The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1879-04-02
NOTE2' FROI cIG COGGESP NDg,IS.
Washington Letter.

From our Regular Correspondent
Now that Congess is organized for
the extra session, it is clear that there
has been some disappointment among
the Republicans at the turn things
have taken with reference to the
House of Representatives. When the
extra session became inevitable there
was a hasty putting together of heads
among the radical leaders in accord
with the Administration, and the con-
clusion reached that if the new Con-
gress was assembled on short notice it
would catch the Democrats at a
disadvantage. There we're four or five
sick Democrats, and Mr.. Whitaker. of
Oregon, it was thought, would not he
able to get here by the 18th. the day
fixed upon. This, with the active CO.
operation of a few Republican Green
hackers, was expected to give the
Democrats trouble. But 'the best
laid plans of mice and men gang aft
a glee." Mr.. Whitaker chartered a
special train from San Francisco TO
Omaha, making remarkably quick
trip. and arrived just in time; while
the sick ones FASTENED TO get well IN
manner that must have made Garfield
and Rutherford very unhappy.
TIE Greenbackers are, | think
somewhat disappointed also. Unless
their leaders here were playing des-
perate game of bluff they must really
have expected to hold the balance Of
power, and that they would be able to
name the Speaker. The twenty odd
votes they counted upon. however,
dropped down to thirteen, and left the
Democrats in Il clear majority over all.
Ii is safe 10 assume now that, with
few exceptions, the .Greenback mem
bers will fiad that they can best serve
the people by casting their votes with
the Democrats. 1t is here only that
they will find an opportunity to vote
successfully for measures of economy,
anti-subSidies, and of relief from the
burdens that now Cypress the land.
If the people are to obtain relief within
the next two years it must come
through the Democratic party. There
are evidences that the wise ones among
the Greenback leaders begin TO APP
.preciate this, and so far as their action
in Congress Is concerned at least, | do
not think they will throw away their
votes, though among them are men
whose object is to aid the Republican
party by drawing off Democrats into
outside movements.
Speaker Randall had hard contest
tor his reelection, and that he sue
ceeded in retaining his hold upon the
gavel is largely due to a combination
of circumstances. lie is an admirable
presiding officer, combining remarka-
BILE fairness with great skill and ability.
But in the organization of the commit
tees, after his former election, he is
thought to have made some grave
mistakes in retiring to the rear men
who should have been placed at the
front. 1t is not believed that he will
repeat this error. Mr. Randall was
said to he the 1ilden candidate and the
hand money candidate; but, in my
opinion, neither OF these things entered
into the contest Certainly financial
questions had nothing to do with it.
The issues were Randall and anti-Ran-
dali. to which was added the question
whether the party wanted TO elect an
ex-Confederate to SO high an office.
This was negatived by the ex-Con-
federates themselves, most of whom
voted fora northern man. The manly
and magnanimous course of Mr.. Black
burn, after his defeat, bas elevated
him still higher than ever in the esteem
of all Democrats. His speech to the
caucus was an exceedingly neat affair,
and when he cast his vote for Mr.. Ran,