Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-03-15

speakership contest that is at the same time
true Guesses abound, but the guesses OF
one side are pretty quickly balanced by the
guesses OF the other, and neither are decisive
of anything. Anything Is possible as yet,
but there is no reason to believe at this mo-
ment that there will necessarily be a pro-
longed contest over the speakership. 1t is
quite plain that Mr.. Randall has a good
many vigorous opposers, but some of them
say privately that they do not think Mr..
Blackburn the best man to concentrate on.
Nevertheless, Mr.. Blackburn's friends claim
eighty-seven votes In caucus, but Mr.. Ran
dall's friends, with equal certainty, claim
ninety votes in caucus, and as there are only
one hundred and forty-eight DEN ocratic
members, any one can see that there must be
a mistake some where. A more interesting
question is, what will the extra session do
The extreme Democrats boast that they will
repeal the supervisors and marshals
laws or stop the wheels of government.
They have got it into their heads
that audacity is Just now the winning card
for their party. They say that the Repub-
icans have always been positive, aggressive,
audacious. and defiant of laws and the con-
stitution, and if they are told that the Re-
publicans had large majoritles In both houses
In 1868, and possess neither house In 1879,
they only repeat that audacity is the thing.
The more moderate Democrats sit In their
parlors and grumble. Tney make up the
brains of the party, but they are slow, timid
fond of saying that other people are wrong.
and letting the time fer action slip by. Just
now these eminently respectable gentlemen
are privately discussing how their party can
get out of the difficulty into which they al
lowed it to walk. They have not found
way yet, aud, it the truth must be told, they
are objects of contempt to the aggressive
members of their party, who snap their
fingers at their conservative notions, and
plainly tell them that they are not the con-
trolling element of the party, and that how
ever they may grumble, they must follow,
because they have nowhere else to go. The
contest between Randall and Blackburn Is,
in fact, a contest for the mastery
between the eastern and the west
ern wings of the party. Mr.. Blackburn
represents the Presidential candidacy of
Senator Thurman, and implies the committal
of the party to soft money notions. Mr..
Randall, on the other hand, represents east
ern opinions on the currency; he represents,
also, economy and retrenchment in expenses.
The two elements would fppear to be lrrecon-
cilable. Whichever secures the ascendapcy
will make the other swallow its principles or
abandon the party, but the decision of the
question will depend, after all, en- the south.
Of the one hundred and forty eight Demo-
Gratis in the new house, one hundred are from
southern States. These, If they voted solidly,
COuius vi CCuIses EOulIudbS tue speaker III
caucus. Hence the point strongly urged now
In hotel debates, that it is time for the south
TO take possession and show the country that
it knows how to rule. as though the very fact
of its taking possession at the south were not
fatal to its rule In the country at large. There
are still Democrats who imagine that they
can win the next Presidential election, but
they are decreasing in numbers, aud here
and there a southern man begins to ask him
self whether the real interests of his section
are best secured and advanced by longer adj
herence to the Democratic party. when this
is evidently prey to lrreconeilable diSsen-
sions and without a policy, or. rather, with
several policies. But they are met by the
western Democrats with the reply that there
policy, Loot tl,at TIL s..F Dlaol1
burn stand on it, and that it is the repeal at
all hazards of laws hateful to the south, The
Republicans, meantime, are waiting. They
do not intend to bargain for greenback votes,
and they hold that whoever chooses to come
to them shall be welcome, but he must come
without conditions or promise, and give in
his adherence to hard money"
THE SPITE AGAINST RANDALL.
WASHINGTON special to Chicago Tribune:
Tine speakership pot Is boiling. Blackburn
has opened his headquarters. Randall will
do the same tomorrow. Everything is cha
otic. The feeling against Randall is strong
enough to defeat him if it could be united.
1t is not yet certain that it can be upon
Blackburn. The earnest advocacy of Black
burn by Morrison aids the former. but Nor
rison S zeal is known to be stimulated by the
fact that he was badly treated by Randall in
the organization o! the committees, and that
his opposition to Randall Is perhaps as much
due to spite as to preference for the southern
candidate. Randall opens his canvass with
the claim of nlnety-fve votes in the caucus.
Blackburn comedies him only ftty-four
Randall does not admit more than fJrty votes
for Blackburn. The line between the north
and south is likely to be very closely drawn
before the contest is ended. The struggle is
largely sectional. The supporters of Black
burn are not to be deferred by any cry of a
solid south. That shibboleth is rather their
rallying word; but there are some northern
Democrats opposed to Randall who are not
inclined to vote for Blackburn. There are
noisy threats on both sides that it this or
that man is nominated by the Democratic
caucus there will be az bolt. But little de-
is to be placed upon Democra tic
oolt!ng. Sam Cox says, speaking of Ran
dall's candidacy, We will break Sans back
this trip Yet Sam Cox may yet vote for
Randall, and be glad to get even the position
Of purveyor of bouquets in ordinary as chair
man OF the library committee.
A RADICAL OPINION OF THE CANDIDATES.
Chicago Tribune: "Mr. Joseph C.. S.
Blackburn, of Kentucky, who proposes to
dispute the claims of Sam Randall for the
Ipeakership of the next house, is now
serving his third term in congress, and is a
recognized leader ON the Democratic side.
Joe Is forty-one years old, a graduate of
centre college, Kentucky, lawyer 10y pro-
esslon, entered the Confederate army In
1861, and served to the close of the war He
walks with bad limp-the effect of Union |
bullet having been deposited in his left leg |
by boy IN blue to remind Mr.. Blackburn |
hat his attempt to overthrow the constitu- |
ion and the Union was somewhat serious |
md reprehensible undertaking. He is asfree |
)artakes of the usual aurora borealis style |
hat characterizes the typical southern |
Jumper. His presence Is good, and |
lis voice resembles the sound of "a freman's |
rumpet, which Is a needed qualification in |
man who wishes to be heard In SO bolsterous |
md turbulent body as the house of repre-
entatives. Undoubtedly he would make as |
rood presiding officer as Randall, but that |
saying very little IN praise of Joseph. He |
acks little of the dignity that Randall pos
esses-and Randall never had any to spare
)ut that Joe will rival Sam as a partisan, If /
lie ever gets into the speakers chair, there
an be little doubt. Blackburn represents in
lis own private person the very latest and
most approved style of modern Democracy,
W. isJ lACASIOIcf Il uJSG III D Oo nluQ6
he conspicuous fgure-head of au extra ses.
ion OF congress that has been called in con-
equence of the partisan blindness and stub
,ornness OF his party. A dyed n-the wool |
bourbon, State.rghts Democrat, and an
x Confederate brigadicr, all united in one
nd the same person, present claims for con-
that cannot be ignored by the new
rider about to be established in Washing
on
HE REPORT THAT RANDALL is TO BE
HELPED BY THE RADICALS BAsELEss.
Washington special to the Chicago Tt-ib-
me: The speakership campaign to-day has
'een very quiet. Thus far it has been mainly
onducted on paper. There are few con-
:ressmen here, and there is no doubt as to
heir opinions. The persons who compose
he uncertain element have not yet arrived
dr. Randall has not yet formally opened his
although he is hourly expected
o do so. The story that Randall is to re-
eve help from Republicans is circulated by
ireenbackers and the Blackburn men. The
eport is baseless. If the contest should be
brown into the house, and the RapuhlIcsns |