Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 November 1888 — THE FIFTY-FIRST HOUSE. [ARTICLE]

THE FIFTY-FIRST HOUSE.

Washington special to the Indianapolis Journal. Those who have had to do with Senator Quay during the recent campaign are willing to take what he says for granted without further investigation. He does not talk much, is perhaps the most reticent man in public life, and never says anything unless he has something to say and is certain of its accuracy. During the entire campaign he did not make a singe boast or prediction. No'one could get him to say whether he thought the Republican ticket would win or not, and the first time he expressed an opinion on the subject was about 5 o’clock on the afternoon of election day, when, having ascertained that the plans he had prepared for New York city and Brooklyn had been honestly carried out by the men engaged in them, he sent a telegram to General Harrison announcing that he had carried New York State and was elected, When Quay sent that dispatch everybody who knew him and his peculiarities started for the Hoffman House,, offering to bet odds on Harrison’s election, where odds had been given on Cleveland a few hours before.

Senator Quay said, early in the week, when he first came to Washington, that the Republicans would have six majority in the next House of Representatives, and the returns from the doubtfu districts look as if his prediction would be fulfilled to the extra figure. He has not given any details, has not named the districts from which he expects the votes to come, but has given the figure six and stopped there. Two of the doubtful districts which the Democrats were sure of securing bt-yond a doubt, although the members of the latter party here had practic ily given them up last night, are known to be Rebublican, and there remains but two more to hear from, one in Kentucky and thi- other in W est V rginia. The Kentucky district is given up by the CourierJournal and Senator Beck, who has received private information. The West Virginia district will not be definitely heard from for some days, but is stoutly claimed by the Republicans of that State. If it should go Republican,, that party will have pix majority in the House; If it should go Democratic, they will have four. r WHAT GENERAL CLARK 8 4YB Gen John B. Clark, jr., tie' clerk of the House of Representative, believes that 160 Democratic Representatives have been elected, and that six districts are in doubt. This calculation is based upon the assumption that Wilson (Dem.) is elected in West Virginia. The doubtful districts, in General Clark’s estimation, are the First California, Tenth Kentucky, Second North Carolina, and the First, Third and Fourth of West Virginia. These districts he sets down as doubtful because they are claimed by both par ies on majorities so small that the official count must be awaited to determine the result. In the case of Representative Bacon (Dem.) of New York, who is reported to have been defeated by eighty majority, General Clark expects thata contest will ensue. Ot one thing hels confident, and that is that the majority in the next House will not be over five either way. Relative to the functions of the Clerk in the organization of the new House "and the power he is supposed to be able to exercise in seating or unseating members, General Clark says that his duties are fixed by statute and are purely miniatorin.!. Ts ft member-elect presents a proper certificate of election his name will be placed on the roll, and not otherwise. There cannot be duplicate certificates, because there are at present no dual State governments, as there have been in times past in the South. Gen. Clark said that from the official record before him, it appears that the Republicans had elected a majority of one in the next House, and this was because, up to the present time, but one certificate had been presented to him, namely, that Herman, of Oregon. Ihe certificates are usually a long time coming in, as they are not issued until some time after the official returns are made public. In the case of Missouri, this does not take place until January, and in many other States the date is equally remote from election day. The reduction of the claims o both parties to very narrow majorities of from three to six, suggests interesting possibilities when it is remembered that no less than six persons who were elected to the Forty-ninth Congress died either before they were sworn in or soon after they had taken their seats, and that there is a strong probability that there will be some deaths among 825 men of mature years during the long period—thirteen months-intervening between election day and the assemblage of the new Congress. One of the leadingsubordinatehfficials of General Clark’s office, who-has all the information as to Democratic hopes which General Clark himself has, spys that the officials at the Hoitse have abapdQQf 6 the expectation which they havehad.up to a few days ago, that the Democrats would organize the House, and that they themselves would retain their place. Representative West Virginia, whose seat has so long been in doubt, and whose election the Republicans still deny, has arrived here, andis frank enough to say that he has no doubt that the Republicans have secured control of the House by a small majority. The confidence of the Republican leaden is renewed, and they

now claim under no combination of circumstances will it be * possible for the Clerk of the Hbhse to refuse to put a majority of Republicans upon the roll of the House of the Fifty-first Congress. Special to the ind’plf, Sentinel, Fame rate, The Berate will be Republican by a majority of two. It will require official returns in four close districts to determine which party will control the House. It is favorable to the Democrats, however. -f-r ' -%b-