Year: 1879

WASHINGTON, Feb Q. 1879.
THE ORGANIZATION OF THE NEXT HOUSE


PURPOSES OF THE DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY


ANTAGONISTS BETWEEN THE TWO WINGS OF


THE PARTY.


There is nothing in the Speakership contest
that is at the same time true Guesses abound. but
the guesses of side pretty quickly balanced
by the guesses of the other and neither decisive
Of anything Anything is possible as yet. but there
is to believe at this moment that
there will necessarily be a prolonged contest
over the Speakership. 1t is quite plain that Mr..
Randall has o good many vigorous opposers. but
some of them say privately that they do not think
Mr.. Blackburn the best man to concentrate on.
Nevertheless Mr.. Blackburns friends claim 81
votes In caucus, but Mr.. Randalls friends. with
equal certainty. claim 90 votes in caucus. and as
there only las democratic members, any one can
see that there must be o mistake somewhere.


more interesting question is. what will the ex-
ira session dor The extreme democrats boast that
they will repeal the supervisors and marshals laws
or stop the wheels of government They have got it
into their heads that audacty is just now the win
ming card for their party They say that the repub
hcans have always been positive. aggressive. auda-
cious and defiant of laws and the constitution. and
II they told that the republicans had large major
ties in both houses in 1868 and possess neither house


in 1879 they only repeat that audacty is the thing
The more moderate democrats sit In their parlors
and grumble They make up the brains Of the party.
but they are slow timd. fond of saying that other
people are wrong and letting the time for action slip
by. Just now these eminently respectable gentle
men are privately discussing how their party can
get out of the difficulty into which they allowed 1t
to walk They have not found o way yet,
and if the truth must be told. they are
objects of contempt to the aggressive members
Of their party. who snap their fingers st their
servative notions and plainly tell them that they
not the controlling element Of the party. and that
however they may grumble they must follow. be-
cause they have nowhere else to 60.


The contest between Randall and Blackburn Is, in
fact, contest for the mastery between the Eastern
and the Western wings Of the party. Mr.. Blackburn
represents the Presidential candidacy of Senator
Thurman, and implies the committal of
the party to soft money notions Mr.. Randall
on the other hand represents Eastern opinions on
the currency. He represents also economy and re-
trenchment in expenses. The two elements would
appear to be rreconcilable. whichever secures the
ascendancy will make the other swallow its princi
pies abandon the party. but the decision Of the
question will depend. after all. tho South.
OF the 14s democrats in the new House
100 are from Southern States. These, IL they
vOteO sOi1uly, COulu, OIL COURSE, nominate
the Speaker in caucus Hence the point strongly
urged in hotel debates that It is time for the
South to take possession and show the country that


it knows how to rule. though the very fact of its
taking possession at the South fatal to
rule in the country at large.


There are still democrats who imagine that
they win the next Presidential election. but
they are decreasing in numbers. and here
aud there Southern man begins to ask
himself whether the real interests OF his section
are best secured and advanced by longer adherence
to the democratic party. when this is evidently q
prey to irreconcilable dssensions and without a
policy, or rather with several policies But they
are met by the Western democrats with the reply
that there is a policy at last; that Thurman and
Blackburn stand It, and that 1t is the repeal all
hazards of laws hateful to the South.


The republicans meantime. are waiting They do
not mean to bargain flor greenback votes. and they
hold that whoever chooses to to them shall be
welcome. but he must come without conditions OF
promise. and give in his adherence to hard money.