The Aberdeen examiner. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1866-current, 1883-07-12


In making caucus nomination for
Speaker, there are two primary con-
ditions to be considered: In the first
place the member must satisfy him
self that the aspirant is fully compe-
tent to discharge the duties of the
arduous station; secondly, he must
feel assured that the interests of the
great party that he adheres to will
be safe in his keeping during his
term of control. There being two or
more candidate for the office who
satisfy these requirements, it is not
only right and proper for member
of the caucus who is entreated by
each of the rival candidates to give
him his support, to make conditions,
but his duty to his constituents and
State demand it of him; and there is
no more improperly in Muldrow,
Money, Singleton, Van Eaton or
Barksdale asking to be placed on or
at the head of this, that or the other
Committee, than there is in Randall,
Carlisle, Cox, Springer or any other
candidate for Speaker asking either
of those gentlemen for his vote.
The power of the House Of Repre-
sentatives after its organization is
lodged in its committees,as every one
knows who is conversant with the
ways and methods of Legislative
bodies. This being the case, and the
appointment of the Committees being
the chief prerogative of the Speaker,
the main question that enters into the
contest is that of committee organiza-
ton, hence it behooves every member
of the dominant party in the House
to guard we'll this point, and, all
other things being equal, for the
members of the Mississippi delegation
to see that the man who asks to be
elevated to a position of high honor
and great power by Mississippi's
votes i'll caucus, shall be pledged to
compensate this great service by
assigning Mississippi's Representa-
tives to such positions of influence
in the House as will enable them to
serve the interests of their common
wealth to greatest advantage. The
Representatives who make these de-
mands and insist upon them, will
neither be "degraded Hessians" nor
"miserable caititfs," but sensible,
practical Legislators, "wise in their
generation" who do not propose to
be made the mere tools and puppets
of ambitious aspirants; but who will
in giving support and power to Rep
resentatives of other constituencies,
demand support and power for the
men to whom Mississippi looks for
good work in the 4Sth Congress.
This matter of Committee assign
ment is now and always has been
regarded as of such great Importance,
that most of the candidates put in
nomination for the Speakership have
been brought forward for the thinly
disguised purpose of securing Chair
manships and memberships of great
Committees, and if the delegation
from our State ''turn aside from the
plain path OF duty" and fail to give
this matter of Committee assignment
due consideration in their action in
caucus, they will find that they are
the only disinterested members of
that assembly.
We trust that these gentlemen
fully understand the difficulties that
surround them, and that they fully
and thoroughly appreciate the fact
that Mississippi is not,never has been,
and never expects to be disinterested
as regards the organization or actions
of Congress;but that on the contrary,
she has vital interests at stake, and is
anxious to possess power and influence
in both wings of the Capitol.
This ambition is laudable and
worthy, and we believe it will receive
the sympathy and respect of every
man who bears her commission to the