Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-12-23
N 6r1eesaosaO GgIa1D5M
Thursday Eccni,sg, Dec. 90.
THE SPEAKER.

THE SPEAKER.
Tho Lynchburg Virginian having stated that Mr..
Adams and FIVE others loft the House to avoid the
vote for Speaker, the Telegraph corrects the
statement, and annexes the following commentary
Tho case of Mr.. Stevenson thus set forth, is very
singular one; almost as singular that of il
lustrious Leuterent Governor. Both were elected
by one vote; and their good fortune directed
affairs, that every accident turned to their advan-
tage, and when without those accidents, neither
could have been elected: assuming for true what is
confidently stated, and what probable, that
Mr.. Stevenson's friends all voted for him on the
first ballot, and that the second his opponents
would have concentrated DR.. Sutherland. We
do not regret Mr.. Stevenson's election; the
trary, we greatly prefer him to Sutherland, man
who seems to live in the atmosphere of party in
trgue. But We struck with the resemblance
of tho Washington election and that at Richmond.
Two hundred and two mombers of Congress an
swered to their Messrs. Stevenson, Suther-
land & Cook did not vote, leaving 1879. But 1875 bal
lots were collected, leaving ballots unaccounted
for. Does the rule compel overy rnombor present
to vote, unless excused for cause, by the House?
What then became of tho other four votes1 Is any
hocus pocus suspeeted7 We have seen no theory
to account for the absence of the four votes Per-
haps these four lodged.
Mr.. Stevenson is placed in an unpleasant predi-
cament, and were we entitled te-offer him friendly
advice, it would be to throw himself again on the
choice of the House; for, distinguished as his sta
ton is, il is not worth having upon the gift of 4
minority, at the expense of the invidious strc-
lures which the circumstances of the election will
provoke. His vote a mino rity of those ascer-
tanned and counted present; and Mr.. Cooks
vote ought not to have been rejected by any rule of
right or common sense, according to Mr..
Stevenson's decision in prior case, or that of
his partizan, Gen. Root, when presiding officer
mt Albany If majority prefer him, majority
will elect him 4 second trial. if otherwise, he
ought not, and presume does not, wish to pre-
side over those to whom he is unacceptable.
From Ike United States Telegraph
THE SPEAKER.
We take leave to correct the Lynchburg Vr-
gilman, in relation to the number of members pre-
sent at the time the ballot boxes carried round
by the Sergeant-a arms and Doorkoeper to re-
ceve the votes for Speaker. AT IL O'clock call
of the House was made by the Clerk, when two
hundred and members answered to their
names. Tho Clerk having read aloud the names
of the members who were present, he said if it is
the pleasure of the House to proceed to the choice
of a Speaker, the ballot boxes will be sent to COL
iect the tickets. The officers forthoih proceeded
to take the ballots. While the teers were counting
the tickets, Mr.. Cook, from Ohio, came in, ten
dered his vote, which, through some mistake, was
mot received The whole number in the House
was thus increased, by the presence of Mr.. Cook,
to two hundred and two. Out of that number,
Mr.. Stevenson ought to have received one hundred
and two, whereas it is known that he holds The
chair upon ninety eight votes.
The number of tickets reported by the tellers to
have been received, was one hundred and ninety
i've, and that nnety-Sight was majority of that
number The friends of Mr.. Stevenson say that
the DTeSumDtIOn is, that, at tho of pOttnO.
more in the chamber than one hundred and
ninety-fv This would be fair inference ifthere
had not been call of he members, the momeH MT
before the ballot boxes went round. But to show
that there were more than one hundred and nine
tyve present, it is only necessary to advert to the
fact that Mr.. Stevenson and Mr.. Sutherland were
both present, and that neither of them voted. OF
course then, one hundred and ninety-seven were
certainly in the chamber, and ninety is q
jority of that nunber, whereas Mr.. S. had only
ninety eight votes The Editor of the Virginian is
under mistake when he supposes that Mr.. Adams
and or others left the House. On the contrary, IT
is the firm belief here, that the two hundred and two
were present during The election 1t is certain that
neither Mr.. Cook, Mr.. Sutherland, nor Mr.. Ste
venson voted; and his situation is the more embar-
RAISING, because no not only holds his seat by the
vote of minority of the members present, but
he holds it by the rejection of Mr.. Cooks VOTE by
Mr.. Sutherland declining to vote, and what is a
more striking feature eff this case, had he voted
himself it his duty under the rules of the
House TO do, he would not have been elected. His
declining to vote is therefore tantamount a vote
for himself; and Mr.. S. is Speaker of tho House
by virtue of his own refusal to vote and thus elect
ing himself.
IfMr. Sutherland had thrown in a ballot for any
one of the other candidates, Mr.. Stevenson would
not have been elected; for in that event, Mr. Ste
venSon would have required nnety-n votes to
have elected him, one hundred and nnety-six votes
being polled We agree with Mr.. Stevenson in
his speech to the House, that ''whoever shall fill
the chair to his own honor, or to the advantage o.
the nation, must possess not only the confidence o.
tho House. but the esteem and respect of the honor
able and highminded men over whom he presides
Neither station nor power can coerce esteem or re
sPect, they can only be acquired by integrity, i'm
partially, and Independence"
0J Mr.. Adams is quite lion at Washington
His observations when the Pennsylvania petition