The New York herald., 1879-03-05

averse to an extra session. and in general he hes
shown courage and energy than sound judg-
ment If. some of its members here strongly de-
sire, the democratic party is to embark ad-
veuturous policy Mr.. blackburn would do very well
for its Speaker.
THE OTHER CANDIDATES.
or Messrs. Cox. Carlisle and House il is not neces-
sary now speak, because their turn is not likely
to come in the Forty-sxth Congress- Everything
points to the election Of either Mr.. Randall. Mr..
Blackburn. possibly, il the choice should be
delayed. Mr.. Morrison, and remark of Mr.. Black
burn. that the next Speaker would be either himself
General Garfield. seems to denote that the strug
gle is to bo on Mr. Blackburns side extremely vigor
ous.
The speakership, considering who are the two
chief democratic candidates. would seem therefore
to lie for the present between representative
of Eastern and one of Southwestern democratic
ideas and policies. and in this view tho election
of Speaker hardly fail to have important and
perhaps decisive influence upon the future policy
of the democratic party. This is the more probable.
because unusual number of members Of I'M
portant committees in the Fort fifth Congress
not returned to the Forty sixth, and the Speaker
will have to fill their places with men of his own
selection and choose their successors from a
House largely mado up on both sides Of new men
elected on dubious platforms and pledged to no
definite principles or policies
CHANGE IN COMMITTEES.
OF the present Ways and Means Committee five
memberships. Robbins and Harris. democrats.
and Banks and Burchard. republicans disappear; the
Appropriations Committee loses four Of its most
important men-Hewtt and Durham, democrats.
and Hale and Foster, republicans the Banking and
Currency Committee loses flve democrats Harden
bergh (hard money, Yeates Bell, Hartzell and Hart
(soft money!. and two republicans-Eames (hard
money. and Phillips soft money!; the Judiciary
loses two democrats-Lynde and Stenger, and one
republican, General Buter the Foreign Affairs Com
mittce lose3 three dcmocrats-Swann. Hamilton and
Bridges. 1t will DO that the five most important
committees of the House-those which, to large ex-
tent, shape and control the policy Of the House. will
have to be made by the next Speaker. and made
over mainly on the democratic side.
THE REPUBLICAN, CANDIDATE.
The republican candidate for Speaker u.s. OF course,
General Garfield. There is no one that side to
dispute his right to the place. in the chances of
evenly balanced House the election should fall to the
republicans. But tho greenbackers could hardly
afford to vote for q hard money man like
Garfield II would be too ludicrous q spec
tacle. Garfeld's majority has to
from another source. and 1t is among the rumors
circulating here by political gossps that there
Southern men who have weakness for Garfield and
who would give him their votes In certain contin-
gencies; in the for instance that there should
be prolonged and bitter contest over other candi-
dates which should lead to combinations.
Tho new House counts 146 democrats, 128 republi-
cans and 13 grecnbackers. of whom held to
have democratic proclivites and six republicans. The
greenback vote is very naturally the centre OF polt
cal speculation just now. but in the end It may be
that yet other disorganizng elements will appear.