Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1849-12-17

oof Fflcf 10 motion iot at adiounm6nt oniy sniieI
patsd the very motion be was himself about to make.
Il was bot his purpose to proract this debate. lie was
determined not to be drawn, before this House Or
gained, INTO discussion of the Wimot Proviso, and
other kindred subjects, which had been often alluded
to to-day In his opinion any such discussion at this
moment was iltmed and premature; and while it could
not possibly do any good might do much harm. His
purpose IN rsng was only to reply to some portion of
the remarks OF the gentleman from Georgia who first
addressed the House, Mr. Toombs.l
| He had listened with much attention to the eloquent
remarks oil that gentleman. With the principles advanced
by HIM he entirely concurred, and most of the feelings
ne had uttered met with hearty response in his bosom;
but he coud not but believe that that gentleman and
hose who had followed him from his own and the adj
Joining States had cried before they were hurt they
had sounded the tocsn before there any apparent
necessity Tor alarm. He had come here with the same
melancholy torebodings that those gentlemen had ut
tered IN regard to the that Northern gentlemen
would pursue on the important subjects referred to but
ne te bound to declare-and he made the declaration
with equal sincerity and satisfacton-that thus far his
appehensions had rather been aayed than increased by
the language OF gentlemen in and out of this House
ne gentleman says that what has hitherto prevented
ana now prevents the organization OF this House. is the
oetermnatlon on the part of its members organize on
sectional principles. Now his observations had led him
TO te very opposite conclusion. Sir, if such the
wish OF noIthern gentlemen, what prevents them from
carrying it into efectl Whatha prevented them from
SO organizing the House from the very first day of the
session up TO the present moment! They are in
stace TO It's immediate consummation. But he (Mr c.
discovered In the action of this House direct and posi-
i've evidence OF the very ofthe position assumed
Dy the gentleman from Georgia Look at the facts, sir
There are IN this House somewhere about LOG or lO7
members belonging to the Democratic party proper ex
elusive OF few who were elected professedly as free
s n OF aoohonsts Well sir, Mr. Cobb ofGeorga,
me Deocratle nominee for Speaker received 1903 votes
these i03 votes consisted OF the gentlemen of that party
from all sections of the Union.
On the other hand, the Wings nominated as their
candidate tor this office Mr. Winthrop of Massachusetts
"a gentleman who had already presided over this body
at period OF unexampled difficulty when this House
was tossed and agtaed by the umutuous passions
that now agate It, and whose irmness and impartiality
were generally admitted even by his political opponents
The Wing party in this House numbers about 10Y or
loS members, notncluding ee-soilers or aboitionss
and out OF this number Mr. Winthrop received lO2
votes; and those who declined to vote for him were the
gentleman from Georgia himself two of his colleagues
and two other gentlemen, who certainly could not be
suspected OF wishing the House to divide on sectional
principles.
Thus, sir, we find that this House, so far from diyi
ding on sectional principles, has, with few exceptions
MANIFESTED disposition obstnatey and perseyerngy
adhere to those party lines which have divided it for the
last quarter ola century The Democrats north of Ma
son and DlXons line have voted, long as there was
the smallest hope OF electing him, for Southern man.
ana the wings North and Sou tn Of Mason and Dxon's
Inc nave with equal pertlnacity voted for a Northern
candidate.
r, What then has prevented the organization of tine
houses Why,s the cause is notorious. 1t is the fact
that there does exist in this body small number of ndi
Ydqas belonging to both parties or to neither who
wish to control its organization who to delight
the confusion and anarchy occasoned by its dsorgani-
zatlon and who refuse for any candidate except
on terms that cannot be granted consistently with the
character the individual himself or with the safety Of
the country.
:, Mr. MARSHALL spoke at some length deprecating
the discussion OF the dissolution OF the Union and taking
grounds against the extreme opinions expressed in the
course OF the debate by gentlemen from the North and
the South He was also opposed to the views of the
gentleman from Maryland [Mr. McLanel who had
urged his political friends to organize the House in
spirit OF opposition to the administration He claimed
to be friend the Union, and to be lover of the in
sttutlons OF his section But he asked the friends
OF the Union and of ORDER in the hall to count the cost
and now to progress with the public business before adj
ouming.