The sun., 1879-03-16
THE SPEAKERSHIP CONTEST.
RANDALL'S NOMINATION PROBABLE
ON THE FIRST BILLION
The Opposition Weak enInR on blackburn and
Talking OF Substituting ~ Northern Mnn-
The Greeubnckers showing weakness.

WASHINGTON, March 15.--lhere were Two
important developments in the campaign for
the Spcakcrship to-day. First. the Inherent
weakness OF the Greenbackers, which has all
along been apparent TO cool observers. was
virtually confessed by their pronunciamento
which appeared this morning. 1t is true that
the Greenbackers still keep UP appearances,
and boast almost as loudly as the opposition TO
| Randall but their address TO Republicans and
| Democrats Is n virtual Abandonment OF their
| pretentons about holding tho balance OF power
| in the House. Their hopes were all found
| ed on the belief that the Democrats would
not be able to get all their men here
| 10y the 18th. and that three or four Democratic
! Greenbackers would Join their little band.
! They reckonod. however. without their host
| The Democratic managers went to work In
| downright earnest on the 9Th inst. and. thanks
to the energy and management OF ex-senator
Barnum and Sergeant-at-Arms Thompson.
every Democratic Congressman will be hero by
| Monday in time TO attend tho caucus Of their
party. One OF them. Whitaker Of Oregon. has
been whrled across the continent in Il special
tram. part OF tho time at nity miles an hour.
and will mako tho unprecedented time OF five
days from San Francisco to Washington. An
other. Mr.. Lay Of Missouri. is now On route
from st. Louis in car specially fttod up
for his comfort He has had severe
DNTNlYlle htlek, anu WIS NJ lilt flDt
cruiting his shattered health when the sum
mons OF his party came. His physicians tried
to discourage him from undertaking tho jour
ney to Washington. and told him that he had
about thres chances out OF five to survive the
| trip; but he decided instantly to take all risks
! and come. He will reach here on Monday
| morning having arrived at indianapolis To-;
/ night and thus far stood the fatigue Of travel
i remarkably well. The Democrats Will have lio
! members in tho House on Tuesday to particle
]
The Greenbackers have their headquarters AZ
the metropolitan Hotel where n snmpiuously
! nupontcd parlor ~ set npart Tor their benefit;
They have their clerks and messengers and
mike a fine show. The principa! personages
man OF the National Greenhack Committee.
Plan Buch9ngn q lndanagois., iihe Rgy De
Iowa ana Murch Of Maine. A few curious
people stroll into the Metropolitan TO- take a
that there are two or three Hreenback
candidates for positions under the House who
stlil have lHint nope ,hat sometn ng VIII tnan
dictate terms Truly there Is no hope 50 abd-
ing A. that Of the ohice seeker, The query is.
!" Ben Butler" But Ben win not be able 10
one ot them has already. expressed his
purpose 9t going into mo Democratic
10 Randall has been hard at work to-day trying
10 get the Iowa Greenbackers 70 70 into tho
Smih 81 New Jersey. Gnd Wright Of Penn
syivnig are to x? ~ and vote Tor Randall, But
| Iudd. Smith, and Wright CWc their election Ia
Democrats and have all along acted with that
party. Both l.ldd and Smith 10 not nsk rccos-
! milton of the Democrats aS Grcenha kers. but
are willing 10 come in aud take their chances us
Tho second important development to-day
was the atiempto OF Wallace. Morrison. Springer
! II MuhOn, uul a few others 10 convince the
friends ot Bi9ckeurn MT Il was Impossible TO
. Southern Union man was selected 10 lead the
opposition. This was begun early this morn;
Ing, and has been the subject OF frequent and
prolonged conferences throughout the day. 1t
has met with no encouragement on the part Of
BlHckbprn supporters. as Col. McCordle
said. because he was a ,southeEn man
uud Confederate soldier Wallace.
In his vcngeful hute Of Randall, has been the
| most active and INSCRIPTIONS leader Of this
light. and WINS the hrst 10 say that Il was necos-
sary 10 make a southern man like Blackburn
Speaker in order To meet uni render harmlgss
the cry that the South could not oe trusted. He
was one OF the first TO weaken and lead In the
efurt 20 rally on some Northern man. Tho eject
of The SUNS moderate yet firm course has benn
were inclined TO oppose Randall largely ON per-
sonal grounds lis timely warnings have been
retchord from prominent ana sQ@acious Demo-
crat' poNt'lhhS ,NeiyWhere. nome hnNr urtn
quicker % respond 20 the warnings ~ THE sun
ipan .ool and reneciins southern Democrats.
Npne here dcprecAte more than they tho course
ot tho men from tile South who raised the s-c-
tongl issue. II is suggestive fact that the
southern Democrats who howl loudcst Tor
BLACKBURN are also the loudest shriekers for in
hation. subsidies. and every other anti-Demo-
The scenes at the respective headquarters Of
Randall and Blackburn to-day have uuen but
. "a" repetition OF those OF yesterday and the DAY
: before. save that there has been "a little more
hustle. great number OF RandalPs personal
thls morning from all parts OF the country. and
early hai conferences with him. The situatlu n
was thoroughly canvassed, and committees
wore made up 10 conduct systematic canvass.
, Ihrr' was much comment upon tho attitude OF
certain Democratic Srnnt0rs in thls contest ioT
the Sprakershlp. Wallace, Beck. and Noor-
hres are especially eensured for their inter-
ference. Beck and voorhees, have candidates
MWuhcc mas pretended to be pushiht
, strnger Tor Secretary OF tnat body. but
yes'rrlay he cHolly proposed To- sacrifice him
; % Wattrrson. who wants 10 be- Secretary, and
Voorhees, Is pressing Bright for Scrgrqnt-at-
Arms OF tho Senate Both OF them viii have
= enough TO do To- pull their own men through
/ bat they, with Wallace, have been unscrupuluus
and malicious and mendacious in their fight
agninst Randall. Their animus is no secret
: Hnd whcn the truth comes to be told about thei
motives IL will reflect 10 credit on them.
, II IS now clearly developed that tho Infamous
letter which z Treasury detective had written
, noout Randall three wears ago was printed a
. | lew weeks since purpOsrly 70 iulure him in the
Z ! Speakersaip contest. The prompt manner in
d, wui'h Randall met the malicious utH and the
, / riumpuhut NiudicutlOn he received wills q check
, mate thdt hls enemies IN his own party did hot
, eNpe't IL must be snid 10 the credit OF the
, | Southern Democrats who oppose Randall that
! they had no hand in this dirty work. There is
the best reason. however. for believing that
, / hulhtt WIS lIlNY 10 II.
: The canvass up to this time has shown n
steady incroasc OF Randnll's strength and Il cor
| responding decentralization Of the opposition.
. | some lttle diminution OF his strength in the
, | Missouri delegation gave the Blackburn men
| great confidence this morning, but this was
more than oyrrbalHnced by gains Tor Randall
elsewhere. Unless there Is some unexpected
chang" Randall will certainly be nomiuuled on
tn" llrSt ballot.
The New York and Pennsyvunla Democratic
4 ! delegations held meetings tonight, All Of tho
I ! DEMOCRATIC representatives from New York
- / with tho exception OF Covert. Muller. and
j. OK lily, We're present. and MIR. Cox WAS made
- | Chairman, No formal action was taken ON the
I / subject OF the SpcaSership, owing 70 tho ABB
. snn'e ot the gentlemen above named, but those
u / present were unanimous in support Of Mr.
Randall. Another meeting OF the dele
CATION will be held tomorrow after
. noon. Covert and Muller arrived hero lat,
, ! tonight Buth Will support Mr., Randall Mr.
Il OE"Ily Will probably not be present at the
u nemocrati1 caucus on Monday night Gov
u Robinson has not vet signed the bin passed By
= the New lork Log glsluturr 70 permit him 10 re-
y tain ms scat in the Brooklyn Board Of Alder
a / men and hrH member of Congress also. Tho
charge against ORelliy that he was de-
sertrr viii be brought to the attention Of the
House in casc he attempts 10 take his seat.