Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1847-06-18

democrats, and the decision of the question
was forced on Mr.. Speaker Polk. He decided
and correctly too, against his party. and into
the vortex of that metstrom the bill went
When it was called up, Mr.. Speght was pla
ced in the chair, and it was argued by the de-
mocratc party that the committee should not
rise till the bill was passed and ordered fo he
reported to the house 1t sat. accordingly.
two days and two nights without interuntion,
and during the whole of that period Mr..
Speight left the chair but once for nourjsh-
ment Every effort that human ingenuity
could devise was resorted to, to COMPEL the
committee to rise; motion to that effect was an
hundred times made, but as the ayes and noes
cannot be demanded in committee, everything
OF the kind invariably failed If a vote was
taken UaUG v0ce, the chairman, as usual. knew
hoac to count it; and when letters were de-
manded, he could easily drum up majority
In this state of the case. Mr.. Wise, of Virgil
MA, became impatient and irritable, and after
having delivered one of his peculiarly emphat-
&c speeches, concluded by saying & that Mich
igan and Arkansas had been knocking at the
door these last six months for admission. and
might have been permitted to enter long ago
but for the lnd0lenCe Of the administrations
Now, that time was precious, the session was
drawing to close, and vast quantity of pub
lie business remained unattended to, the ad-
ministration must lay everything aside, aban-
don the real interests of the country to admit
Arkansas and Michigan at the midnight hour.
because it wanted the votes they could give to
the party. rise, now, sir, to protest against
this course Of proceeding, and proclaim that
this house stands ad joGrncd TIL tomorrow. |
demand, sir, that you, Jesse Speight, descend
| from that chair, which YOU hold by usurpation.
| that you yield it 10 James K Polk, the speak
Grand that he announce, what now announce,
| that this house OF representatives is adjourned
! till tomorrow. Come down from that CHR,
! sir How dare you hold it,
and RISE" said Mr.. Speight, following
! Mr.. Wise in his movement, &c to say that this
committee shall not rise, and that this house
of representatives shall not be adjourned till
the bill before both has been passed, signed by
! the proper officers, and proclaimed a law.
| proclaim that hold this chair legally and &C
| c0rding to parliamentary rule that | will hold
it as long as please; that [ am no usurper,
and that | cannot.be inundated. No power,
save that OF the Almighty, can dispossess me
/ whilst ! Iive'
Exactly as supposed, "rejoined Mr. Wise,
who had but enacted playful part in disguise,
8 and honor you for your patriotism. It's
rather deeper than mine is; and as [ do not
wish to become a joint tenant with you in your
parliamentary life here, and as it is now past
twelve O'Clock on a foggy morning, I'll go
home, and leave you IN your glory" About
twelve O'Clock on the next day, the bill pass
ed, and Michigan and Arkansas came into the
| Union.
Fir. Speight was an excentrc man. He
! possessed and iron mind and will, and was
mbued with strong prejudices. He was ex-
ceedlngly ultra on the slave question, and had
. peculiar detestation for Mr.. VIM. SIade, Of
| Vermont. lie spoke very Indignantly of that
glcntlcman, in public and private, and bestow-
ed on him epithets which it cannot be neces-
sary to repeat. If MIR. Slade had ever visited
the district in which MIR Speight resided, he
would have been very rugby handled.
! About the year 1889 MIR. Speight migrated
to Mississippi, and for several years was out
of congress. He was soon a conspicuous
man among the politicians of that state, was
elected to the Legislature, and subsequently to
! the office Of speaker of one of its branches
! Two years ago he was elected to the senate OF
the United States, in which body he maintain
| ed a respectable estate. He was an honorable
! high-mndcd man, a strong and violent parti-
IAN, ultra in all things, independent, bold and
! feariess-a warm friend, and an imp'acable
| opponent.