New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-02-10
THE SESSION NEAR AN END.
E1GHTEEN DAYS OF CONGRESS.


TIME ENOUGH LEFT FOR ALL THE NECESSARY LL'-
rs1AT1oy. BUT TEE DEMOCRATS EEsOIVE JroN
prIAY-GENFRAL NEWS.
& Democratic caucus has been held at
Washington to concert a programme for the
rest of the session. 1t was resolved TO attach
70 important appropriation bills certain meas
ures 10 which the Republicans would never
accede. so as TO make an extra session neces-
sarv. The House has defeated the project OF
= transfer Of the Indian Bureau. The
vote in the Senate Finance Committee TO re
dhp the tobacco tax originated with Mr..
Bavarl. 1t is stated that the Republicans OF the
Senate do not seem TO be fully alive to the
;,onortapce of the War Claims Amendment.
The Democratic report upon Mr.. Robesons
administration has been made.
An EXTRA SESSION QUITE PROBABLE.
TIE pr,locRArs BENT UPON HAVING ONE, AND THE
rrUBucANs FEARLESS OF IT, If THE DEMO
Gratis FORCE IT.
lBl TELEGRAPH TO TIE TEIErNEi
WASHINGTON. Feb. 9.-1he danger that II VIII DC
necessary for the President to call an extra session
of the next Congress some time between the 4th Oh
March aud the first Monday IN December Tor the
purpose of passing one OF more OF the nec'S-
,ary appropriation bills. seems now to be
the present CONGRESS remain, there is ample
time for the important business Of tie
session 10 be completed ii tho Democrats desired IT.
but the danger is that, caring httie for the extra
and unnecessary expense winch an extra session
Will cause or for the dlsquiet and uncertainty 70
disastrous 10 legitimate business which always AZ
tend the presence Of Democratic Congress ID
Washington. the Democrats vii adopt measures
that will surely lead to an early couveninE oil tie
rr.fIf FrITn
fiuced political advantage. or Get POSSESSION l."
months earlier OF few offices III the senate.
Al the Democratic caucus last night the prevail
inc sentiment seemed to be in favor Of amending
one Of the appropriation bills probably the Legs
latlye Executive and Judicial Appropriation Bill
bv adding clauses repeating tho fest oath for jurors
and The law providing for Federal supervision Of til
elections Of representatives, IN Congress.
The sections of the Revised Statutes il regard %
test oaths for jurors are three IN number, and are
numbered 500 s2l and SOD. The first two OF these
sections provide that 10 have given Voluntary
aid or comfort to the rebellion shall be
n cause of disqualification for grand and
petit jurors Of the courts of the United
States; and they give 10 the Dstrct-Attornev, IN
arv trial before a United States Court the ght 70
challenge grand or petit juror who cannot take
tic iron-clad oath. To the repeal Of these two
sections as independent measures, the Rel ubhcaus
would probably make no very serious objection
Indeed they were once repealed by EepuO-
Hcan Congress. and incorporated IN the
Revised Statutes by mistake. The objection OF the
Republicans Will be to putting the repeating clause
upon an appropriation bill. If the Democrats
stopped with repeating these two sections com
promise would probably be Effected and an extra
session avoided
The case in regard 10 section So Is different.
That section provides that:
No person shall grand petit juror in any Court
Of the United states upon any inquiry nearing or JI4h
s any nnSer the provisions Of title civil rights
Of tile crimes" for enforcing the PROVISIONS OF me
the Judgment Of the Court in completely viii any com
bnsiion conspiracy IN SAID we set Orn anu eNty
Grand and petit Juror SHALL before entering upon any
sueu mai he has never directly or INDIRECTLY
counseled. advised voluntarily aided any such com
blnatiOn or conspiracy.
This section Of the law alone makes II possible 10
secure the punishment through the United states
Courts Of Southern bulldozers and balot-boX stuff
crs and the Republicans will not consent to the re-
neal # this section especially by amendment to an
appropriation bill. If this law is repealed, convic
lions for crimes against the ballot for conspiracy
70 suppress the votes of the coored people by ntim
ilation would never be obtained i'm many parts Of
the South. for the juries would always be packed
with men who would sympatmzo with the prison.
ere If not with those who were their partners IN
crime.
The opposition of the Republicans 70 the repeal
Of the Federal election laws Wi! be equally de-
t4rmined The most that those laws now accom-
pliSh IS TO preserve a record Of the frauds com
mitted and in some cases 20 secure the punishment
Of those who are guilty Of them. This has been
recently done in Florida aud Maryland and similar
CONVICTIONS will probably follow in Louisiana but
they DO not prevent the bulldozers and ballot box
suffers from gaining control of States IN which the
Democrats are in I minority, and in retaining that
control after their doings are exposed
II the Democrats desire 10 make the question Of
an extra session turn on the repeal Of these laws
they will ind the Republicans ready 10 meet them
on that ground and TO appeal TO the country 10
fudge between them. The Republicans care very
little whether there is an extra session on not They
believe il would be better for the country not 10
have Congress here for nine months. but IN poI-
cal sense the Republicans viii probably CAN'T more
ground the sooner the ALNlth Congress assemblies
On The other hand. many of the Democrats Would
be glad 10 have Congress called together soon after
the 4th - March. There are many people hungry f,
for the few Offices in the gift Of tn senate. IL,
candidates for the SDedkcIHhlp OF the House arc +
understood 10 believe that their several Chances ni
success Will be better in the Spring than IL the rail-
These are a lew of the reasons whV Il EOW looks Is
though the next Con -TcSs would meet b. lore De /
CembCr
THE WAR CLAIMS AMENDMENT.
THE REPUBI1CANs or TIE SENATE IL DANGER or /
COMMITTING BIuNDER By HEIR NFGlFCTof /
THIS MEASURE.
TELEGB tPH TO TIP TRIEUNEl
WASHINGTON, Feb. Ex-senator Edmunds called /
ap last Thursday joint resolution No. @0l, which ,