The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-01-25
THE UNION
JOURNAL
FRIDAY MORNING, JAN. 25, 1856.
The Organization of the House.

obstacles which prevent an organization,
and in the course of its article, puts forth
the following
"The fact is, quarrel between the X.
Ms is the real obstacle to the organization
Of the House. Banks and his black repub-
licans have command Of one portion of the
k. n. forces, and Fuller and his friends Of
the other; neither will yield to the other |;
and 80 the whole business of legislation is
delayed, and the government and people dis
graced that these k. n. factions may settle
it between themselves which shall predomi-
nate"
The merit Of originating this view does
not belong to the Democrat. Such ideas
are put forth by the suborncd administra-
ton presses all over the country, and this
too in the very teeth Of the fact that the
Democracy of the House coalesce with the
Z" secret vote bound members'of the order, I"
who claim to be the only true Americans,
to defeat every motion which will expedite
the organization Of the House. We stated
in our article, last week, that the struggle
was one Of principle-the question at issue
is the principles and policy Of the act passed
iby the last Congress repeating the Missouri
COMPROMISE. That and that alone is the
issue prescnted-and it presents the great
question of whether this government cstab-
lishcd by our fathers, in the hope and ex-
pectation Of advancing republican liberty
should be converted into an engine Of ty-
nnny and oppression, and devoted to the
extension Of slavery. X. n. ism hasas lit
tie to do with the struggle as Mormonism.
On the presumption that the members Of
the Democratic party in the House are as
honest in their views as the Republican
members, we thought the plurality rule
would be perfectly just. Forts adoption
there is democratic precedent. Ii is only a
few years since, that the democratic party be-
ing in similar circumstances, with the Repub-
lican party now, proposedand carried SIM
liar rule, and consequent upon its adoption,
u democratic Speaker was elected. Then ii
talked Of concession, now we hear no note
of concession. Ii coalesces with faction
which it pretends to despise, and its sup
porters endeayor to shuttle off the response
bility of the delay on to other parties. II
doggedly persists in its endeayors to force
into the Speakers chair man whose scnti-
ments on the vital question have been rcpu-
dated by vast majority of the people Of
the free States.
We are by no means certain that the
adoption Of the plurality rule would ensure
the election of Mr.. Banks-on the contrary
we think, that should it be, there is danger
that the elements of opposition to freedom
in the House would unite, and elect either
Richardson or some other Objectionable man
to the Chair. But let it be so. If the peo-
pie are to be betrayed by representatives
from the free States who were elected in OPP
position to the principle of the Nebraska
Bill, and who were expected to stand stead
fast against it when Congress came together,
the sooner the people know their betrayers
the better.
But not to trouble our readers with fur
Their remarks of our own on this subject, we
ask their attention to the following, which
we cut from an article in the Boston Atlas
of Wednesday
But the still recurring question is, what
course shall the House pursue? The Repub-
lican party, representing undoubtedly a
large majority of the people of the United
States, representing unmistakably the senti-
ments of the masses, embOdying without q
question the public opinion ON the policy Of
the Nebraska-KanSas bill, has taken but
small part in the bnwling debates which
have wasted the time of the House, and 80
long impeded an election. There may have
been treason in its ranks, but that treason
is not vet patent. Its record has thus far
been a fair one. IL has demeaned itself with
dignity, answering insulting and coarse as
sault by votes steadily registered for the
man of its choice. NOmcmber of the Mass
achusetts delegation has consumed the time
Of the House by dragging before it extrane-
Gus and inconseauential issues. The Repub-
licans have devoted themselves to the public
business. and left il to Others to wmngle
and 10 SANDER. This course in the past in
dicates its course in the future. Ii isstand-
ing for u principle which it would be ruin
10 surrender. Not ruin merely to party,
now starting in all the vigor and energy of
youth, vet still subject TO all the emlnrnss-
ments which naturally cling around the
commencement of career, but the ruin of
cause, the success of which is vital to the
preservation of the government. To aban.
don Mr.. Banks now would be TO abandon
the very business for which the present Con-
gress was elected, and would be an act of
treason to the popular will, which the pop
ular heart would find it very hard to for
give. But If there be those who cannot
agree with us in regarding fidelity to man
as fidelity to principle, we put the argu-
ment upon another ground. We say that
an adoption of the plurality rule is the only
possible solution of this problem. We cast
behind us, with loathing and scorn, the
Presidents law of necessity" We take
the other horn of the Unions dilemma, and
admit that Speaker must he elected "by
hook or by crook" The great body of the
Republicans in Congress has been ready, and
is ready now, for the adoption of the rule
Let Mr.. Banks take his chances under it
let the Republican party take its chances,
and among Others, the chance of defeat,
painful, IL not ignominious. appeal to
the Democrats upon their own ground, and
admitting their own standard OF patriotism
to be a just one. They think the election of
Mr.. Banks would prove disastrous to the
country. We offer them the chance Of de-
feating him. Let them effect that object,
professedly 80 dear to their hearts, by any
bargain, however <infamous, by any coali-
ton, however monstrous, by any surrender
of prejudices, however .deep-rooted. Let
them save the country in tfeir way, and we
will not complain. We will go back cheer
fully to the outraged and misrepresented
people, swindled into legislation of which
they were long ago weary, and cheated out
of the fuliilment of hopes which have ami
..,..oJ ,oanv an ,olitieal hattla Lot tbe