Year: 1877

dents oft-repeated assertion that competent and
efficient officers were not TO be removed. He chal-
lenged anybody and everybody TO show that General
Arthur General Sharpe, and Mr.. Cornell were not
as good officers as ever took the oath OF Office;
they were pure and honest and capable they had
been tried; they were guilty of nothing, but
Republicanism and friendship to the Senator who
represents the Republicans of the State in Congress
Senator Conkne and Others, who spoke, referred to
the Constitutional provision which requires that the
President SHALL with the advice and consent of the
Senate appoint officers etc. and it was argued that
that provision was not a meaningless phrase, and
that Senators in the line of their legitimate duty
when they made recommendations for appointments


To this some of the Presidents supporters an
swered that nobody, not even the President himself,
had assumed to take from Senators the right to adj
wise in the matter Of appointments. But he pays
attention to advice" the reply, followed
quickly by illusions to many OF the Presi-
dents appointments and the question :" VINO
recommended the New-York appointments y Many
Senators disclamed any personal grounds OF com
paint and spoke only for the good of the party ana
good of the country in the spirit of conclhation'
Senators had been advised to to the White House
and see the President and talk with him but some
of them said when they did the President did not
refer in his conversation either TO political topics
or to appointments he had not indicated any desire
to receive the advice OF the suggestion of Senators
on any subjects Senator's therefore, did
not repeat their visits they did not care 10 60 to
the White House to talk about the weather or to
exchange anecdotes On one occasion that was
mentioned, two Republican Senators from West
ern States called on the President for the pur-
pose of ascertaining how they stood at the White
House. They desired to know if their recon-
mondatons were to be considered III matters relat-
ing to their own States. The President at once
pulled out the Cincinnati platform, his letter
of acceptance and other declarations on Civil
Service reform. The Senators said that they were
in favor OF reform, but their declaration OF prnci-
pies was very brief They were in favor of removing
incompetent and improper officers and of filling
their places with competent and proper men
who belonged to the party which elected them
and the President. Mr.. Hayes sad that if
the President appointed only on Senatorial
recommendation the Senators would make
the appointments and not the President To this
the SeHatos answered that they thought they were
quite competent to judge Of the capacity and
honesty of the people in their state whom they
knew, as the Presidents he did not know the peo-
pie And they thought, also, that it was their
duty to see that proper men were appointed. The
interview was not conducive to good feel
ing or confidence between the Senators and the
President, and il terminated by the latter request
ing them TO send in their suggestions bat giving no
indication OF what his intentions might be. New
England Senator Of great prominence and influence
had called upon the President, but was unable TO
get word out of him. In both cases the President
seemed pleased with the interview.


Senator who appeared TO feel more intensely
than most Others in the caucus was Mr.. Jones, Of
Nevada. whose hostility to the President is repre-
cor,+o1 70 he hotl tiraIass and qnrrv


OF the few vino spoke for the President, Mes-rs.
Hoar, Dawes and Stanley Matthews were the most
conspicuous. Mr.. Matthews is reported 10 have be-
havCd with great modeSty, and, while perhaps he
did not win friends for the President, he did win
much good feeling for himself. He is said
to have made remark which was rather pointed
toward Senator ConklinC. In the course of his
speech he said that be did not propose 10 bring his
personal grievances into the caucus. and he did NOT
think that any other Senator ought to do
either; he could settle bis personal mat
ters IN the open Senate, if he had any
to dispose Of Mr.. Hoar was warmly in favor
Of Cancellation, South, North and everywhere.
lie was not as much opposed 10 the appointment of
men in Massachusetts would grow up on the wrong
side unless they were encouraged to 90 on the right
side. He and Mr.. Dawes were interrupted by dozens
Of voices and some of their remarks were not re-
ceivCd with much respect.


IL was decided, just before the adjournment OF
the caucus, 70 send q committee to the Pre5ldent,





ing Of Republican Senators, and learn what was sad
by them. lie will be told that the Senators are not
influenced by their desire for patronage, and are
not after the iles-pots, but that they do want 10
preserve great party. He Viii also be told that
the Senators whom the committee VIII represent
viii not vote to confirm any Democrat to Offices
i'm cases where respectable Republicans can
be found for the places. and under 10 circunl-
stances where such officers are entrusted with
tie enforcement Of the Constitutional Amend
ments and the execution of the Reconstruction
Acts; and. an iutmati0n will be gwen to
him that Senators must be consulted III regard to
appointments. 10 is most positively asserted to-
night by Republican Senators that the party III the
upper branch of Congress VIII act a unit on all
questions of political nature and this was CON
staDtiy urged as an imperative duty by most of the
speakers. IL was generally understood that Mr..
Edmunds would head the committee, and that as
many senators should accompany him as desired.


Another caucus will be held during the last part
of the week, aud in the meantime the cOnsulta-
ton with the President will be held. Some
of the Presidents warmest friends and closest
adhCr,nts express the opinion this evening that
the result Of tine caucus will be a better
understanding between the Administration and the
party than has existed at any previous time since
Mr. HayCSs inauguration, and that a very critical
point in the history Of the party was passed IN the
caucus tonight.


TIE BOURBONS AND THE ARMY.


THE TEXANS VOTE FOR REDUCTION AFTER ALL


HoOKEKs WILD MOTION-A COMING INQUIRY


ABOUT THE RIOTS.


lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.l


WASHINGTON, Nov. 11.-Ihe Democrats in the
House yesterday undid the good work of the day be-
fore: oyercame the opposition of the Texas delega-
ton to the reduction of the army, by purchasing its
support to the bill reported by the Committee on
Appropriations and adjourned without calling the
previous question on the Army bill. During the ses-
sion Of Friday, the men from Texas, by an alliance
with the Republicans of the House, defeated
those portions Of the Army Appropriation
Bill which forbade recruiting in order to
raise the military strength Of the United States