The New York herald., 1879-03-05
Proclamation Of the President Calling
an Extra Session.
ORGANIZATION or THE NEXT CONGRESS-
The Contest for the Speaker
ship in the House.
INTERESTING DEBATE In THE SENATE.
FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.

GREss-CoNTEsr BETWEEN MR.. RANDALL AND
MR.. BLAcKBURN-sTRENGTH AND WEAKNESS
OF THE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. CHANGES TO
be MADE IN THE IMPORTANT COMMITTEES.
The proclamation convening Congress in extra
session the 18th of March gives immediate and
intense activity to the for the Speakership
There two principal candidates. Mr.. Randall and
Mr.. Blackburn. and several others mentioned as
possibilities namely Mr. Morrison, Mr.. S. s. Cox,
Mr.. Carlisle of Kentucky, and Mr. House, Of Ten
nessee Tho friends of the two principal candidates
profess almost equal confidence in the success of
their favorites Mr. Randas friends assert that the
House will be organized by the democrats without
tho assistance Of the greenbackers and that in tho
democratic caucus, although It will contain at least
four or five and perhaps moro members elected as
greenbackers. Mr. Randall will have considerable
majority Of votes will insure his election by tho
House.
Tho friends Of Mr.. Blackburn confess that they
count somewhat upon tho assistance Of grecnback
votes. They say that they will control these or most
of them, and that this will enable them to his
election.
THE GRERNBAcKERs.
The greenbackers have themselves tried for some
weeks to effect organization Of their own and
have used strong persuasons to induce Of
the democratic members Of soft money proclivities
The greenback members have not bound themselves
to act together nor has any democrat engaged him
self to act with them and separately from the demo-
cratic party. It asserted that Mr.. Hepdrick d.
Wright. benevolent Pennsylvania, had good no.
turedly promised his alliance to the greenbackers,
but the rumor lacks confirmation.
THE NEXT HOUSE.
The next House will contain 1873 new men, Sixty
one democrats and seventy-two republicans arc to
eervo their first term. The republican party loses
fewer of its experienced and able than the demo-
cratic. OF the members Of the present House who
do not appear in the next and who may fairly bc
ranked among the influential men Of this House,
Messrs Foster. Hale. Jacob D. Cox. Butler Banks.
Burchard, Hunter and Thornburgh republicans;
Messrs Potter. Schleicher Hewitt. Lynde. Swami.
Durham. Williams Of Michigan. southnrd and wad-
dell Sre democrats On the whole 1t plain that tho
democrats lose most heavily. II they to control
tho House it is the more vitaly necessary to them
that they shall mako no blunder in the choice of
Speaker.
spEAKIp RANDALLs RECORD.
1t is odd that only two men really considered
for the place. Mr. Randall has tho advantage of ex.
perence. lie has shown his capacity to manage and
oven sometimes to control the House. 1t is greatly
to his credit that he framed tho commit
tees two years ago. and has influenced
tho legislation Of tho House since that few or
no jobs have been passed. mono certainly Of any
magnitude, and this in spite Of the fact that very
strong inside and outside pressure constantly
brought to bear in favor Of subsidies and Jobs Of
various kinds. 1t cannot be said that all his COM
mittees strong but he had great deal of crude
material to work up, and Speaker is by old custom
held bound to make the committees fairly represent
the sentiments of the House. In the House which
has just adjourned the good and evil influences
years the constant effort of sensible and instructed
men Of both parties to keep in check tho wild and
ignorant part Of the members. The best that be
said Of the House is that it tolerated very few jobs
and for this the great care with which Mr. Randall
made up the Appropriations Committee Is fairly to
be credited
Mr.. RANDALL's OPPONENTS.
On the other hand. it is undeniable that the firm
hand with which Mr.. Randall has ruled the House
and his inexorable determination toward economy
and honesty. as we'll q certain imperiousness in
him. have raised up opponents who ready to sup
port any man to beat Randall who IL Mr.. Potter
were in the next Houee. would undoubtedly combine
on him. These forces have not, SO far, looked
earnestly toward any ono except Blackburn. whose
friends have made an active canvass for him. They
seem to have avoided Mr.. Morrison, who was one of
the candidates for the spcakership two years ago,
and who is very able. intelligent and honest man,
but not public speaker. For some reasons Mr.
Morrison OF the shrewdest political managers in
the House. is not regarded as friendly to Mr.. Ran
dalls nomination. It must bc said that Mr. Nor
rison. who had been chairman Of the Ways md
Means Committee in the Congress preceding
this last, did not fare we'll at Mr.. Randall's
hands when Mr.. Randall became Speaker. He was
made chairman Of u comparatively unimportant
committee. and this in the fnce Of tho fact that he
had proved himself an entirely competent chair
man Of the Ways and Means in every respect except
that. not being effective public speaker, he did
not attempt to take in the House tho place Of leader
of the majority which Is the traditional Office of
the chairman Of Ways and NIeans To o member
who has ideas and policy which he desires 10 al
vance. the removal from prominent TO sn unim.
portant committee is q serious disappointment. IL
goes far to deprive him OF his just share OF iniu.
encc In body like tho House. which does most Of
its important work in the committee rooms. Hence
arises probably tho discomfort Of Mr.. Morrison's
friends with Mr.. Randall.
Mn. BLAcKBURN's CHARACTERISTICS.
Mr.. Blackburn is . Of high character and
pleasing address, hnc public speaker. and has
shown on humorous occasions, when temporarily
occupying tho chair. that he would very satsfac
toriy carry on the business Of the House, What ho
would do in tho more important part Of selecting
committees and guiding the policy Of the House is
less certain. mainly because the kind OF democracy
which no believes in, whether 10 IL Western or East
ern, not known. II is probably not unfair to him
TO sly that no leans to Western currency ideas and to
Southern notions Of liberal appropriations. Tho
most potent objection urged against him among the
democrats is that he is southern man and that the
party cannot afford to elevate Southern man to 40
great place as tho spcakcrship. Probably this
objection would seem of less account IL some
Southcrner like Lamar In question. but
when Mr.. Blackburn is named men remember that
he has not been Of tho conservative southern type
In 1871 he was leader among those who iiibusercd
sgainst tho electoral count. Recently he has been
chief among those who pressed for the repeal ut al