The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1879-04-01
(From our Regular Correspondent

WASHINGTON, ID. c., March 9th, 1879
The present Congress evidently believes
in the old Latin maxim 'JeStina lentP.
Not until yesterday did the joint caucus
OF the majority agree upon a programme
OF action in regard to the special legislation
for which the extra session was called. 1t
has been agreed to ALLOW the law providing
for the appointment Of two supervisors at
each voting precinct, in cities of 10000
inhabitants and upwards, to stand, but
taking from the supervisors all authority
to arrest or in any manner interfere with
the election, and requiring that they shall
be bona tide residents of the precinct in
which they serve; that they be authorized
to remain beside the balot-box during the
entire election, and supervise the count;
that they may witness the registration OF
voters, if they choose, but they shall
not have the power to sichalenge or
in any way interfere; they may
watch every proceeding, and acluaint
themselves with all that is done; they may
make memoranda; the idea being that
these supervisors may be used before the
court as witnesses, or, in case of contest
before congress-
The assertion has been made that the
president will sign the legislative bill with
che compromise repeal of the supervisors
law attached thereto, but there is good au-
thority for saying that he will not approve
the bill with the proposed legislation at
tached. 1t is also understood among those
cognlzant OF such matters that the cabinet
Is Il unit 10 holding the same view Of the
question. 1t would appear, from this, that
the only hope of compromise is the
possibility that the democrats may con-
Clude to content themselves with the re-
peal of the obnoxious jurors test oath law
aud the statutes authorizing the presence
OF troops at the polls, and allow the SUI
pervlsors law to remain in force. 1t is
doubtful II the democrats will consent to
this 1t Is asserted that the majority will
stand by the action of the caucus Until the
last, and ID case OF veto, that the apprOpri-
alton bills will fail again. The repeal will
divest the national government of all au-
thOrlty to appoint chief supervisors and
marshals, and In order to make the act
cover all possible laws, it is provided that
all laws and parts OF laws, all sections and
parts OF sections authorizing the appoint.
ment OF any supervisors or marshals, be-
You'd the two described above, are re-
pealed
The question as to a short or long extra
session Is still undecided and will doubtless
be controlled by future developments. The
majority in the senate is strongly in favor
OF adJourniDg as soon as the legislation, for
which the extra session was called,is finish
ed; but there is a disposition, on the part
OF the house, to undertake legislation on a
large and general scale. Not only are all
the greenbackers in favor of general legis-
lation, but also large number of republ-
cans, as well as democrats who have similar
financial views.
Mr.. Randall is proceeding very leisureIy,
and with great care, IN the organization OF
committees, in hopeless effort to please
every body, and, at the same time place
every man where his peculiar talent, or
want OF talent. will do the most good and
least harm. There is no occasion for
haste IN committee making, since it will he
at least week before the appropriation
bills. IN any shape. will pass congress. The
republican senator's are evidently prepared
to debate these bills and oppose them to
the last, and some fine oratory may be ex-
pected. Indeed the impotence of Senator
Hoar led him to anticipate the bills and
make long and bitter attack on the pro-
posed policy CT the majority, which he said
was revolutionary, unconstitutional, and
without precedent in the legis-
lative history of free governments Sena.
tor Beck replied that Senator Hoar's
speech was evidently made with desire
to persuade the President to veto the pro-
posed legislation, and that coming before
the bills were properly before the Senate,
1t was, to say the least, indecent. There
was, at this point, commotion among the
haoltually digni6ed senators that made the
usually decorous chamber resemble the
nall at the other end of the CAPITOL.
hdmunds, Conkling, Blaine, Hoar, Beck,
ana Wallace were all on their feet speaking
u once. Senator, ex-justice Davis lifted
ais ayoHdupoise from his chair and blandlv
asked II motion to 60 into executive ses-
sion would be in order. Senator Edmunds
forgetting that there was q Vice-Presi.