New-York tribune., 1879-03-27
THE BRIGADIERs IN CAUCUS.

IBY TELEGRAPH TIE TRIBUNE.l
WASHINGTON. March 26.-The Democrats Of the
Senate and House of Representatives held ter
ioint caucus this afternoon for the purpose OF de-
termining what political legislation they wouid
undertake to pass at this extra session of Congress-
md the mode Of procedure that should be adopted
In the absence of Mr.. House, who was sick, Mr.
Clvmer was called to the chair. Senator Thurman,
who has presided over the joint Caucus Committee
during Its sessions, was also detained at home by
sickness.
Mr. Chalmers of Mississippi, who was the chair
man of the House portion of the committee sub
mitted its report, which was in substance as fol-
lows: That the Army Appropriation bill be intro
duced and passed. if possible, exactly as it passed
the House last session. The political legislation
nroposed in this bill is to strike out OF sections
o O02 and & 500 of the Revised Statutes the words
or to keep the peace at the polls" The first OF
these sections as ii now stands fOrblds the BRING
ing of armed troops TO places of election, unless 1t
be necessary to repel the armed eDeInes of the
United States or to keep the peace at the polls" and
the second fixes the penalty for the violation OF the
first The effect of the amendment proposed by the
Democrats Will be to take the keeping of the peace
at the polls out of the exceptional conditions upon
which it would be lawful to bring troops to place
Of election.
The committee recommended that the political
legislation proposed upon the Legislative ApprOpri-
alton bill IN the last Congress shall be somewhat
modified. All those clauses relating to the drawing
of jurors for United States Courts and repeating
the test-oath for jurors, retained, but amend
ments are to be added declaring that no person shall
serve on the jury in United states Court more
than one term in a single year. and providing that
the amendments proposed shall take effect at once.
The effect of these proposed changes, II they are
adopted will be to cause jurors for United States
Courts to be drawn by o nOn-paTtisan commission
instead of by the method in vogue in the courts of
the several States and to make citizens who cannot
take the iron-cad oath eligible to serve upon United
States juries. The sections of the Revised Statutes
proposed to be repealed in this section of the bill
are No. sO1, relating to the drawing of jurors and
Nos 822 and $685. relating to the test-oath
In reporting upon the election laws, the commit
tee recommended the absolute repeal of the follow
ing sections of the Revised Statutes 2,O16 2,01S,
2.O2O to 2O27, both inclusive. and 5.522 1t pro-
posed to amend Section 2,017 which declares that
the Supervisors of Election authorized and re-
oulred to attend elections for Represen tatives in
Congress- to challenge illegal votes, to witness the
casting and counting of the votes aud the making
of all certificates, etc., by striking out the words
and required" thus leaving the attendance of
supervisors at elections and the performance of
their duties as prescribed the statute entirely op-
tional with each individual supervisor. 1t was
also proposed to amend Section 2,019, which au-
thorizes supervisors chose their position at the
polls, " for the purpose of engaging IN tho work OF
canvassing the ballots will enable them to FULLY
perform the duties in respect to such canvass pro-
vided hereinn etc, by striking out the words "for
the purpose of engaging in the work of canvassng
the ballots and " in respect to such canvass" As
the committee proposed take away from the super
visors all authority over the canvass OF votes, these
clauses of course would have no meaning if re-
Tba Gupppeted that Section
POPS, which relates TO the qualifications of super
visors be amended by requiring those officers ito
be residents Of the voting precincts in which their
duties are performed" The repeal of Section 2,O31
was recommended, except those parts relating to
the pav of supervisors. This section as it now
stands fixes the pay of chief supervisors, supeTvis
ors of eleetionaud special deputy marshals
The committee also reported a general clause,
repeating all sections parts OF sections OF the he
yised Statutes which provide for the appointment
of aief supervisors or special general deputy
marshals of election, prescribing their duties or
providing for their payment The sections which 1t
isproposed to repeal in full. those prescribing
the duties of supervisors of election (2O16; requir
ing supeTvlSOrs personally to scrutnlze and count
each ballot 2,O1Sl; declaring that supervisors
shall not be mOlested i'll the performance
of their duties, and providing the machinery
for proving such mOlestatiOn when 1t does
take place and the filing Of the evidence OF 1t with
the Clerk of the House of Representatives (2O2O)
providing for the appointment Of special deputy
marshals in cities of 1000 inhabitants or more,
and prescribing their duties (2,021); prescribing
th6dutes of the United States Marshal and his gen
'eral deputies in regard to keeping the peace at the
polls on election day and cOnfining upon them po-
lice powers (2,O22 relating to the arrest and ar
Taignment of persons violating the Federal election
laws 2,O23) authorizing the Marshal and his
deputies TO call to their assistance in preserving the
peace at the polls any bystanders (2.O24; pro-
ydpg for the appointment of chief supervisors and
prescribing their duties (2,O25 and 2,O26); re-
curing United States Marshals and Commissioners,
who may perform any duties under the sections OF
the statutes relating TO the election of Representa-
tiyes IN Congress- to make report to the Chief
Supervisor of the district 2,027; and prescribing
penalties for interfering with supervisors United
States Marshas or their deputies (5,522.
The sections of the Revised Statutes which the
committee did not propose to repeal provide for
cities and towns of 20 900 inhabitants or upwards
on the request Of two citizens ten days prior to the
registration Of votes e. OIL; for the appointment
of supervisors of election by the Judge TO serve at
the polling places of such cities (2,012; requiring
the Circuit Court to be kept open until the day after
the election 2.O13; authorizing the District Judge
to perform the duties Of the Circuit Judge when the
latter is unable to perform them himself (2Ol4E
and authorizing the Judges Of Circuit Courts to des
inate District Judges to act in their places 2015l
From this explanation it will be that the most
important changes in the election laws recon-
mended by the committee th ose relating TO cleo
tions IN the large Cities although every provision
OF law, which now makes the law In some degree