The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1879-05-21
washihgt Letters


BILL2-THE CAUCUS sILENT-FHE LEG
IsLATIvE BILL TO BE PASSED. VETO
e EXPECTED WEAKNESS IN THE DEMO
CRATIC PHALANx-THE GEORGIA PHoE
NIX IN THE ROLE OF A MEDIAToR-A4
MAJORITY OPPOSED TO ADJOURNMENT
l. "a CEREMoNY THAT MAY CAUSE sEaNA-
TOR THURMAN TO APPEAR AT THE
WHITE HOUSE.
y WASHINGTON, d, c., May 18th, 1879.
To the Editoror the Morristewn eazettef
Since the last new veto mo- caucus has
been held to decide upon a plan Of action.
The idea of the majority seems to be to
allow theimatter to rest for the present,
and to go, ahead with. other legislation.
Senator Thurman and, Representative
Chalmers, the chairmen of the respective
caucus committees in the Senate and
House, have agreed in the opinion that
nothing further should be attempted on
the army bill until the Legislative, Exc
cutive and Judicial bills shall be passed.
The speaker of the House, however, is
of the opinion that joint caucus should
be called, to consider the emergency
created by the veto, at once, and it is
probable that the committee will meet
before the endsOf the week, 1t is ad-
mitted by the Democrats that their
phalanx is not as strong as 1t was at the
beginning of the session, and that if
those who are disposed to yield will COM
bine with the Greenbackersa and Republi-
cans they can pass the army bill without
| any of the restrictions that have hereto
fore been attached to it, Mr.. Stephens,
of Georgia, is the leader of clique that
is disposed to recede from the uncom-
promising attitude that has been so far
maintained by the Democrats. Mr..
| Stephens thinks that an army bill can be
| devised that will receive the Presidents
| signature and still be so worded that it
will keep troops from the polls. 1t is
said that he wishes to have the eclat of a
mediator, to draft q bill himself, and
achieve the fame of rescuing his party
from dilemma. The leaders of the
majority profess to have little faith in
Mr.. Stephens mediatorial or diplomatic
ability They think that if an army
bill shall bereported with even the mild
est proviso tokeep troops away from the
polls, attached to it, that majority can
now be rallied to strike out the proviso
and pass the appropriation without any
restriction.
~ Unless there shall be decided change
! in the opinion of large majority of the
Democrats, there will be no other regu-
lar army appropriation bill reported
! from the committee during the extra
session. There has been much talk
about extending the last years appropri.
ations until the first of January, 1880,
but this can be done only by a two
thirds vote, and it may be said with GER
tainty that a two-thirds vote cannot be
| obtained for this plan. The next i'm
portant question will be that of adjourn
ment, without passing the appropria-
tions. The Republicans will of course
oppose adjournment until the usual sup
plies have been voted. The Greenback-
ers will oppose adjournment, because
they are anxious to sit all summer, and
to go heavily into financial legislation.
Mr.. Stephens clique opposes adjourn
! ment because they also are in favor of
immediate financial and general legisla-
ton. This opposition will make a ma
jority, and a deadlock appears inevi-
table.
If the President shall veto the legisla-
tive bill, as it is now expected he will
and also the supervisors and deputy
marshals repeal law when presented in
separate form, as well as the jurors test
oath, it is expected that Congress will
present joint address to him. Under
the rules this can be done, and, if it
shall be done, the address will be drawn
up as petition to be used as campaign
paper. The rules prescribe that: "when
the Senate and House of Representa-
tives shall deem it proper to make a
JOINT address to the President, it shall
be presented to him in his autierce
chamber by the President of the Senate
in the presence of the Speaker and both
Houses" Senator Thurman, president
pro tenn of the Senate, will present the
address '5a+ G. A. s.