The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-12-27

Freights were steady for European ports; grain in
bulk to Liverpool was taken ut 3d. -four at 3s, and
cotton at ID 9-32d.
Congress and the Spcalership-TheD nty OF
Conservatives 10 the Country.
1t is now about three and a half weeks since
the members Of the House of Representatives
met at Washington and commenced voting for
q presiding officer. Up to this time they are
without Speaker and without any decided in
dications that in the present temper of the
three parties into which they are divided they
viii be able to agree upon their man.
1t is a most anomalous state of things that
the representatives of free people should
| thus be unable to effect an organization; but
| when we consider the circumstances attending
our politics for the last two years, the origin
| OF the Kansas legislation, the repeal Of the
| Missouri compromise-an old, obsolete statue
the fierce agitations Of the aboltionists, the
| triumph at the elections of the disuuionsts,
and the return once more to the councils of
patriotism, it is not perhaps to be regretted
There is nothing effective i'll popular go
vernment as thoroughly settling issues adjust
ing the lines Of national policy.
people OF the couatry that in fact there is a,
great right and great wrong in the admins
tration 81 our affairs. The black republicans
occupy position @. hostility to the federal
Union. They move from their encampments
10 assaii The cODstitution-the chart ofour po
iiteal navigation. they thus opened the war
! upon the Kansas question. They undertook to
| be the guides OF the nation and TO ignore our
compact Of union, substituting in It's place
| their reform project on the subject of slavery.
| Thus armed, and with these purposes, they
| entered the present Congress. They first COZ
| centrated their forces on Mr.. Campbell, AMI
| succe edod, after great exertions in giving MIN
| about ninety votes. This included something
| more than the mere black republican strength
in the House; it combnatioo-a fusion
| OF Simon Pure and Know Nothing abolitionisss
| the spawn of the elections of 1851 IL soon
became manifest that Mr.. Campbell could not
draw to himself sufficient strength to secure an
election; or, more likely, Mr.. Seward and his
| friends used him at first in order to prove to
the Chase black republicans Of Ohio that they
| could not unite the entire strength OF the abo-
| lition sentiment Dir. Campbell was raised up
| thus that he might fall back upon and splinter
| the Chase platform in the West. The resort
was to Mr.. Banks who had been selected by
| Seward, Greeley and Wilson to make a final
demonstration Of their strength Ueon, aud him
they determined to rally around aud sustain
to the last.
1t must be confessed the choice was judi
cous one. 1t was certainly calculated to bring
r. IA. n.
Mr.. Banks is man of popular manners, aud Of
conceded parliamentary experience and ability.
Such man must have made his impression
upon individuals, and have enlisted ia his be-
half considerable personal sympathy and aid.
But with all this 10 connection with the mate
rial fact that he had been chosen as the stand
ard bearer of the great central black republican
pbalanx, commaQded by William Ii. Seward in
person; that he Was aided by the most adroit of
our political managers-Weed and Greeley
his highest vote has not exceeded 107. There
are in full house,
National men .27
Banks g Observation-Disclosures. 1907
Total .2I
II is not possible to secure full attendance.
The largest vote SO far was 226:--
i9r bsnhs
All others. lly
Here is majority of twelve against the high
est abolition black republican combination. Ia
fixing these utmost limits there have been about
seventy trials enough certainly to indicate the
temper and character of the members upon the
questions involved in the presentation OF
distinctive Seward man for Speaker. That
presentation OF course indicated purpose to
force upon Congress an abolition presiding
officer. But suppose there is something else
required to define the national opinions of the
members in order to test still farther the virtue
of the real majority. Let us rccur theu to the
vote on plurality election of Speaker, tina.
which is most favorable to the factonsts:--
In opposition TO BANKS agAin.. plurality ia
for or for piunity .1o7
In this trial there is presumed to have been
secured either the vote or the absence OF every
man who could be controlled for the abolition
candidate and yet he falls seven under an
election. Here 1t becomes conclusive that the
majority of the present House OF Representa-
tives is jrrevocahly national. The repeated
ballotipgs have only served to fix the RESPONSE
bility of members-to attach them more and
more to the constitution as the chart and gulde
OF their political labors. They have defined
the issue between the Union and its assailants,
and proclaimed the infamy Of black repubh.
canism.
Never before since the organization Of the
government has there been imposed upon the
representatives of the people q more weighty
responsibility than il now devolvcd upon Con.
eress The honor of the republic has been
literally entrusted to their keeping; the ioteg-
Iiiy OF The constitution is placed within their
guardianship. II is not party trnst, and IN re
are few party obligations inv olysd in 1t; is