Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-12-01

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30.-Seventeen Demo-
cratic members Of the New York delegation
assembled in conference at Mr.. CoX's room at
l2:30 O'Clock to-day, and remained together
until - O'Clock. at which time they took
recess till O'Clock. No resolutions were
passed and no formal action of any kind was
taken. Everything has been postponed for
the evening session. The a6sentees were
Messrs. Hutchins, ArnOtt, Rogers and Robin
son. The New York members who were at
the consultation say that the entire delega-
tion, with the probable exception of two
members. will support Mr.. Cox till the last.
Mr.. Muller, one of the dissenting members,
promised to give a final answer as to his
determination at the meeting Tonight.
An important incident of the Speakership
contest to-day was the action OF the New
York delegation with respect to Mr.. CoX's
candidacy. That the vote of this delegation
was considered important not only in its
direct relation to Mr.. COX's fight, but in its
bearing upon Mr.. RandalTs chances was
evident from the fact that until the result of the
New York conference was made known Mr..
RaudalHs lieutenants would only talk in the
most general terms of the situation. Mr..
Cariisle's friends. however, appeared to look
for nothing from New \ Ork. and had only
ference. They said that they could win with
out the vote from either New York or Penn
sylvania. The New York men had an in
formal meeting IN the afternoon, at which
nothing was determined. This evening an
other meeting was held in room
adjoining Mr.. CoX's headquarters at the
expected to attend. but only sixteen put in
an appearance. The session lasted more than
two hours, and Mr.. Cox announced as the re-
suit of the meeting that the sixteen members
present would support him in his fight. 1t was
learned, however, from members of the dele
CATION that upon the proposition to vote for
Mr.. Cox until released by him from any obli-
cation to do so. only eleven votes Were~Cast in
the affirmative. The other five members pres
ent would not pledge themselves to vote for Mr.
Cox throughout, although they expressed their
willingness TO go into the caucus as his sup
pOrters. The second choice of those five, it is
understood. is Mr.. Randall. Mr.. Cox said to-
night, after the meetingO of the New ork dele
CATION, that he was still in the fight He
spoke with an assumption OF cheerfUlnesS. but
with some apparent bitterness of his expert
ences in the contest. Mr.. Carlisle's forces re-
ceiVed several accessOns to-day. some of them
unexpected. One vote from Florida and one
from Louisiana that have heretofore been
counted for Randall were entered on the Car
Isle list to-day, the gentlemen who will poll
their votes calling on Mr.. Carlisle to assure
him of their support. Mr. Carlisle also re-
ceived the assurances of eight of the
ten members of the Georgia delegation
two of the three members of the West Nir-
ginia delegation and four members of the
Massachusetts delegation that they would
vote for him from first to last. Representa-
tive Follett of Ohio, who was said to be
wavering and inclined towards Mr.. Randall,
called upon Mr.. Carlisle tonight and pledged
himself to vote for the latter until the last
ballot. 1t was stated also at the Carlsle's
headquarters that the Wisconsin delegation.
which was placed last night in the Randall
doubtful list, was pledged to Carlisle, and
that the latter could be elected without vote
from New York, Pennsylvania or Ohio, al
though three votes from the last mentioned
State were claimed Tor nm. The maximum
vote conceded to Mr.. Randall at the Carlisle
Headquarters Is siXty-five. There was a
larger crowd at Mr. RandalPs rooms to night
than last night, but most Of the increase was
due to the arrival of friends of that gentleman
from Pennsylvania. The Congressman who
were present, besides the Pennsylvania mem
bers, We're mostly from the southern States.
Ohio was well represented, however, and
there were two or three lndianians present at
times Gentlemen authorized TO speak for
Randall held to the figures given last night of
ninetv-four votes for their chief. They dis
puted Carisle's claim to the votes of Wiscon-
sin and other Western States, and
said that the majority of the Ohio and
Iowa delegations could be found voting for
Mr.. Randall. They considered Mr.. Cox still
in the fight. and allowed him from 30 to 40
votes. The principal part of his strength,
they SAID, would go to their candidate when
Mr.. Cox Withdrew. There was renewal to-
night of the talk Of an arrangement between
the friends of Mr.. Cox and Mr.. Randall, and
this talk was emphasized by the fitting to and
fro between Mr.. Randall's and AIR. CoX's
headquarters of professed supporters of those
two gentlemen. Ohio members were conspc-
uous in the number of those who were to be
found first at one place and then at the other.
Eight of the Ohio members are sure to vote
tain that he will get ten of them as soon as
Mr.. Cox is out of the fight. There has been
considerable talk, principally by the Carlisle
men, of an effort to secure viva Voce vote in
the caucus. Mr.. Willis, Mr.. Carlisles
principal lieutenant, explained tins tonight
bv stating that some of Mr.. Carlisles
friends, who are from States in which the
viva yOce form OF voting Is used at all cleo
tiOns urge that it be adopted in caucus. He
SAYS that they use the argument that as this
contest Is not a personal one, but contest
bers have the right to know how they vote
Mr.. Willis said that he did not know whether
or not the friends of viva yoce voting would
have strength enough in the caucus to secure
the adoption of that method of voting for
speaker.
THE STAND AGAINST KIEFER
The Republican members of the House will
meet IN caucus at O'Clock tomorrow after
noon to select candidates for House officers.
Representative VIM. Walter Phelps, of New
Jersey, arrived in Washington this even
ing In conversation with a reporter he
expressed some surprise at the impOr-
tance given to his recent letter to
eN-Speaker keifer. 1t contained, he said.
nothing except a suggestion that keifer could
do hls party a great good were he disposed to
tell his friends not TO vote for his nomination
in the caucus, 1t was neither a threat nor a
command nor a request, but simple shgges-
ton. Nor were the reasons given. he thought,
uncompimentary to the eN-Speaker. They
would apply to all who, during the
last two years, had held positions in
the party OF sufficient prominence TO excite
enmities. The letter was not marked per-
sonal nor private nor confidential, but was a
letter on a puDlle subject, and as such could be
discussed with prOpriety by all who were in
terested IN its subject. Mr.. keifer's reply, he
said was kindly enough, but he feared that
personal FRIENDS might claim that renomina-
tiOn was necessary as a yindicatian for him.
He gPhelps) still thought that the welfare of
the party was of greater Importance than a
vindiGatlon Of TINS Kind, which was never
complete and satisfactory. He proposed
method of procedure, which
In his opinion, would tend to
that party harmony which all desired.
and which. while it might not give Mr.
Eaifer all that he wished, would not have the
appearance of giving to another what Mr..
Eaifer's friends claimed was his by right
haI was that the Republican members