The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-12-27

luton, which it seemed to him furnished the
only possible practicable means of securing
an organization. In Offering it, he put himself
upon the precedent of l849, when a similar
CONDITION OF things existed, and when the House
was organized by the election of Speaker by
q plurality vote. The Constitution provided
that the House should choose Speaker, and
1t authorized the House to pass rules and regu
lanons Tor the government of its proceedings
Inns House, IN its present condition, was a
house within the meaning of the constitutional
provision. Believing that no good could result
from debating the resolution, he would ask the
previous question upon it passage.
| The resolution was then read, as follows:
| Resotred, That the House will now proceed
to vote 0toG coce for Speaker of the thirty
fourth Congress, and the member having the
highest number of votes, provided it be a ma
Jorlty OF quorum, shall be declared to be
elected Speaker.
Mr. Phelps, of Missouri, moved that the reso-
luton be land on the table, and on this motion
| demanded the yeas and nays, which were order
ed and, being taken, resulted as follows:
| YEAs-Messrs. Aiken, Allen, Barksdale, Bell,
d. ). Bennett Bocock, Boyce, Brooks, Broom,
burnett, Cadwalader, John P. Campbell, Garlic,
Caruthers, Caskie, Bayard Clark, Clingman, H.
Cobb, W. r. W. Cobb, Cox, Craige, Crawford,
bofiuoOHy H. w. DaV1S, Denver, DOW
dell, Dunn, Edmundson, Elliott, English, Ether
| idge, Eustis, Evans, Faulkner, Florence Foster,
ID. M. Fuller, I. j. d. Fuller, Goode, Green
| wood, Augustus Hail. j. NJ. Harris, S. w. Har-
| ris, L. - Harris, Harrison, Haven, Herbert,
Hoffman 'ouston, Jewett, G. w. Jones, ]. G..
Jones, t, Kelly, Kennett, Kidwell, Lake,
idley, Lumpkin, A. K. Marshall, h.
S. Marshall Maxwell, McMullen,
:. Miller, Millson, Millward, Moore,
Orr, Paine, Peck, Phelps, Porter,
T, Purrear, Quitman, Reade,
Rea~J, ieh.rdfon, Rivers, Rufhn,
Rust, Sand ge, Scott, Seward, Shorter,
s. A. Smith, W. Smith, w. R. Smith, Sneed,
Stephens, Stewart, Swope, Talbot, Trippe,
Underwood, Vail, Walk, Walker. Warner. Wat,
kins, Wells, Wheeler, Whitney, Winslow, j. V.
Wright, and Zollicoffer-ll4
NAYs-Messrs. Albright, Allison, Ball, Banks,
Barbour, Barclay, H. Bennett Benson, Billing
hurst, Bingham, Bishop, Bliss, Bradshaw, Bren-
ton, Burlington, Burlingame, j. II. Campbell, L.
ID. Campbell, Chaffee, E. Clark; Clawson, Col.
fax, Comins, Covode, Cragin, Cumback, Damrell,
I. Davis, Day, Dean, De Witt, Tick, Dickson,
Dodd, Durfee, Eide, Edwards, Emrie, Flagler,
Galloway, Giddings, Gilbert, Granger, Grow,
X. b. Hail. Harlan, Holloway, r. Il. Horton
B. Horton, Howard, Hughston, Kelsey, King,
Knapp, knight, Knowlton, Knox, Letter, Mace
Matteson, McCarty, Meacbam, X. Miller, Nor
gan, Morrill,, Mott, Murray, Nichols, Norton,
A. Oliver, Parker, Pearce Pelton, Pennington,
Perry, Petit, Pike, Purviance, Richie, Robbins
Roberts, Sabin, Sage, Sapp, Sherman, Simmons,
Spinner, Stanton, Stranahan, Tappan, Thoring-
ton, Thurston, Todd, Trafton, Wade, Wakeman,
Walbridge, Waldron c. G. Washhnrpo n.R
Washburne. l. Washhnv ucA~os WEIGH, Will
liar " God, Woodruff, and Woodworth-lO7.
ABSENT Messrs. Bayly, lBowie, Branch,
Childs, Hickman, Kunkel, j. G. Miller, Packer,
Robson, Taylor, Tyson, and Daniel B.
Wright-l2.
So the resolution was laid on the table.
Mr.. Barclay, of Pennsylvania, when his name
was called, stated that he did not fully approve
" the principle of the resolution but mas
mach a. they ffsd sOeen bcllsting FIR the last
ton, and as it appeared to him that they must |
inevitably come to plurality vote, and as he |
believed that the responsibility of an organizs. |
ton rested upon those gentlemen who threw |
their votes away, he desired to let that respon-
sibilty rest upon them, and would therefore |
vote against laying the resolution on the table. |
Mr.. Campbell, of Ohio, voted aye at first, |
but subsequently changed his vote to the mega
tive, saying that he was opposed to the passage |
of the resolution but, AZ order 10 enable his |
friends to bring it to a direct vote, he would |
vote against laying it on the table. He would, |
however, vote against the resolution if it should
come to a direct vote. /
oapp, OF Unlo, then submitted the follow
ing resolution
Besotced, That from and after this day the |
House shall meet at 10 o'clock A. NJ, until the
election OF Speaker is effected.
And the question being taken, the resolution |
was relected-yeas l09 nays Ill.
Mr. Dar-v of Mo:.o =,
ing resolution:
Resolced, That this House will now proceed
to the election of Speaker cira roce, and shall
continue to vote until an election is effected |
and that, from and after this day, no debate |
upon this or any other proposition incidentally |
growing out of the same shall be in order.
Mr.. Orr, of South Carolina, suggested that,
if the resolution should be passed in its present
shape, the House would have to continue in |
session, without an adj ournment, until an cleo
ton should be effected.
Mr.. Sherman, of Ohio hoped the gentleman
from Maine would modify his resolution so that
it should read, " that from and after this day
no debate shall be in order until a Speaker is
elected
Mr.. Perry acquiesced in the modification,
and changed the phraseology of his resolution
as suggested.
Mr. Keitt, of South Carolina, moved to amend
the resolution, as thus modified, by adding
thereto, And that after to-day all ballotings
for Speaker be postponed until the I'd day of
January next"
Mr.. McMullen, Of Virginia. moved that the
whole subject be laid on the table which mo-
ton was disagreed to-yeas l0l, nays ll5.
The question then required on the amend
ment, and, being taken, it was decided in the
negative.
The question now being on the original reso,
luton
Mr.. Orr moved that it be laid on the table
Mr.. Keitt inquired if the resolution was not
intended as a gag law? Cries of order"
" order"l
Mr. McMulen moved that the House adjourn
which motion was negatived.
Mr.. Garlic, of Virginia, moved that when
the House adjourn to-day, it adjourn to meet on
Wednesday next; which motion was disagreed
to-yeas 80, nays Us.
The question still recurring on the adoption
of the resolution
Mr.. Seward, of Georgia, moved that the
House adjourn; which motion was not agreed to.
Mr.. McMullen hoped the resolution would be
Withdrawn for the present. Cries of no.
" no."l Gentlemen on his side of the House
would then agree to have a vote for Speaker.
Mr.. Sherman. All the speaking has been
done by gentlemen on that side Of the House
and by our American friends. We have had no
speeches on our side, because we have deemed
it too early yet to enter into discussion. l
must therefore most respectfully decline to
withdraw my proposition. 1 think we had
better pursue the constitutional business of
electing Speaker, and not waste our time by
further discussion.
Mr. Houston, of Alabama. 1 understand