New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-05-20
F1LIBUSTERING THREATENED.

There begin to be indications That our Dem-
ocratic friends in Congress will presently re-
sume their normal attitude as obstructlonlsts'
Their behavior in the LynchChalmers con-
tested election case was 50 decent ana proper
and so unlike what was expected OF them' tha'
some credulOus persons were beglnnlg 10 'lIiA
there had been positive and permanent
change of heart. In that case, instead OF HI
clustering and resorting to parliamentary tactics
to obstruct the course of justice, enough OF them
were found willing to let the House proceed
with the public business to defeat the designs
of the pure and simple obstructionists. Such
a falling away from the traditions and practices
of the party, however, seems TO nave ca"scu
serious alarm among them. The matter mas
been deemed serious enough to warrant the
calling of q caucus and very solemn discus
sion of what seems to be a party cllss. III IL
has come to this, the leaders reason, that IL
sufficient number of Democratic members can
be obtained to permit the regular transaction OF
business when that business is the unseatlne OF
Democrat and the seating of Republican III the
House, there is need of party discipline. Hence
the caucus and the serious discussion OF the
political situation. Upon questions OF tarlil
and finance there may be wide differences oil
opinion within tie party without endangerlng
its Conference or its success. But when it co mes
TO purely party question, like the unseatlng
of Democratic member, it is expected that
every Democrat will under any and all circum-
stances resist to the last extremity and until all
the resources of parliamentary warfare are ex-
hausted.
1t is understood that the caucus decided, in
view of the fact that the opportunity Tor lac
tiOus obstruction of the public business was
lost in the Lynch Chalmers case through the
scruples of two or three Democrats, that here
after there must be no such foolishness, but
that the party must stand together in resisting
to the last extremity any attempt to unseat a
Democrat, whatever may be the facts as TO his
title. The spasm Of decency Is over. The
caucus has formally resolved that virtue does
not pay. Without deliberately putting on
record their purpose to obstruct action upon
the pending contested elections cases, they
leave it clearly to be inferred that they intend
to refuse to vote and so leave the House with
ont quorum, in order to defeat any action.
In the Mackey-Dbble case, which comes up
ne 1t in order, though there can be no question
in the mind of any disinterested person that
the most of some trumpedup charges against
Mackey concerning alleged alterations III the
testimony, and are trying hard to make 1t APP
pear that the Committee OH Contested Elec-
tons have not given the sitting member,
Dibble, a fair show. Upon this pretence they
will resort to filbustering when the report
comes up, and no doubt will endeavor to defeat
action by leaving the House without a quorum
The frauds by which O'ConnOr-who was origi-
nally awarded the certificate and subsequently
died-was declared elected were hardly less
fragrant than those which were definitely
proven in the Chalmers case, and the duty oil
the Republican majority to do justice in tins
case is no less plain than in the other
We have no doubt that they will do it, what
ever tactics may he resorted to to delay or de-
feat action. The result of the Democratic
caucus will be only to show that their behavior
in the Lynch Chalmers case was only passing
spasm of sense and decency, and they Ssayt
lapsed Immediately to their old condition.