The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-01-08
CAUCUSING.
What the Democrats Are Doing.
After Fifty-Six Ballots Judge Lea is
Elected President of tho Senate.
Clapp Leads Lewis for the Speaker
ship of the Lower House,
And Will in AL Probability Be Sue
cesstul in the Race.
Mr.. Harris, the Old Clerk OF the Senate,
Is Re-Elected-The Caucus Meets
Again Today When Ballot
ing Will Continue.


NASHVILLE, Tenn, Jan. To-day at
noon both houses OF the Forty-sixth Gen
= eral Assembly Of Tennessee were called TO
order by the retiring clerk, James A. Har-
fis, OF the Senate, and Eth b. Wade Of
the Lower House. In the Senate, Chief
s Justice Peter Turner administered the
oaths OF Office, and in the House like
duty was performed by Judge q. S. Rid
ley, OF the Davidson County Criminal
Court. A temporary organization OF the
Senate was effected by the election Of Sem
ator Williamson, OF Gibson, to the Speak
ership, the gentleman being nomin lted by
Senator Crews, Of Shelby, in obedience to
the action OF Saturday nights conference.
The House, following up similar conclu-
sion, began its session byelecting the Hon.
Thomas o. Morris, of Davidson County,
Speaker, after which both branches took
an adjournment until 10 o'clock tomor-
row.
The rumored contest OF the seat OF Mr.
Woodcyen in the Senate and Mr. Bierlein
in the House by Messrs. Burns and John
son, respectively, the latter being the
Democrat, became verified during the
organization, but will not come up regu.
lary until permanent presiding and other
officials have been elected
A. NJ. lloG, Of James county, was denied
the privilege Of being sworn in, he having
no certificate, and the Information being
that documents had been or would be
issued to Mr. Yarncll. Prior to the pre-.
liminary meeting OF the assembly the
Senate at 10 a. IN. held u caucus for per-
manent officers. Fourteen ballots were
taken, which carried the body up to 1880,
wien ON motion Of Mr. Hall an adjourn
i mcnt was taken until 3 p. IN. and during
the balloting fine specimen OF the iil.
clustering art was exhibited The same
continued until the afternoon sitting.
Senators b. ]. Lea, Berry and Sparks
\ led in all the ballots, the former at one
riimc reaching II, necessary to a choice,
~; then he tumb,cd very materially, aud
before the close fifteen OF the Senators had
been complimented, viz: Cnighcad, Long
Crews, Cobb, Myers. Moody Pummcr,
Mcdowell, Barkhill, Sensing, Lamb aud
Jones. When the afternoon session oi the
caucus adjourned iny four ballots had been
taken with no more indication Of a definite
result than when IL began Mcssrs. Lea,
Berry aud Sparks still leading. At 3
O'Clock y. m, pursuant TO adjournment
Saturday night, the Lower House came to-
gcihcr rs caucus, and at once settled
down 30 business. Anticipating the at
tempt Of Harris men 10 dispose Of the two
thirds rule at u critical time. Col. ]. II.
Savage held out for lis adoption.
Speaker Morris held that under the con.
ference's action he would hold that rule to
bein force and itwould require two-lhird
vote 10 repeal Il.
Representative Rufus Polk. Of David
son, TO further iortily the twO-third rule,
moved that the caucus proceed 10 ballot
for Speaker, that II bo done under the two
third rule and that said rule apply TO all
the offices. This was adopted aud nomina.
tions for the office Of Speaker were made
rs follows W. D. Clapp Of Shelby, Joel
u. Fort OF Robertson. j. w. Lewis Of
Henry, 4. y. Morris OF Davidson, and W.
y. Stevens, Of Monroe. Seventeen ballots
were taken, the first resulting ~ follows
Clapp IL, Fort 10, Lewis u, Stevens s,
Morris 5. Before the fifth ballot had
begun the name OF Morris was Withdrawn
Tho last ballot Of the afternoon session,
the seventeenth, resulted: Clapp 81,
LOWS %, Fort IL, Stevens g. In the
Lower House contest the result has no
bearing whatever on the United States
Scnatorship and this is very probable In
the Senate, since the three leading caudi.
dates Ia the latter arc generally regarded
~ Harris men. Ia the former branch
the leading candidate h an Atkins leader,
but his vote IA not altogether the Atkins
strength. hlost OF West Tennessee sup
port Clapp solidly, aud as the public Is
well aware, that division Of thiB State Is
more than two TO one for Atkins.
At the night session the two branches
again went Into caucus, the Senate making
handsome progress. On the iify.sixth
ballot Judge Lee was elected President Of
the Senate.
Baloting for Chief Clerk then began,
and on the twelfth attempt JAS 4. Harris,
the old Clerk, WIS reelected over ex.
Senator W. W. Fairbanks, his only opIo-
ncn.
For Assistant Clerk, Mcssrs. G. EWing
and Douglas Anderson, both young men
were ballolcd ior. IT. close race, the
result Of which is not yet at hand.
The Lower House continued It's ballot.
Ing Tor Speaker until thry-thrcc had been
tAktNs bu llc liai NNlp ttteiNeN 81
Lewis ~, and Fort and Stevens l. zach.
The two will resume business at the old
stands NJ o'clock this morning. when II
l. expected tina. Mr.. Clapps name will
to0n be prcfNcd by "Mr Speaker
The Republican memberio OF the General
Assembly also held q caucus this morning
but under the heaviest cover portion
oi their proceedings become apparent IN
the temporary organization Of tho llousS
and Senate. In the founer Joe llauil
n Nominated Mr. Cox OF Polk County, l0l
X Speaker, aud In the latter Mr fout
mheurcd as their nominee. They MISC rec
- ommendcd Mr.. William NJ. Baxter, OF
Knoxville, 10 the favorable consideration
oi PnsidCnt-olcct Harrison fur q Cabinet
position. Further than this nolhing \
known,
rhsic has been littfr discussion Of ih,
Senatorial race today. The lpgisla o.
fpent most Of their timo otherwise.
have heard, however, that ihc bnckbon
ui the Harris men hes weakened consider
ably. Sunday thoy were claiming ~ 70
raciously. That their claims were ioundel
upon anything moro tangible than imagi
nation worked up Tor the Occasion is ~