Year: 1879

Especial 10 the Democrnt.1


WASHINGTON, Feb. 27.-The Senate cannot
possibly get through with the Legislative, OK
ecutive and judicial bill before Saturday
night. This will bring II back to the House
on Monday, with tho repeal Of the election
law stricken out Then the House will dis
agree to the Senate amendments, and q con-
ference COMMITTEES will be appointed. The
conierees on tho part Of the House will prob
ably be Atkins. Hewitt and Foster


There is some fear that Atkins and Hewitt
may back down, or agree to some coppro-
mise. Then IL will bs for the House to accept
or reject the report Of the conference commit
tee, and on this point the whole struggle will
probably turn.


1t Ia not believed that enough Democrats
In the House would Join Atkins and Hewitt to
make effective any compromise they might
agree to In conference: but II that should hap
pen, then will come the real tug Of war.
Blackburn and Southland have determined
that the Legislative. executive and judicial
bill shall not pass without tho repeal Of the
election law, and they have ut their back at
least eighty members. A thorough organiza-
tion has been perfected, and II the worst
comes to the worst, they will fllibuster the
session out, as was done In tho case OF the
force bill four years ago.


Therefore II may be set down as an estab-
lshed fact that either the election laws will
be repealed or tho legislative appropriation
bill will fall.


Our people need not fear that there will be
any surrender. Blackburn has staked his
unt saItttnut nvi iut str fbfa mud
those who know him know that there Is no
such word as surrender in his vocabulary


Much injustice has lately been done Ben
Hill by the publication In Southern papers
that he was weak, shaky or unreliable on this
question. To settle the whole matter he to-
day authorized me to telegraph the follow
Ing with his compliments TO the editor Of the
DEMOCRAT:


''In reply toEall these assertions and TO
satisfy the people OF the South as to my atti-
tude regarding the proposition to repeal tho
election laws. etc, have TO say-first. that
In the beginning ] doubted the necessity OF
taking this step at this time; second, ques-
toned the expediency OF taking 1t In this
manner. / said 80 In caucus. That was an
expression Of Individual judgment. Now
am called upon TO net. therefore say that
whatever may have been or may be my views
as TO the expedency, policy or necessity Of
this step, tae action Of the Democratic party
In the House has i'm posed upon the Democrats
In the Senate the higher duty of preserving
an unbroken party front / therefore
stand with the Democrats In the
House, and shall do 30 TO the bitter
end II necessary. SO will every Democrat In
the Senate, irrespective Of what his personal
Judgment may be. In conclusion, have to
say, once for all, that wherever the Demo-
cratic party In Congress takes issue with the
Radical party on any measure affecting the
form or fact of government, as this question
does, / shall act with the Democratic party,
expedient or inexpedient, polite or impolitic,
trusting that whatever Is -trenuously opposed
by the Radical party under its present leader
ship must inevitably turn out In the end to be
wise, just and salutary."


The above may be called Bens platform,
and the last sentence Of 1t is gooi enough for
O standing plank in the Democratic platform.


A G.. r.