New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-03-08

The Conarersionnl Fights.

washington correspondent OF the CONNER
eial AdDtiso thus sketches Of the dlsgrsceiul
attending the close Of the XXXth Congress.
The tights and personal collisions which occurred on
the floors Of both Houses deeply 20 be depOred but
they should be forgotten. The facts concerning
those which took place In the House develop not only
unanisble but most aaruing state of feeling as
existing there The difficulty tween Mr.. Giddings
sud Mr. Meade took place At about ten O'Clock, when
the southern members after having been At one time
10 the evening elaed 10 high degree by Whist they
thought almost the certainty Of success In their most
cherished plans began fear that the chances Of final
succcss inclined ~ their adversarcs Mr. Giddngs sits
near tn. Speaker chair the LETT Mr. NJ ade almost
directly in front Of IL not far removed Between their
seats ia the open semiclTcular area before the clerks
desk Mr.. Giddings crossed over TO the desk OF Mr.
Turner Of Illinois jealousy engaged in cooperating
with Mr. and others IN the effort 20 strike OF the
Senate amendment TO defeat the bill. Mr. q ssked
Mr. Turner who IA a Democrat, II the LOcoFOcos on
his eide OF the House good humlIed as the
Wings on the other. Mr. T replied they were
not thst they were very much exaspersied. Mr. Gid
dings said that not good policy that there was no
need of passion.
Mr. Meade was sitting near In hi. own seat He said
seeming to address himself In part To Mr. q and In
part to another gentleman. that the only way TO man
age the scoundrels to put them Ia bodily fear TO
make them understand that II they persisted in their
fsctous and incendsry course they we're doing al
the risk of their lives He understood % refer 10
the contest then going on. Mr.. Gddings turned To
him and said that that would hardly effect any good
purpose thst the best way would be % be calm, to
contest the matter with mild frmness as long there
a fair hope Of success, and To yield with good
grace when II became inevitable Mr. Meade then
sprsng 10 his feet and seized Me- Gicings By the col
lar swearing with bitter oaihs that II he uttered
other word he would cut his heart out The members
who interiered say that Mr. G. had his hand cleDcbed
IN the attitude 81 man about to strike Had he done
he would have been justified. and his sssailsnt
would have been desperately hurt for Mr.. q. Ia
of H-rculesn mold, and his antagonist was so para
yzed with rage 10 be totally poweress Had Mesde
Ideas of legislation been carried out the proceedings
would have been brought 10 a summary close, by a
fearful riot, 10 the early part OF the evening.
The incidents OF the tght between Messrs. K. w.
Johnson and Fcklin betrayed similar spirit II
In an alteration between the two upon petty resou.
tiOn offered BY the former and defeated. From words
they quickly came 10 blows. These would of course
have been terminated Immediately by the Interference
OF Members, but Mr. lnge Of Alabama, remarkably
quiet snd gent!emany man in appearance reached up
and struck Mr.. 7. on the forehead with small iron
cane which he carries After the affair over he
composedy answered the inquiries of the curious by
saying that he bed been expecting a the whole
evening between the North aud the south snd thought
this was the beginning of H. His only impulse to
assist friend from the South Mare this confession
was II doubtless truly Indicated very prevalent,
feeling among the younger members Of the Southern
delegations This man had probably heard Mr.. Mssies
remarks Perhaps they had been partly addressed TO
him. as his seat 10 In that vicinity The awful come.
quencrs that might have resulted from the meresl acct
dental collision, 81 such time, any may inns CINE
IL would not be easy TO exaggerste them.