New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-03-21

fully attended The number of votes cast on the sew
eral resolutions offered showed the presence of 141
Representatives.
The first business in order was the organization
of the caucus for the present Congress. Mr. Clymer
and Mr.. House, of Tennessee, were nominated Tor
| the permanent Craftsmanship, and each expressed
preference that the other should be chosen. Mr.
House received the most votes, and was declared
/ elected Mr.. Clymer not candidate Tor re-
election. He had served as long as was sioinaIy;
| and being Representative from the same State as
the Speaker announced his determination to retire
before the caucus met. The votes he received were
given voluntarily by friends. and against his ex-
pressed wish.
Mr. Mills Texas) and Mr. Covert (N. " were
elected secretaries.
After the organization of the caucus was COM
pleted, Mr.. Fernando Wood whose name was the
first on the list of those signing the call, made
speech setting forth the object of the meeting. He
SAID that the extra session had been made necessary
by the refusal of the last House to accede TO the de-
mand of the Senate that certain provisions of two
appropriation bills repeating obnoxious laws should
be stricken out. lie urged his party friends to
stand firm in the position assumed by the Demo-
Gratis of the XLVth Congress, and to pass the two
appropriation bills exactly as they formerly passed
the House without changing the dottlng of an ii"
or the crossing of It," and that other legisla-
ton should be considered. He said that the re-
sponsibilities Of the Democratic party were very
great now that for the first time IN eighteen years
it had control of both branches of Congress.
Mr. Springer, who followed, said that he did not
agree with Mr.. Wood as to the best mode OF proce-
dure. 1t was true, he remarked, that the Repub-
hcan party during the eighteen years that il had
been in power had passed many obnoxious laws, and
while 1t was desirable to repeal or modify them he
did not think that the Democratic party would be
justified by the country in Withholding the neces-
sary supplies from the Government until these
changes could DO effected. There some things
which in his opinion might well be insisted upon,
but that portion of the Federal election laws that
provides for the appointment of two Supervisors,
one of each party, to be present at polling places
when members of Congress are to be chosen, was
not objectionable to Democrats, and was i'll the in
teTest of fair and honest elections. 1t never had
been objected to by Democrats, he said in
deed in many of the large cities of the North, and
in the South under reconstruction, this law alone
gave the Democrats a chance to have a representa-
tive of their party within the room where the vot-
ing was going on What he proposed was the re-
peal of the clauses allowing the appointment OF
chief supervisors and election marshals i'll cities of
more than 20,0 600 inhabitants. The law IN regard
to marshas was especially odous since it gave the
an unlimited number of its own friends about every
polling place as workers, and to pay them out OF the
public funds. His plan to pass separate bills
cmbodylng the points he had already mentioned,
with additional provisions for free and fair cleo
tons, and to send them to the President If the
President should refuse to sign them. then 1t would
be time enough to talk about stopping tho supplies
of the Government until the grievances of the peO-
pie could be redTessed.
Speaker Randall asked if it would not he better
to pass he two appropriation bills exactly they
left the House in the last Congress and TO reserve
the other measures to which Mr. Springer had re-
ferred until the regular session of Congress.
Mr. Proctor Knott moved that the two appropra-
ton bills. which failed at the last session. be passed
without change; that no other business be tran
saced and that the House await the action OF
the President upon these bills
Mr. Carlisle of Kentucky, moved TO amend Mr..
Knotts resolution by substituting one directing the
chairman of the caucus to appoint a committee con-
slsing of eleven members, with instructions TO act
in harmony with the like committee that has been
appointed by the Democratic caJrus of the Senate
and to prepare and report to afuture joint caucus an
order Of business for the session.
Mr. Cox of New-York, offered as q substitute for
Mr. KnotPs resolution, a motion that the House
should first pass the proposed political measures as
separate bills and send them to the President. If
the President should veto them then Mr.. Cox would
be in favor of attaching them to the appropriation
bills.
A spirited debate ensued on these resolutions.
Mr.. Alexander ii. Stephens said that the Demo
cratic party now assembled III caucus was engaged
upon very important business None more i'm
portant had come before body of Democrats in
tbe last fifteen years. He cautioned his party
friends TO proceed with care and moderation, and
said that if the action now taken should be wise,
the future of the Democratic party would be
bright One but if it should be unwlse, he did not
expect to live to see all the misery that would
result. The country, he thought, docs not expect
much from the Democratic party at this time; but
in its present suffering condition it needs measures
that will bring relief rather than political legisla-
ton. He hoped that Congress would make I'M
portant notifications in the internal revenue
laws at this session; remonetize silver, and
order the issue of at least five hundred millions
of greenbacks. The people hoping for relief he
said and this Congress ought not TO disappoiut
them. Mr.. Stephens spoke with great warmth and
the whole caucus pressed around his chair to catch
every word he said.
Mrs S. Cox made moderate speech, but urged
the caucus to stand firm. lie would not abatc one
lot or one title from the position the party had
taken. but he would first put the political legisla-
aion into separate bills resortng to the appropri-
alton bills only when the President had refused to
approve.
Mr. Hooker of Mississippi opposed the appoint
mpnt of a committee or the holding OF Joint
caucns The only course for the Democratic party
To pursue, in his estimation, would be 10 pass the
appropriation bills with the political LEGISLATION at
tached and not to rccede at all from the position
which had been taken.
Mr. Chalmers, of Mississippi, offered resolution
requesting the Speaker TO appoint the committees OF
the House at as carly day as possible, and
Lir.ct1nr the nnnnInfmcnt of a CanCns (unmIttce