The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-06-12
THE RESULT OF THE CAUCUS.
Three Distinct Bills to be offered by the
Majority.
WASHINGTON, June 8.


The Democratic members of the House
and Senate held a joint caucus this after
noon, to receive the report of the joint
advisory committee in regard to the ap-
preparation bills. After several hours
deliberation, the following programme
was agreed upon:
The House committee on appropria-
tions will Immediately prepare for intro
duction three bills, as follows: The army
appropriation bill vetoed by the Presi-
dent with the following new section in
place of the section upon which the veto
was based:
"Section 6. That no money appropria-
ted by this act is appropriated or shall be
paid for the subsistence, equipment,
transportation or compensation of any
part of the army of the United States to
be used as q police force to keep the
peace at the polls at any election held
within any State"
The bill extending the legislative, ex-
ecutive and judicial appropriation act of
June 10, 1878, for one year from the Both
instant, for the same sums and purposes
therein specified. This bill will contain
no general legislation, except that por-
ton of the recently vetoed bill, known
as the McDfahon amendment, providing
for.the repeal of certain laws regulating
payment of pensions. Last years bill,
which it is thus proposed to re.enact,
provided for the salaries of all United
States judges, district attorneys and Uni
ted States marshals, but made no appro-
priation for judicial expenses" which,
however, were subsequently provided for
in the sundry civil appropriation bill.
Hence it was agreed that the committee
on appropriations shall report bill
making appropriations in detail for all
estimated judicial expenses except the
per diem Of supervisors and deputy mar
shals of elections, and containing also
the clause agreed upon last Saturday
that no officer shall be appointed and no
obligation incurred for any purpose not
specifically appropriated for by Congress.
This supplemental appropriation bill is
also to embody those sections In the
vetoed appropriation bill which provide
for amendments of the law respecting
the method of drawing juries, and for the
total abolition of the jurors test oath.
The bill will also provide that no money
therein appropriated shall he used for
fees, salaries, compensation or expenses
of any person appointed under Title 26,
Revised Statutes, which comprises the
Federal election laws; also that no liza
bility shall be incurred for any object for
which specific appropriation shall not
be made by Congress.
The appropriations committee will
meet tomorrow to prepare measures in
accordance with the programme above
outlined. The proceedings of the caucus
were unexpectedly harmonious, there
being no material difference of opinion
except regarding the army bill, and the
advisory committees recommendation as
to that was opposed by only few men,
bers of the House, while the senators
present were unanimous in sustaining
the entire report.
Senator Thurman submitted the report
in behalf of the joint committee, and
explained its features and the grounds
upon which the committee based their
conclusions. He secuted the idea that
this course could be considered a "back-
ing down." since no Democratic caucus
or committee had taken the position that
supplies should be withheld unless the
President would acquiesce in the repeal
of obnoxious statutes. The repeal meas
ures were proposed because they were
believed to be right, and were placed on
the appropriation bills as the mc5to con-
venient and speedy method OF passage,
and as the method giving the greatest
prospect of Presidential approval. The
President had taken the responsibility of
opposing the will of the people, and
thereby given the Democracy the benefit
of the issues thus raised. Congress
could now exercise its constitutional
right to designate the purposes for which
money appropriated shall be used. Re-
ferring to the proposed omission of an
appropriation for supervisors and deputy
marshals, Mr.. Thurman said:
"Does any one believe that the Presi-
dent will attempt to coerce us? Yet
this would be the attitude he would as
sumo should he refuse to approve bill
appropriating money for various specified
objects on the ground that it did not con-
tain an appropriation for some other
purposes"
Speeches were also made by Represen-
tatives Blackburn and Clymer and Gen.
Johnston, who favored making the army
bill more stringent, so as absolutely to
prohibit the use of troops at the polls.
Senator Bayard supported the recon-
mendations of the advisory committee,
and deprecated framing measures in such
terms as to elicit new yetoes, as we'll as
the idea of adjourning without providing
supplies for the support of the govern
ment
Representative Stephens, of Georgia,
said that the report of the committee
met his approval, and recommended its
adoption.