Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1879-03-20
THE EXTRA SESSION.

congress COuFeLeu III eAud oosSioh AoS'
Tuesday. As to the result of the reorganiza-
ton of the two Houses, much speculation has
been rife. The contest for Speakership seems
to have centered between Randall, of Penn.
sylvania and Blackburn, of Kentucky, and
the supporters of each are working with un.
ceasing activity. The friends of both are
sanguine, and so equally is the strength OF
the contending parties divided, that only
balloting by the members will decide the
issue. The Greenbackers have announced
that they will support any soft money man.
In regard to the reorganization Of the Sen
ate, the following Washington dispatch of
Saturday conveys the latest information on
the subject:
The Democratic senators held caucus to-
day in the Senate Chamber continuing from
2 until halfpast o'clock. All were present
except Senators Maxey, of Texas, Jones, of
Louisiana, and Hampton, of South Carolina.
The object of the caucus was to take meas
ures preliminary to the formation Of standing
committees. Senator Wallace was reelected
chairman and Senator Beck secretary of the
caucus. The following named were appoint.
ed as committee to rearrange the standing
committees, and report to an adjourned meet
ing on Monday at IL o'clock Senators Wal
lace, Mcdonald, Eaton, Ransom, Cockrell,
Davis of West Virginia, Garland, Grover
and Pendleton.
The caucus, after discussion, agreed upon
the following basis for the organization Of
committees: First, seniority; second, the
choice of committee by one having two or
more chairmanships, and third, the arrange
ment of chairmanships for the vacancies
According to this programme, Senator Eaton,
senior Democratic member of the committee
on foreign relations, will be its chairman
The chairman of the finance committee will
be Senator Bayard military affairs, Senator
Randolph; judiciary, Senator Thurman; pub
lie lands, Senator Mcdonald Indian affairs,
Senator Coke; pensions, Senator Withers !;
claims, Senator Cockrell District of Colum'
bia, Senator Harris; patents, Senator Herman !;
territories, Senator Garland mines and min
ing, Senator Herford; on the revision of the
laws, Senator Wallace. Senator Salisbury
has the choice of the craftsmanship of three
committees, namely, privileges and elections,
postofices and postroads, and public build
ings and grounds; Senator Davis, of West
Virginia, has the choice of chairmanships
of appropriations and agriculture; Senator
Johnston, of manufactures and revolutionary
pensions Senator Gordon, of commerce and
education and labor Senator Whyte, of civil
service and retrenchment, naval affairs and
printing; and Senator Ransom, of railroads
and library.
In addition to the above, Senator Thurman
was chairman on the private land claims,
and Senator Johnston chairman of the COM
mittee on revolutionary claims, the only COM
mittees with Democratic chairmen and ma
ority of Democrats. In addition to the
standing committees there are ten select COM
mittees, only two of them having Democratic
chairmen, Senators Davis of West Virginia
and Harris. The craftsmanship of commit
tees other than those above named, will be
arranged by the committee. The Republi-
cans will be furnished with list of the Dem
cratic senators placed on committees by the
caucus in order that they may fill the blanks
left for Republican senators, following the
usage in such cases. The subject Of chang
ing the elective officers Of the Senate was not
acted upon by the caucus.
LATER.
In the organization Of the House, which
was effected on Tuesday, Randall was elected
Speaker by a majority of one. The whole
number of votes cast was 283; for Randall
IA, for Garfield 125, for Wright 13, for
VIM. D. Kelly, Of Pennsylvania, l.