Members of the House
are entitled to some perquisites: All the back numbers of the Congressional
Globe, a small library of some value; seventy dollars for stationery; fifty
dollars for newspapers for this session, and twenty-four copies of the
Congressional Globe for the Congress of which he is a member.
A caucus of the Ohio
Union delegation held at Mr. Delano's rooms tonight. Present: Ashley, Bingham,
Buckland, Bundy, Clark, Delano, Eggleston, Garfield, Hayes, Hubbell, Lawrence,
Plants, Schenck, Shellabarger, Spalding, and Welker. Absent, Eckley. It was our
first, and a very agreeable and harmonious, meeting. Mr. Delano, chairman,
stated the object to be to consult as to candidates for the offices of the
House of Representatives, and as to matters connected with the organization of
the House. It was agreed to support Mr. Colfax for Speaker and Mr. McPherson
for Clerk, they being the old officers and having no opposition. Much talk
about the candidates for doorkeeper. One, Mr. Hawkins Taylor, seemed to have
many friends. It was, however, stated that he sold out the Chase committee. Mr.
Clark made two or three zealous talks in his favor. Mr. Ashley made some sport
by allusions to the Chase business. Spalding in earnest opposed him on that
account. Schenck talked earnestly and well—evidently the leading man of the
delegation. Spalding talked well also, but was unwilling to be bound by the
action of the delegation until his candidate for postmaster was provided for.
We then all agreed to support Colonel Given for postmaster.
We agreed to oppose
the admission of any delegate from the Rebel States for the present. Ashley is
a large, good-natured, popular style of man-full of good humor. Shellabarger, a
sober, gentlemanly, able man; General Garfield, a smooth, ready, pleasant man,
not very strong; Clark, disposed to talk rather too much; Lawrence, ditto, and
not quite happy in his views; Delano, clear and correct; Hubbell, talky.
Schenck, Delano, Spalding, and Shellabarger, in the order I name them, strike
me, judging by tonight, as the strongest men. Bingham and Ashley said so little
that I can't place them.
General Schenck gave
notice that he would propose an amendment on the first opportunity by which
representation would be based on suffrage. All seemed to acquiesce. On General
Schenck's suggestion I offered the resolution, with educational test or
condition added. Adopted with two negatives, viz., Ashley and Shellabarger.
My old college
friend, R. E. Trowbridge [of Michigan], came bouncing into the caucus in his
old jovial way to welcome me. Very little change in him.
