New-York tribune., 1883-12-19
rE1EGRAPn TO TIE TRIBUNE.l

THE pvprBIICANs-soME LAME DEMOCRATIC
TALK.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE'I
w.eu,NcTov Dec. 18-The fact that the Senate
was to elect its officers to-day had the enecV Vi M
ing the galleries and the corridors around tne
Chamber with an unusually large huinooi "
people who went in the expectation VI h0"i'As W
virtuous declarations of Democratic senators III
favor Of Civil Service Reform and their expressions
of horror, disgust and pain at the uhwarr'h'aDio
course taken by the Republicans in proposing tho
raorcaniyatIon of the Senate. The rumors that the
Democrats were to delay the election -as much as
ross;hle nv making unnecessarily long speeches ana
d;Iotorv motions added to the air of expectancy
which peryaded the chamber Common sense pre-
vailed however, and the Democrats cohnneu thcin-
selves 70 entering formal protests against the action
of the Republicans.
Senators Beck and Salisbury, it is true, at
tempted to confound their opponents by asserting
the proposed election to be violation OF the spriV
of Civil Service Reform but they were speedlly ST.
fenced by the pertinent remarks OF senator 0nol-
man. In the case of the Secretaryship, to begih
with. no question of Civil Service could possibly
have entered into the discussion. There existed
vacancy and il had to be filled. The Republicans
beiug IN the majority were entitled to fill It, In
tbe case of the Secretarys office it was matter OF
improving the service leaving 1t IN IT'S present
unsatisfactory condition. Complaints as 10 llo III
competencv of the clerks at the reading desk nave
been made from time to time by a number Oh sen
ators. Democrats included. The present oppor-
tunity was thought good one, therefore, TO remedy
the evil complained Of With regard to the Chap-
laincy, out of which the Democrats tried to make
little political capital it matter of sentiment
chiefly. A Senator to-day probably voiced the ieel-
ing of majority of the Republicans when he said
"Td rather be prayed for by Union man than by
n man who sympathized with those who were
doing their best to destroy their country"
THE REORGANIZATION BEGUN.
At tbe conclusion of the morning hour Senator
Sherman moved that the Senate proceed to the
election of its officers Senator PendletOn entered
his protest against the proceedings III neat little
speech listened to by the Democrats with approving
mods intended TO convey the impression that they
believed in the fine sentiments uttered by theT
spokesman. While this was going on Senators
Jones of Nevada and Riddleberger entered the
Senate Chamber, thereby proving the absurdity OF
the stories that they would absent themselves
during the casting of the vote. At she conclusion
of Mr.. Pendlctons remarks and after Pecksniflian
glance by that gentleman at the galleries. as much
as TO saw that he and his friends washed their hands
of the entire business Mr.. Sherman moved the cleo
ton of General Anson G. McCOok to the Secretary
ship of the Senate.
Senator Garland wished to be precise and have
him appOinted' and not elected" lie was unSuc-
cessful. however, and so Mr. Pendleton who
moved to substitute the name of L. Q. Washington
for that of Anson G.. McCOOk. The vote on Mr..
Pendleton's motion was 80 nays to 20 yeas, and
General McCook's election followed a matter of
course. Senator Miller. of New-York who with
Senators Platt and Aldrch has fought General
McCooks battle intinated that that gentleman
was present and forthwith escorted him to the
Presidents desk where the oath of office was adj
ministered by Senator Edmunds. The new Secrc-
tary received the congratulations of his friends
many of them Democrats, who Lad not voted for
him. and Withdrew blushingly to the anteroom His
nomination, it may be remarked here, was entirely
unsOught by him.
DEMOCRATS PERSISTENT N PRETENCE.
Much the same scene was enacted when Senator
Sherman proposed the name of Charles w. Johnson
for Chief Clerk Again Mr.. Pcndleton returned TO
the charge; again his colleagues looked solemn and
yirtuous. Mr.. PcndletOn supposed it was vain
thing to move to Estitute for the name given The
name of Mr. Shober, the present incumbent lie
was right, for when he led for the yeas and nays
on Mr. Sherman's sJi.tiOn, Mr.. ShOber was com
PEELED to announc, his own death warrant: Yeas
The @ elc ion Of principal executive clerk being
next il rider Mr. Sh9Imah1 onered % uile FoIlo coso oI
was l.lstcd hy this time, and he merely sald that
The !. sent clerk had won the confidence and cs-
teen the Senate and that there existed no reason
vi q sh0uld be removed Mr. Sherman begged
ID -. 10 ,emind his Democratic friends that they had
r. we'd Mr. Young when they were in the major
ity This acted as a damper upon Democratic in
dignat on and hastened the taking of the vote,
which resulted in the adoption OF Mr.. ShcrmanS
resolution by 80 yeas and 20 nays.
MR.. sAULsBURY's INDIGNATION.
The Rev. Elias Dewett Huntley was then nom-
mated by Mr. Sherman as Chaplain. This brought
Mr.. Salisbury TO his feet With much warmth and
a fine outburst of indignation he protested against
the turning out of office of deserving man. For
more than three years the present incumbent had
prayed diligently and to the best of hs ability for
the Senators. many of whom were ready now 10
turn him ont. 1t illustrated anew the love which
the other side pretended to have for Ci-Dev-Cvl
(here the speaker almost chOked in the attempt to
pronounce the words Civil Service RcfOnnl, And
much more to the same effect. The Democrats con-
tinued TO look. glum and the Republicans indifer
emit The vote resulted i'll 81 yeas for and 20 nays
against the adoption of Mr. Sherman's resolution.
The election of p. II. Canady as Sergeant at Arms
by a vote of 80 yeas TO 2S nays competed the re-
organization. Mr.. PendletOn spoke again, this time
fully resigned in spirit and manner. Mr. Beck
came to his and pronounced Civil Service TO
be all humbug, an opinion in which most of his
party friends agree with him.
INATop pENDI ETON,c WPATIJ