Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1849-12-20
NO SPEAKER YET !

We have not room Tor even very meagre alb
stract of the proceedings OF Congress on Friday
and Saturday. There was more debate than vo-
ting. The last trial on Saturday gave Linn Boyd
Sc and Ed Stanly GO votes. The debate was
one of great interest and ability. We should in
fer from it that the present Congress had more
than an average share of talent.
We deporc the delay in the organization of the
House. and think it highly diScrediable 10 that
bedy, We are glad the Union confirms the
statements, which had reached us from other quar-
ters that there is very little excitement in the
House or in the city. That journal says:
The House of Representatives has been some eight
or Skys endeayoring TO elect Speaker, aud possibly
uA z. ot elect one for days to come vet it Is
pei,ber in state of disorder anarchy On the CON
trary il is in a very orderly condition. The members
are Intelligent gentlemen and men of honor and know
what is due their body well as themselves. And
we have no doubt they will carefully observe The
rules Of order and the decoum due 10 their official posi-
lions. as il they had Speaker of their chasing
To preside their proceedings, instead OF the Clerk
Nor is there any undue excitement among them, nor As
mong the people of this city. On the contrary To old
observer Of things here there appears 10 be less excite
rnen among the members Than usual the cunveuinn of
a new Congress II so happens that neither of the two
great parties into which the country is divided have
handing majority. and that the balance of pawer Is
held by about half dozen who designated ''free
solers,' and many more "lmpractcabe whigso from
whose party is responsible. These parties big
and little, have for many days been engaged in per
seyefng but peaceahe and honorable sngge for Speak
or We call 1t honorable. because the office is a very
important one involving high purity interests, and pos
sessin great Influence the deliberations of the body
We wonder. therefore. that under the circumstances
the Struggle earnest and poiracted, which would
be The case if the people bad elected decided majority
oleither party TO the Huuse Bu it viii by and-hy come
to an end and believe without detriment the honor
h.Jv tho nCth he en- nj nv
We do not regard his struggle for Sp aker crisis
in the history of The county, event at all clcua
ted 10 alarm the patriotic portion of the people which,
in view. embraces all Of them
The Union takes pretty much the same view
we have done ofthe failure TO organize so far as
the real business Of legislation is commemorative:
that no time will really be lost, and that this pas
time of balloting is about as innocent employ
ment as any the members can engage in. The
Union is very confident however, that the House
will be organized, and hints, as reason for its
hope, that members cannot get their pay and
mileage until a Speaker is chosen. We agree
fully with that journal in the opinion it expresses
that "the Republic will not fall, nor the Govern
ment be blown up, if the House do not elect
Speaker for three weeks 10 come
There are two facts which arrest our attention.
The first is, that there has not occurred one SIN
Gle circumstance, since the adjournment Of the
last congress, WHICH iUuCdteS, on Tie part OF the
North, any new measure of aggression upon
Southern rights. The relations of the two Sec
tons stand precisely as they did last winter. The
violent declarations of Southern members, of both
parties about dsunion seem, therefore to us to
be little of the latest. They might with more
fitness, have been uttered last session.
We are again struck with the fact that, though
slavery is doubtless at the bottom OF the difficulty
experienced in organizing the House, vet the
struggle is not sectional one. If it were that
the North was arrayed against the South, or the
Free States against the Slave-holding States of
the Union, the contest would be soon ended
non-saveholding States having 40 members
the slaveholdlng only91. This is gratifying re-
Election. Party interests arise above sectional
prejudices. We have seen the mass of the Dem
ocrats of the North voting steadily for Mr. Cobb
"a Southern man whilst the Wigs of the
South, with the exception Of half dozen ultra
lists, as steadily supported Mr.. Winthrop,a North
ern man. To show, in still stronger point Of view,
the greater Importance attached to the party COM
plexion, than to the geographical position, of the
Speaker, we may state that on Saturday last, had
the Southern Democrats voted for Mr.. Stanly he
would have been chosen; or; vice versa had the
Southern Wings thrown their weight into the
scale of Mr.. Boyd, he would have been carried
into the charby nearly as large majority Now,
we believe nine -tenths of the Wings Of the South
would prefer Mr.. Winthrop TO Mr.. Boyd-and
as large portion Of the Southern Democrats, Mr.
Potter Or Mr.. Richardson, to Mr.. Stanly. Indeed
Mr.. McLane, of Maryland, solemnly advised his
friends not TO vote for any man of the opposite
party.