National Republican., 1883-02-12


have about made up their minds that they are
to be put in hole and kept there at the close
of the debate on the metal schedule. II is not
clear what grounds they have for feeling so
certain that they will be Theoretically scaled
for n few days, but it il quite evident they feel
that way, and that they are becoming resigned
TO their fate.
90
"You will sec some quick sharp work this
week." said the spokesman of a party of con-
grcssmen last evening. "The tariff discus
sion which has been going on for the past
month has brought to light the fact that
neither the extreme free traders nor the ex-
treme high protectionists have any consdera-
bic strength in either branch of congress, and
that very strong middle sentiment has been
developed. The senators and members who
have put themselves on record as
iavOrng protection with moderation are
found to be largely in the majority, and / do
not believe the high protective element is
strong enough to defeat the passage of a tariff
bill this session, though many of them would
be glad to see the senate and house fail to
come to an agreement. They will scarcely
dare come out in ilat-footed opposition to any
bill which might be reported by conference
committee. The feeling that u bill will be
passed is growing. Tho democrats of
tho Beck, Vest, Carlisle, and Morrison
stripe want the tariff an open issue in 1884,
and they will oppose legislation looking to a
temporary settlement of the question by this
congress. They imagine that the democrats
can elect president next year on the plat
form of 1850, and they are bent on having tho
experiment tried. This view is entertained
by Mcssrs. Bayard and Mcdonald, prospective
presidential candidates, who are willing to
hazard their political fortunes on the issue.
On the other hand, that type of dem
ocrats of which Sam Randall is an example,
who represent manufacturing constituencies,
would bo very glad to sec the question out of
the way, and they will vote for a measure
which will embody tho idea of moderate re-
duction. They do not like the senate bill,
but will vote for it rather than trust the next
congress. They have n holy horror of u
tariff agitation in their districts an agita-
tion which will greatly diminish their chances
for reelection.
" / think conference committee will get
the house and senate bills not later than
Thursday, and that it will report bill not
differing very greatly from the senate bill,
which has been carefully gone over and
revised. 1t may not be free from imperfec-
tions, but it will be in the way of horizontal
reduction generally, and it will show to
the people that congress has not been playing
a confidence game upon them-that its pro-
fessions have not been hollow lie"
go
This same Phil. Thompson, to whom refer
ence is made in preceding paragraph, has a
record. He is one of tho quotest members on
the floor, and is socially very agreeable
gentleman. He is the gamest man in the
world" said an admiring friend the other
day, "and his nerve has been tested many a
time. lie is from section Of Kentucky
which was in state of anarchy for years
after the war. Families and clans were at
war with each other in every COM
munity. Every man was q law unto
himself. He carried his life in his
| hand and the lives of several
other men in his belt The feuds which
ragged in every village and neighborhood
sometimes had their origin in political differ
ences aud disputes, but the cause was as often
something else. Tho vendettas, in many
cases, led to the complete determination OF
whole families and their blood connections.
| No quarter was given or taken when war was
opened. The Thompson family became en-
broiled, and innocently, too, as / recollect, in
one of these unfortunate vendettas, and be-
| fore it was ended an entire county was del.
uged in blood. Phil Thompson is said tc
have filed nine graves, and in every instance
| he was driven to the wall and compelled to
take life TO save his own. Not in n single
case was he tho aggrcssor, have been credi
| bly, informed. On ono occasion he and his
brother were attacked in tho Harrodsbura
court house by four members of Davis
family. Tho Daviscs opened fire, which
was returned by the two brothers
Four shots from their rovolvers laid
four corpses on the floor, and the Thompson'
left the court house uuhurt. Tho room was
crowded at the time, and not another person
was injured. Thompson don't like to talk oI
the scenes through which he passed. and
never introduces tho subject, though he has
no prudish, unreasonable delicacy about It
There is q section of tho dead past he would
not object to having bottod out"
aos
Timid persons who are in state of mind
!. lest complications which might shake the gov
emment to It's foundations will grow out of
failure to properly organize the senate viii
be rcassured when they recall the fact tha
the senate has passed in entire safety through
periods of trial such rs threaten it on the
fourth of March next on several previous Oc
oasions. The agitated gentlemen do not SEE
how Senator Anthony, whose term expires OF
the third of March, and whose next term doc
not begin until the day following, can b,
elected president pro tcmporo before he shal
have takon the oath, The only way they can Sc,
out Is in the retirement Of Senator Dayi(
Davis, little while before his term expire
by law, so that the senate may have presi
dent to administer tho oath of Office to tn,
members of that body the next day, Thi
same question arose in 1877. Tho sccretar,
called the senate to order at 12 o'clock on the
fourth of March, and Senator Hannibal Ham,
lin introduced a resolution making Senator
Ferry, whose second term began that day
president pro temporc, and authorizing
Senator Howe TO administer the Oatl
Of Office to him, which was done
Tho precedent for this action wa
found in the proceedings of the senate twenty
years before. On the fourth of March, 1867
Senator Stephen A. Douglas introduced