The Portland daily press., 1882-05-27
MACKEY-D
Enthusiastic Caucus of Republican
Members Held Last Night.
HON. T. B. REED DELIVERS A TELLING
SPEECH.
The Present Course of Action to be
Maintained.

WASHINGTON, May 26.-Immediately after
the adjournment of the House to-day a la rgely
attended caucus of the Republican members
was held. The situation in the House was
discussed and the prevailing sentiment was in
favor of strict adherence to the present policy.
Messrs. Hubbell and Haskell were the only
speakers who expressed conservative views.
Members of the elections committee explained
infinitely the details of the Mackey-Dibble
election case aud claimed that the charges of
fraud had been thoroughly investigated by the
committee and that the report of the majority
was fully justified by the facts in the case.
Representative Reed, chairman of the judici-
ary committee, said it was perfectly evident
from the full and ample explanations made by
the elections committee that all the material
fore the elections committee with patience and
ii had decided after an abundant hearing that
Dibble himself, after demurring to the juris-
diction of the committee and claiming he
could not be made party to the contest, had
consented to the form and substance of the af-
fidavit, and that the committee based their re-
ports upon the majortieS admitted by the
Democratic election managers themselves.
He proceeded to argue that the only appeal
from the decision of the committee was to the
House, that the House could not properly de-
eide upon any course of action without a full
decision; that to act on the asseverations of a
disappointed and guilty litigant without dis
cussion would be an insult to committee
whose fairness even Messrs. Blackburn and
Carlisle had to-day been forced to admit in the
House. There was only one course to pursue
and that was to discuss the matter before the
world and prove to everybody the baseless-
ness OF this last resort OF procrastinating guilt.
"Let u.s." he continued" make this fair and
open proposition: to discuss and in the face OF
the country vote on the question OF recommit-
tai. If the minority refuse such a proposition
and persist in their attempt to Subvert the con-
stitution by trying to vest in the governors of
States the power lodged in the house OF decid-
ing who are its members, we must invoke the
power of the constitution and ride over their
factioussand partisan obstruction.
Short speeches were made by a number OF
representatives, all enthusiastically counselling
continuation of the struggle.
Mr.. Reed then offered the following pream-
BILE and resolution for presentation in the
House tomorrow which were unanimously
adopted. "A proposition having been submitted
to the House by Mr.. Blackburn on behalf of the
minority, the majority submit the following:
Whereas, We are entirely satisfied that the
allegation made by Samuel Dibble as to
forgery and falsified evidence has been fully,
fairly and exhaustively considered by the COM
mittee on elections, and arguments thereon
have been fully heard; and
Whereas, Their cause now comes up for con-
sideration in the House and there has been no
discussion whatever in the House thereon, and
as the House cannot vote intelligently with no
guide except mere allegations on one side on
any proposition to refer to a new committee
question which has already been consider ed by
the appropriate committee but must have the
benefit of full and free discussion in order to
enable that House to decide the question nm
derstandingly; therefore we submit the fol-
lowing proposition:
Resolved, That the House Immediately pro-
ceed to the consideration Of the Mackey -Dib-
BILE case and after six hourss discussion the
House shall vote on the question of recommit-
tal by yea and nay vote, and If the House
shall decide this in the negative it shall there
upon continue to consider the case until it be
finished with dilatory motions.
The caucus then adjourned