The freeman. (Fremont [Ohio]) 1849-1850, 1849-12-29
frum lUas bingtun.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Washington. Thursday, Dec. l3


Mr.. Brown, of Miss, offered the following reso-
ResoiVed, That Howell Cobb be elected Speak
er.
Mr.. Brown said that the Democrats had major
ty and being in the majority, they should have the
Speaker.
Mr.. Carter of Ohio offered as an amendment,
that the Speaker elected shall be divested of the
power of appointing the District of Columbia and
Territorial Committees; that the said committees
be made by vote of the House. He (Mr. C.) con-
demned the ridiculous attitude of the House, and
he proposed to remedy the difficulty in the resolu
ton. 1t was only by keeping up the subteranean
discord that the majority is crippled in its senti
ments.
Mr. Meade, of Va conceived that neither of these
propositions could reach the evil existing. 1t was
the existence of the third party that caused the
trouble. If, on the organization, propositions were
to be introduced to abolish slavery in the District
of Columbia or prohibit slavery in the territories
he trusted in God that his eyes had already rested
on the last speaker of this house. The south would
resist all aggressons, and the snews every mans
arm in that section would be steel
Mr.. Root was unwilling to vote by ballot and to
be placed in a position where he could not show
how he voted. He represented hundred thou
sand people, and wanted to leave his mark. He
had heard the play of Hamlet, with the part of
Hamlet omitted, This was pretty much the case
with the proposition of his colleague, (Mr. Carter
the play of Speaker, with the part of Speaker omit
ted (Laughter) If the house should elect man
fit to be speaker, he is not fit to appoint the COM
mittees! If this resolution should prevail, the same
old confusion would arise. The old deamon would
have his horns up, if the house should elect the
committees on the District of Columbia and the
territories If it was intended for free soil demo-
Gratis it would not operate They won't face the
music. He would not vote for any one who was
not competent to appoint these committees. 1t
looked suspicious on the other side to them vote
for man who was not competent to do so. The
speech of the gentleman from Virginia, (Mr.Meade)
was like the one he sent to him in print and which
had sporifc effect and calculated to save the
Union If there is to be dissolution of the Union,
let it come before the house is organized, Or his
colleague said, while the house is in disorganized
attitude. If it take place now, it would not be
binding. If the Union should be dissolved after
bill shall have been passed to abolish slavery IN
the District of Columbia there would be no help
for it. Then would come the time when they
would have to fight for the wife and the little ones,
over our household gods and all other household
furniture. (Laughter) If any northern man wish
ed to stultfy himself by refusing to the guess
tion and thereby insulting the whole north, let him
prepare for martyrdom. The frgots are piled and
the fire ready and if he has as many children as
John Rogers, let him put on them their Sunday
clothes, to see their father for the last time
Uaughter.) If the democratic party be in ma
iority, why do they not unite their forces? They
came very near it yesterday. They kept on gain
ing far as they went; why didn't they continue
(Laughter) Mr.. Root ridiculed the proceedings
of Yesterday He said that he was not sufficiently
acquainted with Mr.. Brown to express compassion
for him. The battle was almost won. The gen.
fiarppr IF hat
man not brought to condition to be trusted
with the slavery question, who could be? (Haiha ]
He said that he was Union man, and when the
time came to dissolve it, he would ask himself the
question: on the part of his own state and the whole
northwest territory as they furnish the water O
the Mississippi how did it happen that it ran dowr
that river treeS
Mr. Duer said that they had voted eight or mint
days. No party was in the majority, and it was
certain that speaker could not be elected only by
; an arrangement between the two parties. The
proposition with this view failed yesterday; it fail
ed to-day; members were forced, therefore, t
abandon the attempt to organize, resort to the
u only mode by which the speaker could be elected
: The gentleman from Miss (Mr Brown) called OF
> the wings to make an unconditional surrender
AS for himself, he would vote for any body but
disunionistt to occupy that chair "a voice: Their
is no such person in the house0 He thought SC
A member: 'Where is he?')
: Mr.. Duer pointed toward Mr.. Meade, who wa
: standing in crowd of gentlemen in the main aisle
Mr.. Meade was understood to say: "lf yo
charge me with being dsunionist, the assertion
;. is false"
y = Mr.. Duer instantly retorted: "You liar"
- Immediately Mr.. Meade made an attempt t
o reach Mr. Duer, but he was restrained by the in
4 terposition Of gentlemen. The parties were no
, more than four feet apart, when members rushet
. between them. There were cries of "a fight" 't
4 fight" when the sergeant alarms hurried down
with his mace of Office in hand and cries of ''order
"order, were raised The members mounted t.
: the side-screen, when Mr.. Meade beckoned to MI
: Duer to follow him to the Rotunda A boy cryin!
;. out in the galleries for moment excited a fea
that the sound proceeded from one Of the two mem
Is bers; but there was no personal collision. Th
spectators the floor and above looked on wit
g intense anxiety, and there not a member il
, his seat All was confusion Motions were mad
. to adjourn, and in few moments comparative qui
q ct was produced.
y Mr.. Duer begged pardon of the house for wha
~ he had uttered, improperly at the time, and h
e would only appeal to every gentleman in the house
= and ask whether, in consequence of the charg
P" made against him. he could do other than max
- the answer he did. He had said that he believes
- the gentleman to be disunionist. He had rea
q the words in his speech, that, if certain state
things continued. which the gentleman said exist
;. ed, he loathed and detested the Union. Their