Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1849-12-07
lis lis llS Ill

In Massachusetts, it will be observed,
there is one vacancy, which will not be
filled in time for the opening of the ses-
sion of Congress, next Monday week.
Several trials have already been made,
and it is very doubtful, in the present d.
vision of parties, and as the law stands,
whether the vacancies can be supplied at
all. In this event, the precise number
OF Representatives will be 23O-t'le same
number as in The last Congress. At the
last session, Wisconsin was authorized to
elect three members of the House, in
stead of two, to which she had until then
been restricted. The legal number Of
the present House is 23l. ~. a......
According TO our table there is tie il.
the House, but this table is made with
out reference TO Free Sellers of either
party, some ten or fifteen in number; and
a good deal depends upon their move
ments, in the organization of the House.
Giddings and one or two other Free Soil.
ers can hardly be expected to vote for a
Wing candidate for Speaker. On the
other hand, they will hardly vote for
Lynn Boyd, Cobb Or any other of the
pro-slavery men; and there are Locofoco
Free Sellers in the same category. Nor
is it likely, as some have supposed, that
the Locofoco party can be induced TO
vote for Wilmot or Cleaveland of Conn.,,
or any other Free Soiler; and it may al
SO be said that no Wing Free Soler can
get the entire vote of the Wing party,
bringing thereby to their aid the Free
Soil Locofoco vote. .,..... ....
Mr.. Winthrop will, no doubt be the
Wing candidate for Speaker. He is
one OF the first men in the nation-per-
formed his duties in the last Congress so
efficiently and impartially, as to satisfy all
parties--and he deserves this confidence
at the hands of the Wings. He is not
obnoxious to the South on the score of
fanatical opinions upon the question of
slavery, because when approached with
conditional propositions of support from
the abolitionists of the last Congress. he
spurned them from him; and at that elec-
ton received the support of Mr.. Holmes,
of 5. c., elected as Democrat. At the
last Stale election, this gentleman was
opposed by the enemies of Gen. Tay-
lor, as well as two others of the South
Carolina delegation, because of their be-
ing known as "'Faylor Democrats. II
is not improbable, in the emergency of
circumstances, that Mr.. Holmes will
feel himself justified in again voting for
Mr.. Winthrop, ahd his two colleagues,
elected on the same ground, may do the
same thing. Such a change would in all
probability, secure the Speakership to
Mr.. Winthrop, against any opposition
likely to be made to him. Or, it may be,
that the Wings, rather than see an out
and -out Locofoco elected, may unite up
on Mr.. Holmes, trusting TO his acknowl-
edged friendly feelings towards the Pres
dent, to do justice to the Wings in the
formation of committees.
1t is worthy of remark also, that Mr..
King, of Georgia, who is absent in Cal
ifornia, may not be present to assist in
the organization of the House, and other
Wings may also be absent; whereas it is
beyond doubt, that every Locofoco
member of the House has been sum-
moned to be in Washington by the 18th
or goth of this month, and all will be
there, if this circular has any effect, a
week before the time fixed for the ses-
sion. There are, every one knows, no
laggards among the Locofocos, when inn
poriant political movements are to be
made, and we expect to find every men,
Der of that party in his seat as soon as
the national flag is hoisted from The Cap
itol.-Mo. Rep.