Year: 1879

based upon the possibility that the
Democrats will fail to concentrate
sufficient number of votes to elect
their caucus nominee for the
Speakership. This contingency is
claimed to be net only possible, but
probable, in view of the fact that
several Democratic members .elect
are ill and by reason of the current
assertions that Morrison and one or
two others will bolt the caucus II
Randall be nominated These
prognostications are largely based
upon an assumption that a major
| ity of tho whole numb ber
of the 293 members of the full
House will be reduced to determine
its organization, instead of 144,
which will be majority of the
members actually chosen when the
House assemblies, there being four
vacancies for California and two
caused by the deaths of Represent
atives elect, Smith, of New York,
aud Schleicher, ofTexas. Whichever
be considered the requisite MAJOR
iy, the probabillties,in the opinion
OF the best informed observers, still
strongly indicate that sufficient
number of Democratic members
will be on hand to effect perfect
organization of the House in ac-
cordance with whatever may be
the caucus decision. Rumors of
combination between the Re-
publicans and u few dis
satisfied Democrats to elect
General Garfield as Speaker,
have gained considerabl currency,
but are destitute of any respecta-
BILE foundation. Republicans have
no desire to elect any one to pre-
side over a house which he could
not control and for the legislation
of which the Republican party does
not want to be responsible. The
talk of q Republican coalition with
the Greenbackers of the House
seems to have little better if any
foundation, for an overwhelming
majority of the Republican men,
bars have already planted them
selves upon hard money platform
and expect to make the success of
specie resumption one of their
principal claims for popular sup
port during the next Presidential
campaign.


The prospects for the termination
Of the extra session early in May
are not now as promising as they
seemed to be n few days ago, but
nothing has since been developed
to warrant the eXtravagant predic.
tions put forth in certain quarter
that Congress will remain in sess-
ion throughout the summer and
perhaps till next December. There
will undoubtedly be a contest of
considerable duration In regard to
the repeal of the federal election
law, and very probably, though
not certainly, majority may be
obtained in the House of Repre-
sentatives to attach it to the gen.
eral appropriation bill; but, in this
event, the President will veto the
appropriation bill, and all the
Members of the House will then
be confronted with the certainty of
having to Go without their own
salaries, to say nothing Of the need
of money for all other Legislative
expenses and for carrying on the
indispt nsable operations of the
many departments of the public
service throughout the country.
Unless a majority consents to send
the bill again to the President d.
vested of the proposed political
legislation, the result will be the
addition of the latter alternative
by the 1st' of July, il not much
sooner.


Senator Sargent has accepted an
invitation rendered him by the
Secretary of the Navy to take an
extended sea voyage for the benefit
of bis health, on the school ship
Saratoga, which will leave Annap.
oils about April 1st, with the grad
uatipg class of the Naval Acade.
my, for a cruise of four months to
Madeira, the Cape de Verde
Islands, Gibraltar, etc. His return
to California will therefore be de-
ferred until late In the summer.


verdict OF Acquittn1.


NEW ORLEANS, March 7th.-The
jury in the Natchitoches election
case have rendered verdict of ac-