The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-12-04
c,ucus MOVEMENTS - CLASSIFICATION, ETC.

be filled on the organization of the House
Against Mr. Young, the Clerk of the last House
no objection had been made in any quarter
He was a faithful and dihgent officer, but hr
reelection Uouid prore nothing. Mr. torney
the editor of the PennSylranid,i, the champion
of Mr. Buchanan, the devoted supporter of the
| Slave Power and all its pretensions was an
aspirant for the place and neglected no oPpor-
tunity to promote his own prospects.
In accordance with the policy of the Union
newspaper. of the Virginia Democracy, and
other Southern men sympathizing with them,
it was thought proper to propose resolutions in
advance. committing the Democratic members
! Of Congress and their constituents to the Com
/ promise and Fugitive Law. The resolutions
were made as unobjectionable in terms as the
nature of the subject would allow, simply de-
claring, as we understand that the adjustment
measures of the last Congress were TO be re-
garded as a final settlement of all questions of
slavery. This movement was regarded as
highly important for, if successful, it would
bind the Democratic members, taking part in
the caucus to resist all attempts to disturb in
any way the Compromise and Fugitive Law,
or TO discuss any question connected with Sla-
very twas an attempt to get up new gag
...~ 4sc-'"''';r1 - cost I'D would 0itNer
exclude large portion of Democrats, or com
y ---;f,-r ;S[cir "onr1et4ieps " ..
Preston King, Mr. Cleveland, and others con-
curing in opinion with them, determined to
defeat this insdious movement Without any
special desire to play the part of agitators,
they determined. nevertheless, to maintain in
their party freedom of discussion and action.
Some ninety Democratic members of the
House Including Mr.. Rantoul of Massachu-
sets Preston King of New York, Mr. Cleve-
land of Connectcut) from both sections of the
country, met in caucus, and chose Mr. Richard
son of Illinois to preside. Mr.. Stanton.of Ten
nessee and Mr.. Hall of Missouri acted rs Sec
retaries Major Polk of Tennessee introduced
the resolutions we have mentioned Motions
to amend, so as to make them more comprc-
ences of opinion soon became manifest Mr.
Stanton moved reference of the whole sub
iect to the next National Democratic Conven-
ton AT last, on motion Of Mr.. Carter of Ohio,
after Il spirited speech from him, the resolu-
tons were laid upon the table by vote of so
against 80 The caucus refused to declare
that the Adjustment measures of the last Con-
gress were n final settlement Of all questions of
Slavery Mr. Bayly of Virginia, Mr. Jones of
Tennessee, and other Southern members, we
learn, took their hats and left the caucus after
this decision.
The following gentlemen were then nOmi-
mated as candidates: Hon. Linn Boyd of Ken
tueky for speaker MIR, ]. w Forney, editor |
of the Pennsylvania, for Clerk; Mr. Gloss
brenner of Pennsylvania for rgeant-atarms;
Mr.. T.. w. McKnew, clerk in the Globe Office.
for Doorkeeper Mr.. Johnson of Virginia for
Postmaster
It will be observed that Messrs Rantoul.
Preston King, and Cleveland went into the eau
Gus, and took part in its action. This will not
surprise those who remember that they have
never separated from their party. They have
exercised heretofore the Fl yht of maintaining
and acting out their owns convictions on the
Slavery Question, in opposition to party re-
duirements, and, if we understand them, their
purpose is still to maintain this position. We
presume that the defeat of the attempt to i'm.
pose upon them the support of the fnal'ty of
the Adjustment measures, as test removes
in their judgment, any obstacle to their action
with the Democratic party Whether the
shareholders will agree finally to act upon this
platform of national liberation, remains to be
seen.
1t is rather difficult now to classify the mem
bers of Congress. The Union newspaper, and
following it, the Republic and the New York
Evning Post, adopt the old division, Demo-
cratic and Wing In another column we pul =
lsh list of the members of both Houses in
which we preserve their classification, placing
the names of Wings in italics and Democrats
in Roman but adding to certain names the
denomination, Independent, to show that they
are, for the most part Independent of party.
We thus designate Messrs. Hale Chase, and
Sumner of the Senate; and, of the House
Messrs Tuck and Perkins New Hampshire
Allen, Mann, and Fowler, Massachusetts,; J.
w Howe, Pennsylvania Giddings TOwnshend
Campbell, and Newton, Ohio; Durkee and Do
ty Wisconsin-total, 10 Messrs Toombs and
Stephens are put down as Constitutional Union
men, and possibly Mr.. Foote may come under
the same denomination.
On all questions connected with Slavery
Messrs. King, Cleveland, and Rantoul, though
acting now regularly with the Democratic
party will maintain their known position.