New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-28
IT. PREMIERSHIP CANVASS
%gFAcTIoN SPIRIT EvTNCED'
LESS THAN A QUARTER OF THE MEMBERS IN TOWN.
tBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRmUNEl

TESS THAN A QUARTER OF THE MEMBERS IN TOWN.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRmUSEl
Albany. Dec. 27.-A series of quiet contests for
office is apparently to precede the meeting of the
next Legislature The contests promise to DC as
paci6c as they are quiet. 1t seems TO Do
the desire of every member of the Repubncan
majority to select the officers of the Legislature
without any party dissenson. In their OPINION INC
highest party policy demands that the harmony ana
unon that prevailed in the party ranks last year
should be preserved. All attempts to revive FORMER
factions in order to aid this or that Candidate nave
therefore been discouraged. This has peen
especially noticed in regard TO inc
candidates for Speaker of the Assembly. The
result of this course is that at present the several
candidates are running for Office on their own mer-
;ts and not as the candidates of factions. 1t is
trus that they are supported by powerful polltl-
clans But in selecting their candidate these
nohticians have not regarded their for
mer alliances. Only fifteen of the sew
enty-two Republican Assemblymen have
vet arrived in the city, and four of these are cand
dates for Speaker. Moreover, few Republican poll
tieians have yet come to the capital.
MIR. LITnEJoHN MYsTERIoUsLY CONFIDENT.
Dewitt c. Littlejohn, the fourth of the four cand-
dates for Speaker, arrived from his home in Oswego
this morning He, with the other candidates for
opened quarters in the Delavan House. Mr. Little
;obn. however. did not sit in solemn state in his
room, but was nearly all day seated in the public
room of the hotel and there was introduced to the
members of the Assembly. Several OF these
men appeared astOnlshed as Mr.. Littejohn's appar-
ent vigor of mind and body, remembering that he
was elected Speaker as long ago as 1S5o-twenty-
eight wears ago. Mr.. LittleOhn did not have any
manager of his canvass. He was confident oil beng
elected Speaker He had become candidate only
at the solicitation of his friends and felt assured
of an election, owing to the promises Of support
that he had received
THE OTHER CANDIDATES HOPEFUL
The other candidates expressed their wonder at
Mr. Littlejohn's confidence and expressed equal
confidence themselves Seemingly Mr.. Little
Johns support is secret one; for all the
the other candidates declare with apparent candor
that they cannot discover what members are sup
porting him. However, Mr. LttlejOhn was the last of
the candidates to make a canvass; and his opera
tions for time, were hidden from the eyes OF his
opponents. He probably, therefore has drawn
away supporters from the other candidates whom
they vet count as their Own. Mr.. Lttlejohn
denied to-day that he was corporation candidate"
CHAIRMAN o'BREN HELPING MR.. ROOSEVELT.
Mr.. Roosevelt roamed about from hotel to hotel,
keeping an eve upon his supporters lie was
much pleased during the day by Teceiy-
ing a letter from emblyman-elect Jones,
of Seneca County, pledging him his support. Mr..
Rooseyelt expresses surprise that he is sup
ported by John J. O'Brien, the chairman OF the
Republican Central Committee of New-YOrk. 1t
was a support that lie had not expected, because
he had differed with Mr.. O'Brien on municipal
matters but he is convinced that Mr. OBrien is
sincere and is Loyalty doing his utmost to secure
him the nomination. Mr. OBrien states that he is
=, Al ,,,4 4ha Aeon 1,ltrxrr OIa
supporting Roosevelt for the Speakership because
excellent one Moreover as the sole NewYork candi-
date for the place. Mr. Roosevelt ought to receive the
support of the Republican politicians of New-YOrk.
If Mr. Roosevelt had few more politicians OF Mr..
OBriens ability at his back, his chances OF securing
the Speakership would be greatly increased: POLL
ticans are now wondering If he can retain the sup
port of allies already made when the latter reach
Albany.
WHERE MR.. sHEARDs SUPPORT COMES FROM.
Mr. Sheards supporters were very confident TO-
day. Congressman Burleigh, of the Washington
aud Rensselaer, District, has taken the management
of Mr.. Sheards canvass. Apparently the candidates
are massing their supporters by congressional dis
tricts Thus Mr.. Sheard claims the Albany
Congressional District, tho Washington and RenS-
selaer District the Oneida District, the Erie County
District and the district composed of the counties
of Saratoga, Schenectady, Montgomery ana Fulton
MR. ERwIN's PLEASANT SURPRISE.
he has lost the congressional district composed
of the counties of St. Lawrence and Jefier-
son. Mr. Hunt, of Jefferson County, an
nOunced to day that he intended to support Mr..
EFT, IN for the Speakership. Mr. Erwin felt much en-
oouraccd by the result of the days work lie is
aided i'm his canvass by Senator Lynde and Assem-
byman elect N. NJ Curtis Mr. Erwin said that he
had obtained a vote in the Hudson River cOun-
ties which he had not expected, and that
he had more support in tho western part OF the the
State than the other candidates had estimated. The
contest in the opinion of every we-infoEmed poll,
tician, is not yet decided. Mr.. Sheard at
the present time probably has the most support.
Few of the members of tho Assembly, however,
have given unmistakeabe pledges of support to the
candidates. 1t is expected that most OF the Assem-
blymen will arrivehere tomorrow.
THE CLERKsIIIP EAGERLY SOUGHT.
The contest for the clerkship of the
Assembly is becoming heated one,
far more heated than that for Speaker Senator
Daggett, of BROOKLYN it is said has made some sort
of a combination with politicians in the interior of
the State in favor of William II. Barker of Kings
County, for Clerk. This has made Mr.. Barker a
happy man tonight, but the other candidates,
Messrs. Chickering, Cunningham and johnson, are
disoledsed.