New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-05-03


masters throughout the country are beginning
% he more active in the sale of the four per
cent certificates.
ACAUCUS OF THE UTMOST SECRECY.
suE COMMITTEE ROOMS AND HALLS RANsAcNEp TO
,,rpptT OUT EVERY POSSIBLE LIsTENER-wHAT
THE Caucus DID-ALMOST A row.
ley TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIBUNEl
W,suINGTON, May This has been another day
If caucuses The House of representatives not
bo,ino been in session. the Democrats of that body
assembled in their chamber soon after II o'clock
opd renamed in session. except during recess, until
about half-paSt 4.
Extraordinary precautions were taken to prevent
any disclosure of the proceedings of this meeting.
Democratic Representatives say that many con-
Fctinr and incorrect reports of their recent consul
tations have been published il the newspapers that
they have determined TO prevent the recurrence
Of such mistakes by throwing greater obstacles
than have heretofore existed in the way of
tbe entorprsing journalists who report the
caucuses As a preliminary precaution, therefore,
they excluded everybody except Democratic Rep
resentatiyes from the House wing of the Capitol
OF course when all the doors OF the hall are closed
and the stairways to the galleries are guarded no
sound escapes from a caucus TO those on the out
side; but Democratic members arc full of the
great subject they have under consideration that
il oycrfows in spite of themselves, and whel one
Of them comes out into the corridor for breath of
fresh cir all the secrets Of the caucus are exposed
he proceedings of the committee appointed by
the caucus to-day to clear the House wing were
very funny The committee consisted of Messrs.
Eyius is. c., Talbot (AId.). King Nal, McNlillen
Geun.), and Wise PENN These gentlemen visited
every cOmmttee-TOom on both the main and gal
lery floors. in order to make sure that no wicked
newspaper man was secreted in one of them. Then
they placed three scntnels at each stairway, and in
order to ascertain whether person speaking inside
could be heard in the corridor leading from the
Ioun1l, they sent one of their number into the
chamber to shout, while the remainder listened TO
catch his voice. The journalists and Others who
stood around enjoyed these proceedings immensely.
After these precautions had been taken the caucus,
s further to insure correct reports of its proceed
ngs placed an extra injunction of secrecy upon all
members present. and was then ready to proceed TO
business.
Mr.. House. of Tennessee, presided The first bust
ness of Importance was the report from the House
section of the Joint Caucus Committee of Safety.
This report was submitted by Mr.. Carlisle, who
ported the bin that had been agreed upon by the
committee. and made a speech III favor of its adop-
ton. The important features of this bill have
already been published IN THE TRIBUNE. 1t EN-
braces that feature of the sixth section of the Army
Appropriation bill which forbds the use of troops
nj the polls, but contains provisos which will cause
il not 10 interfere with the performance by civil
officers of the duties imposed upon them by law.
Mr. Carlisle reported that the committee advised
that this bill should be introduced and be passed by
both houses as a separate measure and be sent to
the President for his signature, before any further
steps should be taken towards appropriating money
for the support of the Army for the next fiscal YEAR
Mr.. Chalmers who was associated with Mr..
Carlisle In the preparation of the bill, also spoke III
It's favor, explaining the steps by which the COM
mttee reached its conclusions.
After some Informal talk among members mainly
about the details of the bill and the programme of
the party, recess was taken Tor lunch, ana to
allow Mr.. Carlisle and Mr. Chalmers To consult with
Senator Eaton, who had represented the Senate
caucus in formulating the bill.
After the recess the discussion was renewed 1t
was confined chilly 10 the details of the proposed
leg station. The Democratic caucus of the House
ab0unds in lawyers, each one Of whom has ms
peculiar ideas, and the result is that while the
caucus seemed to be substantially unanimous In its
approval of what the committee undertook to ac-
COmpllsh, there great difference OF opinion as TO
now il should be accomplished Numerous amend
mcntS 10 the bill were proposed and considered, but
no final agreement reached in regard TO 1t when
the caucus adjourned al 4:3O tins afternoon.
1t Is reported that the bill was returned to the
committee for revision, the differences of Opin-
ion beng great that II seemed impossible
10 harmonic them. So intense was the excite
ment at the close of the caucus that the
IN
ing defeated, and the caucus was in danger Of
breaking up in a row. In spite of this, the House
caucus to-day, while not reaching any definite
eluSOn. has proved that the surrender invented by
the JOINT Caucus Committee will be accepted by
the Democrats, though with rather bad grace.
A general press dispatch says that one member of
the House. after positively declining to say any
thing about the caucus, finally blurted ont: We'll,
no conclusion was reached" All sorts of rumors
are rife One is to the effect that there split
in the caucus, and that an adjournment was taken
until tomorrow that there a great deal of
talk to no purpose, and that every member
present was sworn to secrecy. Another story, and
il is probably the correct one that the
caucus absolutely declined to accept the report of
the Joint Committee, and recommittcd the report
for the committee to PIT in some other form, hope
ful that il might be so amended as TO DO favor
ably passed upon at some future caucus.
THE CONFERENCE OF SENATOR'S
SOME OF The DEMOCRATIC SENATORS REFUSE TO
ENTER THE CAUCUs-THE PLAN OF THE JOINT
COMMITTEE ADOPTED.
icy TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIBUNEl
WASHINGTON. May 2.-'rhe Democratic Senators
went INTO caucus Immediately after the adjourn
meut OF the Senate at o'clock this afternoon, and
remained with closed doors until about o'clock.
Several Senators refused to enter the meeting, al
legng as a reason that the proceedings of former
eaucuses had been made public by Senators present.
aud that il was Of no use TO hold secret caucuses
The more probable reason is that they would not
be bound any further 20 the course which might be