, 1881-10-09
THE SITUATION.


Special Dispatch to The tticaoo Tribune.
wAsit1SGruS. d. e., Oct. 6.-The Senate does
T. IT meet until Monday morning, but the Demo-
ctars have already shown that all the talk Ut
compromise WAS idle words. They revere Gar
fields memory, but they propose to take Ad-
vantage OF his death. They wilt present reso-
luuons eulo@zius him as Il statesman and
mourning him man. but they will make
huste to see to it on Monday morning that
Democrat shall be placed III the direct line Of
the Presidential successiOn. The Democrats
have not ut this hour Is p. 1n.] been able to
agree how far they will carry
THEIR GRAB GAME,
pnt they have decided to steal the Presidency Of
the senate from the Republican party, and to
avail themselves of tho fortuitous circumstances
which make that grab of oaice possllle-
This much was decided i'll the DEM
ocra,ic caucus which began at 10 this
morning and continued until this after
noon. What more is To be decided in the way Of
eeiztug the minor Offices Of the Senntc remains
to be disclosed by the proceedings Of the ud-
journet caucus, to be held this evening. The
Democrats met promptly IN their caucus room
at 10 this morning. There was pretty full at
tendance. The only absentces NOTED were
Slater. Grover. Farley. and Fair, from tho Paci-
tc coast. Ransom from South Carolina. and
David Divs from Illinois, although tho Demo-
Gratis ty no means lay claim to the vote Of the
latter in tho present contest The first motion
was thar the Democrats.
SHOULD INSIST I-rOS TIE ELECTION OF 4
PRESIDING oFFlCEl:
of the Senate 10 succeed Vice President Arthur,
aud Mr.. Dayari was nut i'll nomination as the
party-causus nominee, and the motion was
agrecd To without any considerable opposition
Ultimately it was made unanimous There was
pie man who was very much disappointed
= 1fT Tf.t,ye =
presiding officer among the Democrats, and Is
popular. For that reason he expected to Mt
least have received some consideration. Mr.
Dayar4l. on the contrary, has never had any cS-
perience presiding officer, and Is ooth dcat
and very short-si:.hted. two qualities which WILL
be very greatly to his disadvantage i'll Tie chair
lslt he had the qualification ut Seniority wnicn
could not be overlooked with due regard to the
tr,aduons OF tho Senate and he had. besides,
been very prominent candidate for the Demo-
cratic nomination for the Presidency. and has
by no means abandoned such aspiration It
WIS decided Of course, to elect him as lresluchI
of the Senate. before swearing IN the tnree
Republican Senators in waiting. There was
scarcely any argument upon that point, except
to refer to the clause Of the Constitution, "h1cn
deciar,s that new Senators Shall be sworn ps tue
presiding officer of the Senate but the mar mons
in the Democratic caucus WIS disturbed when
lsETAJsY OF TIE SENATE
and Of the swearing in OF tho three Kepubltcan
Senators was raised. The persistent otilce-
grabbers desired to proceed immediately 10 the
election of a Secretary before swearing the
three Senators. Dy such procedure they were
certain that they could elect 4 Democratic sec
re,ary and Sergeant i-at-Arms- AL their calcu-
lations OF course, are based upon the as5utnp-
ton TINT David Davis would vote with the De-
sharp UtFlS1Dn Ill
the Democratic councils Oh this point. some
maintained that the party could not JUSTLY
Itself before the country by any such desperate
device OF partisanship, and that it was UNJUST 10
keep three Republican Senators, with thelr
credentials in their hands, waiting OUTSIDE Inc
door until. for the sake Of obtautng fnrther
Patronage By the sncatls Of Il majority when Tue
admission Of these Senators would Destroy
Democratic Secretary and ScrReant-at--Arns
could be elected.
PHECEDENTs
OF all sorts were hunted up pcaF1ne uto1 ~.
pnint. Countless volumes OF the Con1fS*$toHu3
Globe were borne to the cou'mittee-rooin oy
messengers, and it could be learned py tnose ~
Waiting outside that the debate was neatec' alio
That the spof.smen were struggling nalo io' wv
booty. There were some conservative men, Ut,
ut least there were some who had Il better ap-
probation OF public opinion, whu insisted tnat
Ruch course would be detriment to the party
and who recommended that, having secuIeu ~"
presiding officer and possible President OF 'ne
United States, 1t would be wisdom Tor the parry
to elect Il Secretary with 4 full Senate "'thou.
q wrangle, with concessions. II necessary. anu ~
leave the question of the distribution OF con'tn.c
tees uatil next winter, after giving notice 10 tne
Republicans that the Democrats would tnen ~
slst upon an equal representation upon ene".
Ind then to adjourn. These questions went
over Until the evening session.
NE.&NWHu.E
the Republicans met in caucus at 10 O'CLOCK
ALI of the members were present with the s'he.e
exception Of Platt, Of Connecticut, who IS SER.
ously ill at home and who is paired with fs'f' u
Nevada
The Republicans were in caucus but snot.
time. and their deliberations consisted s''ni.. r..
OF general discussion Of the stuaaou' riua"s =: