The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-01-03
THE ELECTION OF SPEAkER-FREE SOIL
MEN AND WlIGS.

The Neir York IfiJ,ae denounces the Free
Soil men for their Independent action during the
struggle for the Speakership, and charges upon
them the election of Mr. Cobb, Slavery Propa-
gandist We shall show, to the satisfaction Of
every man of common sense, that the denuncia-
ton is unjust, and the charge untenable.
Had each member in the House voted with the
Wings or Democrats, according to his original
party aiInities and connections, Mr. Cobb would
have been elected on the first trial; 22l votes
were then given, of which Ill were required to
elect Howell Cobb received 1913. Add to these
on the principle just stated, Booth, Durkee King
Wilmot, Cleveland, Doty, Peck, Holmes, and
Woodward, in all, 9-and his vote would have
been ll2-one more than enough to elect
The Free Soil men propor were-Messrs Al
lem Durkee, Giddings Howe, King Root, Will
mot and Tuck-s, Julian being absent) They
agreed in this that-they were willing to vote for
a Free Soil man, Wing or Democrat, provided they
could have sufficient assurances that he would, if
elected organize the Committees Of the House in
such form as to promote the interests of Lib
erty The TnbuHe lays no claim to Wlmot, King
or Durkee, because they were elected by Demo
cratic constituencies; but it appeals to the coun
try against the Free Soil men who have been con-
nectcd with the Wing party, holding them espe
caly responsible for the defeat of MIR Winthrop
Had they voted for Mr. Winthrop, there would
have been no Free Soil organization in Congress.
1t is quite possible that WilmOt, King, and Dur
kee might not have voted at all and by no means
improbable that Cleveland, Booth, Doty, and
Peck would have acted in the matter of organila-
ton with the Democratic caucus This beyond
all doubt, would have secured MIR Cobb's election
on the first trial. But, suppose Wilmot, King
and Durkee, Cleveland, Doty, Booth, and Peck
had continued to act independently, the vote of
the Wing Free Soil men, rs we may style them
for convenience, viz Messfs Giddings, Allen
Howe Root, and Tuck, could not have elected
MIR Winthrop They could have raised his vote
only from 90 to lOl-nOt even plurality of the
votes cast on the first trial
On the Goth and 30th trials, Mr. Winthrop re-
ceived l02 votes, the greatest number ever cast
for him Mr. Howe, of the Free-Solers Messrs
Aston and billiard of Alabama voted for him
on these trials Now, add to the lO2 the votes of
Messrs. Allen, Gddings, Root. and Tuck and
you have raised the number to only lOG-where-
as - votes were required fer an election, there
being PA votes on these trials
Throughout the contest while the majority
rule was in force, at no time could the Wing por-
ton of the Free Soil men, or all of them to-
gether. have decied Mr.. Winthrop The princi-
pal effect of their action, so far as the two caucus
candidates were concerned, was to defeat Mr.
Cobb
Saturday, December Goth, the plurality rule
was adopted c. w Julian, the Free Soil mem
Der from Indiana, had arrived. Until, the aomi-
nation of Genrrai Taylor, he was Wig. lie
renowned his party then, and voted for Van Blu
rem. He became subsequently, the candidate of
the Liberty men and FrccSolers in the district
represented last Congress by Caleb Smith The
Democrats united upon him, and he was elected
over the Wing candidate. OF course, as a Rep
resentative, he holds no connection with the
Wing party But class him, if you please, with
Root, Tuck, Giddings, Allen, and Howe and insist
that his vote and theirs ought to have been given
for MIR. Winthrop, on the last trial, when it was
certain that either be or Mr.. Cobb would be
elected Mr. Tuck did so vote, and Mr. Win
throp received 100 votes, MIR. Cobb 1902 Sup
pose Allen, Giddings, Root, Howe, and Julian,
had sustained the former his vote would have
reached 100. But had they done this, Mr. Wood,
Democratic member from 0bie Messrs Wood
ward and Holmes from South Carolina would
have voted for Cobb, thus tying him and Win
throp. Cabell, il may be said, would have voted
then for Whthr6p giving him LOG. On the
other Aaud, Peck, the Democratic member from
Vermont, would probably have voted for Cobb,
again tying the two candidates. In this crisis,
no man who knows the hitter hostility cherished
against Winthrop, by Messrs Toombs, Owen,
and Stephens, of Georgia, and understands the
relations they sustain at home can for moment
doubt that they would have decided ,be contest
in favor Of their colleague, MIR Cobb
Again AMER so keen . contest, prosractel SO
long as to arouse the attsstioa Of the vAole cOun-