New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-03-26
THE FILlRUsTERS SURRENDER.


Ing the same trick.
THE FILlBUSTERS SURRENDER.
MIR. TowNsHKND's BILL SENT TO THE RIGHT COM
MITTEF BY LARGE MAJORITY vOTE--A BITTER
DEMOCRATIC QUARREL-A PERSONAL AFFAIR
BETWEEN BLACKBURN AND COFFROTH.
[BY TELEGRAPH TRIBUNE.l
WAsHINGrov, March 25.-The Democratic fill
busters in the House of Representatives, under the
lead of Mr.. Blackburn, surrendered Internationally
to-day.
When the House met this morning many of the
members presented fagged-out appearance, due to
the long and exciting session of yesterday. At the
very onset of the proceedings to-day il became ap
parent that Mr.. Fihbuster Blackburn and his fol-
lowers were tired of the hopeless contest in which
they had been for two davs engaged
Mr.. Fernando Wood raised a flag of truce and
proposed terms of surrender which Mr. Blackburn
and Mr. TOwnshend both eagerly said met with
their hearty approval. The latter gentleman then
took the floor and spent an hour in an attempt to
whtewash himself. His plea was a very weak one,
and its iusincertv pretty fully exposed By Mr..
Kelley who followed the Illinois trickster, in n
short speech, defending himself and the Committee
On WAYS and Means of which Mr. Kelley is pTOmi-
nent member.
After these two speeches Mr.. Wood tried to get
vote on his proposition, but the Republicans in
sisted that the question should first be taken the
preamble and resolution offered by Mr.. McLane day
before yesterday. The ihbusters strongly opposed
this because the adoption of Mr.. McLanes resOlu-
tion would emphasize their defeat They were
beaten, however. and did not attempt TO protTact
the struggle longer.
The preamble and resolution recte that the
Townshend bill was enormously" " referred, and
provide that the bill shall be Immediately turned
over to the Ways and Means Committee, where it
belongs.
Three test votes were taken, and the ilibusters
were defeated by majorities of ~. SO, and 80 re-
spectvely.
This result was a strong Iebuke to Mr. Town
shend and he will not be very likely to repeat very
soon his trick of last Monday. which has cost the
House three days of time and the American people
some thousands of dollars. The result also proved
that the Democrats the House cannot be held
together by Mr.. Blackburn and men of that iik
nOw as they could year ago.
During the struggle of the last three DAYS about
score of Democrats have acted and voted steadily
with the Republicans. This fact has excited great
deal of bitter feeling the effects of which will not
wear off very soon. Last night Mr.. Blackburn and
some of his friends very bitter in their de-
nunclation of Speaker Randall and the Democratic
members from Pennsylvania. Mr.. Blaekbu was
especially loud in his vituperatiOns Later in the
evening a personal encounter between HIM and Mr..
Cofiroth, Democratic member from Pennsylvania,
was barely averted by interpositon OF friends. An
account Of this affair given 10 a TRIBUNE cor
responder. this afternoon by MIR. COffr0th himself.
In substance Mr.. COffroth's version is follows:
IL asked Mr. Blackburn" said Mr.. CofTroth "if
some arrangement could not be made TO reach
vote" He brusQuely replied that he had sent Mr..
Thomas Turner TO the other side, understood him
10 says to my masters with two propositions for
settlement He then went 10 say that If we
PENNSYLVANIA Democrats had done duty, in
stead of turning traitors to our party, the
question would have been settled before. He de-
nonnced Mr. Randall a traitor to his party, and
said that the Republicans were running the House.
replied that he knew better. and that Mr. Randall
and his friends were just as true Democrats as
could be found.
Words grew hot between u.s." continued Mr..
Coffroth, - and he finally denounced me traitor
10 the Democracy. retorted that it untrue
and tha. had never been a traitor TO my party or
TO nv country. lie demanded to know If meaut
that he had been guilty of treason. l replied that
this was exactly what | meant and believed. l
added that he ought to have been hanged for his
treason. lie threatened to strike me- and re-
minded him that two could play that game. lie
did call me liar and then friends came between
us There might have been fight If they bad not
interposed. Several of his friends came to me af-
terward and excused him on the ground that he
had been drinking
Mr. CofirOth continued % wont stand any bull
doing from rebels. | good a Democrat as
anv Of them aud don't want them to accuse me of
treachery to INV party. ] remember the fight we
had IN their behalf in the AAANIIlth Congress,
when tbe reconstruction measures were under dis
cnSs;on We did our very best and got them back
into Congress- and now they abuse us. When they
accuse Randall of treason to his party they appear
to forget the magnificent fight he made against the
Force bill in the XLlIld Congress"
There is no doubt that Mr.. Cotroth expresses the
feelings of a good many OF the more independent
Northern Democrats in Congress, who Are growing |
more and more restless under the dctatorial spirit
eyipced by the Southern Democrats Whether the |
former will be led to take more independent stand
or The latter to moderate their tOne remains an in
teresting subject for speculation.