Year: 1878

The Election OF DOor-keeper Of the


House.


As rule, the election OF door
keeper of the House of Represen-
tatives at Washington, is matter
which is easily settled. The ma
ioritv nomiuates a candidate the
majority does the same, and with
out further ado the election Is pro-
ceeded with, and the candidate Of
the majority party is elected. That
the election on Monday was an ex-
ception 20 the rule, rs far as re-
.pects the time consumed in the
election though not in the final re-
suit. was due simply to desire of
the Republicans, under the lead of
Ben Butler, to see if they could
not inhame sectional passions and
revive animosities which cannot
live side by side with the love of a
common country now entertained
by people of the North, South,
East and West-a love at which all
should rejoice and in which all
should participate.


The debate in the House and the
result thereof must have convinced
Butler and his followers that they
grossly miscalculated the effect of
their attempt to divide the Demo-
cracy. No Republican had at
heart the intention of honoring
General Shields, or of comforting
office upon him, any more than that
gallant soldier had of accepting
Office. When they had offices in
the House at their own command
they never thought of General
Shields, nor of any other Demo-
crat, no matter how well he had
served his country. But the Office
Of doorkeeper was not theirs to
hestow Monday, and so they felt
that they could afford to he partic-
ularly generous with it. The whole
Republican action, as was concln-
sively shown in the debate, was a
piece of clap-trap. General Shields
did not want the office for which
the Republicans were generous
enough to nominate him when they
could not hestow it upon one of
their own party faith. When they
had the power they unceremoni-
ously closed the door of the House
of Representatives in the gallant
hero's face, although he was elect
ed by large majority. But when
they had nothing to give they very
rheerfnlly offered to give some-
thing which did not belong to them!
Magnanimous, very, to dispose of
an office to which they had no title
nor claim. The presumption with
which Republicans assumed to die
tate to Democrats whom they should
elect doorkeeper would he only
surpassed if the Republicans
should proclaim that the Democrats
ought to elect any Democrat speak
er of the House whom the Repub-
licans for personal purposes might
choose to nominate. Not that
General Shields is not eminently
deserving of recognition for his
gallent services /; but that if the
Republicans can dictate appoint
ments to Democrats, where the lat
ter are in the majority, the major
ity party ought 70 ahdicate.


The debate was instrumental for
good in at least two particulars
1t was the means of compelling the
Republican members, with half
dozen exceptions, to unite with the
Democrats, on the motion Of a
confederate brigadier," in placing
General Shields on the retired list
of the army as brigadier-general,
and if he is not so placed it will be
the fault, not of the Democratic
House, but of the Republican Sem
ate and the Republican President.
1t was of service, also, in showing
the humble alacrity with which the
Republicans put themselves under
the lead of Butler-a man potori-
Gus for the dishonesty of his meth
ods, of which more conspicuous
instance was never given than that
of Monday.-Free Press.