots have been
arranged; and Mr.. Randall has estab-
lished himself at the National Hotel,
haly way between Williards' and the
capitol. A few members who left i'm
mediately on adjournment have return
ed, but tina number is small, and the
Democratic House caucus has been post
poned from Saturday, the 18th inst, un-
til Monday the 18th, just one day before
the convention of Congress.
The Democratic Senators will hold
their caucus on Saturday, and it is ex-
pected that the attendance will be full,
with perhaps the single exception of
Hampton, of s. @. The many candi-
dates for positions within the gift of
the Senate are still in the field. These
candidates are so numerous and Sena-
tors are so reticent that it is not easy to
predict which is ahead, if, indeed, any
body outside of the candidates and their
family connections, are interested in
the scramble. It is understood that the
caucus will meet on Saturday night to
appoint committee to draft schedule
of the standing committees of the Sen
ate on the part of the Democratic ma
jority, and perhaps to discuss informal
ly the merits of the candidates for the
various offices; but it is not expected
that any nominations will be made I'M
til after the standing committees are or
ganized. 1t has been suggested by sew
eral prominent Senators that there shall
be only one regular ballet in caucus for
candidates for the various offices, after
which, failing to nominate, and all the
pledges OF Senators as to their votes be-
ing fulfilled, the duty Of selecting men
for the offices shall be delegated to a
caucus committee, the same as that of
drafting a schedule of committees, sub
ject, of course, to revision by the eau
Gus. Under these circumstances it is
probable that the Senate will proceed in
a very leisurely manner in the dispense
ton of its patronage.
1t appears that Colonel Stoddard John
ston, of Kentucky, has initiated the
beautiful example of Mrs. Hayes IN es-
tablishing the rule that there shall be no
liquor dispensed at Mr.. Blackburn's
headquarters. 1t will go hard with the
majority of politicians to forgo their
customary ration, but it will make this
political struggle much more decent
than any that has been known at Will |
lards' for years. Late last night prom |
inent Democratic member moved to sus-
pend the rules and allow one bibulous |
bout before retiring, but Col. johnson |
refused most fatty and said that there |
should be no drinking in Blackburn's |
rooms.
There is no end of speculation as to !
the probable length of the extra session |
and in regard to the probable course of
many think the session will
be short and end abruptly with a veto |
TO the bill repeating the Federal Elec-
ton Law. In this case there would /
seem to be no other course but to call /
hat appropriation bills Will not be pass
ed unless with the repeal of this law;
without appropriations all the machin-
cry of government, civil military, and |
judicial must stop. The President can
not draw his salary, the member of Con-
yress will be without pay, and the ques-
ion may turn upon which can hold out
Ongest. 1t is certain that the President
las more laid by for frainy day, than
he average member, but this is not the
Ease with the Presidents cabinet nor
With the 100, 900 Office holders. There
ire many who believe, and many in this
,ity who hope, that the session will con-
inue through the summer and merge
intermissisn into the regular
session in December. If such should be
he case, Congress will have an I'M
healthy realization eff the horrors of
Washington summer, and it may be
brought to see the necessity of draining
he acres of insalubrious marsh which
nviron the city, or, what will be cheap
II and better, of moving the capital to
more healthful locality. c. A. S.
A terrible tragedy occurred in the Of
Ice of the State Treasurer, at Atlanta,
Ia Tuesday of last week the narties