New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-04-03
THE DEMOCRATS VOTE TO BE SILENT.
A CAUCUS OF SENATOR'S WHICH TAKES IMPORTANT
ACTION on THIS sUBJECT-MORE REMOVALS OF
SENATE employees IN vIRw.

ACTION ON THIS SUBJECT-MOkE REMONAl-o VI
SENATE employees IN VIEW
lBY TELEGRAPH THE TRIBUSK.l
WASHINGTON. April 2.-The Democratic Sena-
tors are rapidly learning to be discreet in
their acts and words. 1t is known that
many of the most moderate among them
have been somewhat chagrined because OF
tie recent characteristic utterances of Senators
Salisbury, Beck and VOORHEES,. While it is prob
able that nothing has been said by either Of the
gentlemen named which msreDresented the posi-
ton Of the party, such frankness with regard to the
motives which lie beneath parry movements Is con-
sdered to be undesirable. An evidence OF the
growing dscrcctncss of the Democrats ls found IN
tho fact that in a caucus which they held TINS
morning they adopted resolution not hereafter TO
talk about their caucus proceedings, either in public
or private. This is an extinguishcr upon Mr.. Beck
especially, and was probably so designed.
The caucus considered the IIOar resolution. The
result may be inferred from the fact that when the
resolution was reached at 1890 in the Senate,
motion was made that it be laid upon the table,
and in yea and nay vote the motion was sustained
by a strict party vote and carried. 1t Will be re-
mcmbored that when the resolution first came mp
Senator Beck moved to lay it on the table on ac-
count of the improperly of considering 1t
during the absence Of the chairman OF
occasion Senators Bayard, Beck, Eaton and others
made great show of their willingness to debate
the HOar resolution to any desired extent though
they themselves had nothing to say on that par
tlcular occasion. They excused the previous mo
ton to lay on the table the plea that Senator
Thurman. who was absent might wish to discuss it.
To-day Senator Thurman was in the caucus, ana
was also in his seat in the Senate, and apparently
had nothingtO say. The forcible and very damag-
ing speech of Senator Hoar, made last week, re-
mains unanswered, and the professed Willingness
of the Democratic party to discuss all political
measures, and this resolution III particular, has
been falsified by its its action to-day
The chief business of the caucus to-day was the
consideration of appointments TO subordinate
offices Of the Senate. Upon this question, the re-
port of the caucus committee specifying certain
employees by name to be retained and recommend
ing that removals should take place gradually, was
received and adopted. The persons to he retained
are CAPTAIN Bassctt assistant doorkceper, WHO
was first employed in the Senate by the recommen-
daton Of Daniel Webster and who has never
been a Republican; Mr.. johnson, the veneer
able kcCper of the main door, who has always
been Democrat Amasa Smith, superintendent OF
the document room, whose knowledge OF the vast
accumulation of public documents IN his room Is
such that his place could not be supplied by any
other person; and two ex-Union soldiers who are
In the discussion which took place 1t was practically
decided to retain the other Democratic employees OF
the Senate and to make the removals OF RepnD-
licans gradual not to attract pnDhc attention,
and so as also 10 interfere little as possible Win
the transaction of business.