The New York herald., 1879-02-10
Prevailing Opinions About the
Cipher Testimony.
TILDEN'S CHANCES GONE
Democrats and the Questions for
Caucus Consideration.
FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.


THE sENrrNErr or wAsHTNGToN ON rHR rEzs-
TrMoHY OF PELroN, MARBLE AND rIIDEa-
DrsAProzNrn6ENr IN DEMOCRATIC c1HCLRs--
GREAT EXPECTATIONS NOT RRAIIzED.
The examinations Of Messrs Peton. Marble and
ulden by the Potter Committes have ssrscted extra
ordinary interest at this political centre. When tho
House authorized the committee to inquire into tho
cipher dispatches. weeks ago. Tden stock went
mp here on account Of avague rumor that Mr. Tiden
was prepared to mako . somewhat startling showing
to the country. II he had On opportunity. .
rumor which secured credit because II was gen.
orally known that Mr. Tilden had desired to testify
bofors the committee. The result has not justified
these antictpstions, but it is by unsatis-
factory to the democrats. generally. who privately
agree that Messrs. Hiscock and Reed of the commit
tee have relieved the democratic party of any further
trouble with Mr.. Tilden as Presidential candidate.
The general opinion among democrats Ia that Pei
ton and Marble forgot too much in their testimony.
that 1t to put 1t mildly misfortune for them
that they could not remember the cipher they used
in 1873. and that accepting their evi-
dence that Mr.. Tildcn know nothing Of what
was being arranged and planned under his by
his intimates, shows conclusively that no would
not be safe man to have In the White House. be-
cause he would expose the country to precisely tho
same kind of dsgraceful scandals which happened
under General Grant, who also. everybody knows.
was himself innocent but was tho victim Of set of
Peltons of his own.
The whole story was caustically summed up hero
this evening BY democrat with bitter tongue in
these words:-"It appears therefore, that the
electoral votes Of Florida. South Carolina and
Louisiana for sale. that Of Tilden's most
intimate friends and private agents knew this and
at least not averse to negotiating purchase;
that they did not buy them that tho votes Sc
cufed by the republicans that tho republican man
ayers got into their hands the election despatches Of
Nth parties. destroyed their own and made public
those Of the democras that they also got into their
hands the papers Of the Louisiana Returning Board
which also turn up missng; that ever since March.
ls77 members Of the Returning Boards and al other
republicans concerned In the elections In the dis
puted States have been carefully rewarded with oce
and that, to conclude it having got away with 1.-THE
swag." destroyed the written evidences Of ownership
and divided tho plumber with his pals, NOW with
virtuous indignation holds up these despsschcs to
prove that he is fellow who wanted 10 steal but was
not smart enough" .......4..s..
SUBJECTS TO BE CoxsIDKKxD AT THE DEMO
CRATIC cAUcus-RzrsAL OF THE TEST OATH
AND THE ELECTION LAWS DEHAHDxD-rHE
PASSAGE OF THE APPROPRIATIONS BILL TO
BE ENDANGERED.
Saturday nights democratic caucus wss worry
thinly attended Most Of the important and innuen-
tal Senators and Representative were absent An.
Other Caucus Il called for tomorrow night Tho
object Of these meetings u to formally agrec upon
the manner in which the demand for the repeal Of
certain obnoxious political laws shall be mado and
insisted on
In regard to the repeal Of the test oath, which s
found In sections $40 and S2 there already xed and
unanimous purpose among the democrats Of both
houses. clause repeating these sections viii be
placed the Legislative Executive and Judicial Ap.
preparations bll and the republicans will be told
that this bill cannot pass unless they agree to the
peal. The bill appropriates money for all the SAL
aries Of tho government. and is therefore, Of such
Importance that II it fails extra session must be
called, ut furthcst. in May.
It is not known what the republicans will do; II
they wish for an extra session they WILL Of course
resist I'm the Senate but they will that even in
that they put OF the repeal only two or threo
months for both houses will be democratic In tho
next Congress. and tho first net OF the Congress
ct the called session would DO to repeal these laws
and possibly some others.
There Is q further but separate movement for tho
repeal OF the federal election laws. which has, how
ever by no means the unanimous support OF tho
democrats. There Is no doubt that these laws are
useless for good and easily misused for wrong pur
poscs they give very great powers to obscure IRE
sponsible and partisan oficisls, and they ought
to be repealed. but considerable number Of
democratic politicians who have seen the ef-
fective partisan uso which the republicans have
msdo of this body of laws now oppose their repeal
because they hope somo day to administer them in
their turn. 1t Ia by certain therefore, that
. caucus can be induced 10 agreo to insist upon the
repeal Of these laws u 10 understood that Mr.
Blackburn Of Kentucky, and Mr.. Southsrd. Of Ohio.
will bring the matter before the caucus but those
who desire to push the repea confess that they do
mot meet with very jealous or general response.
aIsK OF A NEW INITIATION OF THE CURRENCY
WHAT THE PENSION ELL NAY DO. X
The country win DO lucky II tho foolish Arrearage
" Pensions law. which calls for between S300O00oO
sud SOo 600. does not become tho means Of new
imitation OF the currency. If this Congress had still
two or three months 10 sit thero Is no doubt that
we should see . violent and protrncted
currency discussion. caused by measures to
provide money for these additional pensions.
and IL is by no means certain how such
discussion would end. for the debate over tho bill
10 nnke silver dollars exchangoabe for grcenbscks
on Friday night. shows that mons minds ara won.
derfuliy muddled the whole currency question.
II was objected for instance. that TO mako Silver In
bcrchangeablc for grcenbacks to reverse specie
resumption, which is absurd. II asserted
that 70 pass the bill to dcpvccatc silver. which s
- much - to say that to lift man out OF
tho gutter TO the pavement 10 10 sink him lower
than he vss before II did not occur 70 Gen
erd Cox. OF Ohio Who 10 honest bt mctsllist that
he ought TO have supported tho bill on tho plain
ground that according 70 his theory. tho govern
mont 10 trying On experiment IN btmeallism in the
belief that II Il maintains silver part Of tho cur
rcncy this will eventually compel other nations to
use silver also, and viii In Of time bring
silver dollar 70 Per with gold. and that II IL
chooses to make such an experiment fhc government
h bound 70 protect the holders Of the silver against
loss vhish itcsn do only by exchanging this silver
at par on demand. Tho msn who want to use tho
silver doliArs to pay 81 the bonds sud the whole
tribe OF innssaonise and rspvdiationists are of
eourss bound by no such reasoning. but honest sill
YER mon ought 10 SOC that granting that their