The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1884-03-15


When the Republicans attempted to
seek comfort for the thorough drub-
bing they received year ago, they af-
fected to find it in the supposed blum
dering infrmity of their victors. They
even fixed the time for the Democratic
mistake, and with q generosity that
was positively marvellous, offered to
assist them into committing it. In the
elections of last year the Democracy
had wrested the popular branch of Con-
greSs-the real seat OF power, in this
as in every other free country-from
their hands and sent them to the back
ground as party which had forfeited
the confidence of the people. The or
ganization of the new House-frequent-
ly delicate and difficult task, when
the governing party's candidates for
Speaker represent different sides in n
sharp issue-was set for the most OPP
perfume occasion for it. If the elated
victors could be decoyed into making
an unfortunate choice for Speaker, this
would be the initial and irreparable
faulty from which an endless progeny
of bIunders would inevitably follow;
and the Republicans made up their
minds that this initial and necessary
misstep should be taken. They re-
solved that one of the ablest and GER
tainly most distinguished Democratic
member of the House should be the
agent in it. They resolved that Mr..
Randall should be, second time,
Speaker of the Democratic House if
they could bring it about. And it must
be conceded that their choice was WISE
ly made. Mr.. Randall possesses many
merits to commend him to his par
ty. His experience and courage; his
habit of RAPID and accurate de-
cision; his familiarity with legislation.
and the honors he has heretofore won
for his party--all combine to give him
claims on his party which, at any other
time than the present, could not be set
aside in favor of another. And behind
all these was still another fact that
weighed heavily on his side; he was a
representative from powerful North
ern State, while his chief opponent
came from section which, it has been
assumed for over twenty years, could
not be safely admitted to the honor of q
position only two degrees removed from
the Presidency.
The Republicans executed their part
of t cir well planned enterprise with
admirable skill and address. Their
support. Not one Republican newspaper
espoused the cause of Mr.. Carlisle. All
united in asserting and reass srting that
the distinguished Pennsylvania was
the man OF all others whom the Demo-
Gratis should make Speaker; and all
united in warning the Democrats that
to choose any one else would be an r.
reparable blunder- the election of Mr..
Carlisle the worst of all, since it would
alarm the Industrial interests of the
country and cause revolt of public
feeling against Democratic methods.
But the scheme failed. It broke
down signallv. The Democrats of the
House, with a composure which does
them infinite credit, and is full of future
promise, went past the distinguished
Democrat from Pennsylvania, and elect
ed Democrat from one of the so-called
Southern States-not because he was
from that section. but because he pre-
sents the indispensable condition of
Democratic success in 1884. The DEM
ocratic House, therefore, has not only
not committed the mistake fondly pre-
dicted and prepared for it by its OPP
ponents, but it has. in the election of
Carlisle, a man warmly supported by
that wise and cool-headed counselor,
Morrison, of illinois, gained fresh
claim on the confidence of the country
and that, too, without in the slightest
degree giving uneasiness to the indus
trial interests which his distinguished
competitor from Pennsylvania was sup
posed to represents Louis Repub-