Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1879-05-01
Democratic Conference.

House Of Representatives yesterday a well att
tended democratic caucus vas held tor the pur
p)so tt determining what course should be
plrsu:d il regard to thu Presidents veto OF
tee Army Appropriation bill. After some dis
custom upon propositions to refer the veto
message to tbs judiciary Committee or 10 q
special sel2o: committee, With view TO obtain.
irg report which should exhibit what was
alleged to be its incorrect Interpretation Of the
purpose aad effect OF the sixth section Of tho
bill, il vas decided to bring the measure to a
di:cct vote to day, without debate or reference.
The resolution embodyiDg this conclusion was
| finally adopted with great unaoimlty, end Is as
| follows:
Resolved That it is the sense of this caucus
that tho till making az appropriation ior the
support OF the army should pass notwithstand'
inz the otieoions Of tho President, and that
yGo will proceed 10 take the voio on to morrow
wlthGu! debate.
Tao Caucus then proceeded to consider
qu, sion Of wider scope and greater Importance,
psm:ly, what further action should be taken by
! this democratic party concerning the two Hppro.
pt!a ion DILL, after thoy shall both have bseu
def atcd by presidential vctoes. the veto OF the
Legislative, Tx clslvs AMI judicial bill, with
its political sections. btiog. of course, distinctly
| tOreshad ,wcd by tho present message. Au
animated discussion eESued 10 which. among
others, Massls Randall, Blackburn, Cox ard
| StephGaS partic patcd. |: Has fnllly deter
miurd to refer the whole subject to the caucus
cIm rtees of the Hons. aud Senate which
oriainsly framed the political sections now 10
conroya rsy. the House caucus Committee b.
ilg revived FIR this purpose aod Instructed to
| crnrr Tlih tho siu.iar committee Of democrat
Is senator's. hrd, alter nature consideration. To
report their r; recommendations to ONT caucus
Tue emb:rship of these committees is as fol
lows:
Un the par; Of Tho House eprf s,ptstives
Chalmers Of Mississippi. Carlisle OF heotucky.
Cox OF New IJIk, ERiug Of Ohio, Springer OF
Illinois, fucker of Vlryiuio, Atkins If Tenues-
see, Cymcr cf PcDnsy lVauia, Reagan Of Texas.
Bi!knell OF IGdisoa, Phelps CT Connecticut.
"a the part Of the Seoete-Messrs. Thur
nun, Wbyte, KcrnaD, Salisbury. Jones of
Floriia. Bailey, Lamar, Voorhees, aud Vance.
Daring the discussion Mr.. Mills, tf Texas.
said the party could no. af)rd to back down
from The position it had taken it vas right,
sud tho peoples representatives should 20
ahead. He was not WilIiug to cobcede that the
q .outTe had Tho right to dictate Legislation to
the House. Courage in tho democratic ranks
Rss the oOc thing needed.
Speaker Randall indorsed what MIR. Mills
had slil. lie was 10 favor Of making square
fight to tho.end The peopIo If this Country
waited fsce elections, and it was the duty CT
their representatives to givs than this. The
ISSUE hsd been made and tho democracy should
be fcn.
Mr.. Stephens said the demand for the repsal
of these Udi1us aad oppressive laws WAS 10
| nnI al
By the people, but the majority could cot afford
to adjJurn without makiog these sppropris
items. The salaries OF the Judges of the courts
AID Of al! the executive officers of the goyero
meat were fixed By law to be paid at stated
tines, aud Congress must provide tor them.
Mr. Spcer agreed substantially with Mr.
Stephens. hoidog that the demand Of tho par
~ was Just sDd right, but be did not think it
would be good policy to withhold tho appro-
pFialioos.
Mr.. Stevenson hou9ht separate bills should
be passed 10 suca form as to obYiato the otj=c.
tons c;niained in the veto.
Gen. Singleton, Of II icoi5. was opposed to
any yielding. The Constitution provided that
quorum Of the two houses-in fac; maj or
ty-shoud pass laws, but ii tho usjorty were
weak enough to subni. to Hayes dIolstion
This right was taken away from them, aud it
would require two-thrds 10 pass law. No
body whp had anything to do with framing the
Constitution had contemplated allowing aa eX
ccc.ive 10 dictate to Congress what laws should
be passed, and ho was opposed TO allowing any
suoh precedent to b. es rablished now. If tho
nIajo1ity proprad TO submit to this they might
mako NJ their minds that no legislation OBJ
ionab.o 10 The republican party could here
after DC passed with less than t9o thirds
vote. IIo vas 10 favor of sanding by the
right.
Nj Blackburn said that 10 his judgment The
party ou2h. not 10 reeede from its position, but
10 this matter tho southern members We're will.
ing to b. guided by their northern associates.
Let the latter map ous the policy and tho men
bers from tho South would stand by it.
The national graenback members Of the
House also haid caucus of threo hours dura
ton on the sutiecs Of the presidential veto. A
general Iotercha0go of views occurred, but 90
defoiio action was reached % to what course
tha7 should pursu,. Information obtained TO-
dioaca that the meeting was not altogether
Harmonious. there b2iDg great diversity OF
sak,U, aud 10 the cours, Of debate the fact Was
developed that tho national party will not
sand as q uoit on tho question when it comes
before tho House, but will divide, some su:I
tanning the veto Gud others opposing it, and
| third fiction RETAINING from voting either way.
| At the ciuou, OF the democratic Senators
| yesterday, which was very fully attended, eud
| lasted about al hour, 10 action was taken eX-
oeDt to determine Informally that the Iegisla.
i've, executive aad judicial appropriation bill
shall not be brought forward for discussion 10
the Senate before mex! week, and that in the
meantime the democratic Senator's 8i c,n(er
aish their party fue0js of the House of Rep
reshntarivcs concerning the PROPER courso to DO
pursued iu regard to the Presidents veto Of
tho army appropriation bill and the political
situation generally.
| TIE INTELLIGENT HoRsE-We heard
verj interesting story tho other Jay which
pr,v?s that that noble animal, the hurso, is
really gifted with Intelligence. There is young
man 10 this place who il accustomed occasion
| ally in mr. n nil, oftaD m mnunt his pall. anti