The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1879-03-10
(From our Regular Correspondent


The early day appointed for the reas-
sembling of congress in extra session has
brought on lively and.exclting canvass for
offices in both the senate and house. 1t is
estimated that from seven to ten thousand
Office seekers will be in this city during the
coming two weeks. The senate, for the
first time in twenty years, will be under the
control Of the Democrats. Candidates for
every Office within its gift have swarmed
up like ocusts, each loaded with documen-
tary evidence Of his peculiar fitness for the
desired office, and Of his great services in
the Democratic party. Such pressure will
be brought to bear upon the Democratic
senators that it is safe to predict that the
employees Of the senate will undergo an al
most complete change of perSOneI The
best Office in the gift ofIthe senate is the
secretaryship; for this place there
are many candidates prominent
in politics and in journalism. Among them
are Ex-senator Dennis Of Maryland, Col
Burch editor of the Nashville american,
COL A. G. Buell. a well known and bril-
liant journalist of this city, EXCongress-
men Franklin of Mo, Stenger of Pa, and
Waddell of n. 9.
Very naturally, the chief Interest in re-
gard to the next House centres IN the
speakership. On the Democratic side,
Messrs. Randall and Blackburn are men
toned as the leading candidates, with s.
S. Cox, w. r. Morris, W. NJ Springer,
John f. House, John A. Mcmahon, John
q. Carlisle, John Goode and Gen. Tom
Ewing as either in the race or probably
competitors. 1t is understood, and Re-
publican members generally confirm it,
that Gen. Garfield will be the candidate OF
that party, and the Greenbackers say
they propose TO nominate DR.. De La
Matyr. Mr.. Randall said yesterday that
he felt confident of reelection; that he
would certainly be the caucus nominee, and
that the Democrats would have strength
enough to elect their candidates without
any difficulty. MIR. Blackburn expressed
himself with equal confidence. His
friends have no doubt that eighty Dem
ocrats will vote for him in the caucus, and
that either he or Garfield would be the
next speaker, meaning that the contest
would be between Blackburn, as the Dem
ocratic nominee, and Garfield, as the Re-
publican candidate. There will be six vacsc-
ciss in the House-four from California, one
from New York, and one from Texas and
deducting these, IA members will consti
tute a majority. This gives the Democrats
undoubted control, as they have morethan
this number whose status is not disputed,
For clerk in the House only two candi-
dates are out so far, Mr.. Adams, the pres
ent incumbent, and MIR. Caldwell, of Ala
bama, who was a candidate before the eau
Gus when Mr. Adams was last chosen.
COL John g. Thompson proposes to retain
the position OF sergeant-at-arms, ii the
Democrats are willing, and Richard NJ.
Bright, of Indiana, is the only man who
has yet taken the field against him.
For doorkeeper, Gen. Field is again
spoken of, as we'll as Col. Polk, who, now
that he has been twice indorsed by the
House as without stain, insists that he
should be reelected.
The organization of the Senate will be
effected with but little difficulty. There
will be no presiding officer to elect. SEN
ator Thurman will be elected president
pro tcmpOrc without opposition, Even
before the extra session had been called
the Organization of committees had been
decided upon. Senator Thurman will be
chairman of the judiciary committee and
Senator Bayard chairman Of the commit
tee on finance; Salisbury, of privileges
and elections; Eaton, foreign affairs;
Gordon, commerce.; Johnston, ag-
riCuture; Mcpherson, manufactures
Randolph, military affairs; Whyte, naval
affairs; Maxey, postofice and post roads;
Mcdonald, public lands; Coke, indian af-
fairs; Withers, pensions; Cockreil. claims;
Harris, District of Columbia; Herman,
patents; Garland, territories Lamar. rail-
roads; Wallace, revision of the laws;
Ransom, library; Hill public buildings
and grounds; either Davis wv. Va or
Beck, chairman of appropriations commit
tee. Should Beck not be given the COM
mittee on appropriations, he will be chair
man of the transportation committee.
This rule Of Advancement, however, will
not be adhered to. In many cases the
senators will exchange, and thus by agree
ment arrange for the craftsmanship Of com
mittees they prefer, and the caucus will
Tatity such agreement. Hence it is not
possible 10 give correct list Of the future
chalrDeu OF the senate committees.
The time between the adjournment and
converting of the extra session is so short
that most OF the members from distant
states will not return home. Then the
great interest felt iE the reorganization in
duces great many members to remain in
Washington.
a large proportion of the new members
are on hand and will stay, and consequent
ly the usual recess dulness does not exist
G. A. s.