The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-01-10

taken In what he said-that the law of Vir-
GINA gives the master this power to defend
himself, but takes it from the slave / did say
that, 9Me gentleman from Virginia sceye cor
rect the slaves of that State would have the
right of selfdefence. / made that statement
explicitly, with that qualification, if that gen.
tleman were right in what he stated; and i'm
mediately added, that he aoas ,crong. stated
that ! would give my authority for what / said.
in my printed speech; and I have done so.
Loud cries of I" Call the ROLL"
The House then proceeded to the ninety-frs
vote for Speaker, with the following result:
Mr.. Banks, of Massachusetts, - lO4
Mr.. Richardson, of Illinois IL
Mr.. Fuller, of Pennsylvania 81
Mr.. Pennington, of New Jersey
Scattering 3
Whole number of votes given 22O
Necessary to choice Ill
No candidate having received majority of
the whole number of votes given, there was no
election.
Mr.. Dunn, of Indiana, appealed to the Rep
resentatives of Massachusetts, to foreoo their
personal preferences, and no longer permit
them to stand in the way of an organization
He enumerated the high positions which had
been occupied by men of that State in the ex-
ecutive and legislative branches of the Govern
ment, and inquired if it was not time that they
should concede little? He highly commend
ed the qualities of Mr.. Letter, of Ohio, for the
Speakership, and trusted that that gentleman
would, like Cincinnatus and Washington, be
willing to sacrifice his inclinations to the call
of duty. The proudest were not humbled by
following the examples of the illustrious men
he had named, and the humblest but elevated
himself by walking in their footsteps In con-
clusion, he submitted the following resolution /:
Resot0ed, That Benjamin F. Letter, Rep
resentative from the State of Ohio, be- and he is
hereby, declared the Speaker of the House of
Representatives of this the thirty-fourth Con-
gress of the United States.
Mr.. Knowton, of Maine, said that the gentle
man from Indiana had referred to the entange-
ment in which the House now found itself
Those of them who were acting with large
ma ority of the Anti-Nebraska strength of the
House were of the opinion that the honorable
gentleman and the few who were acting with
him, and who had been elected on the same
platform as that upon which they stood, had it
in their power to help them out of the entangle
ment which prevented an organization. Those
who were supporting Mr.. Banks, gentleman
who was admitted even by his enemies to be
pre-eminently qualified for the position for
which he was a candidate, could not see the
propriety of the request of the honorable men,
Der from Indiana. They were willing to remain
here five months longer, contending for the great
principle which underlaid this struggle-the
principle of Human Freedom, against that of
Slavery. He briefly replied to Mr. Boyce.
AS to the threats against the Union, thrown
ont by Mr.. Boyce, Mr.. Knowlton remarked:
| beg to say to that honorable gentleman
and to those gentlemen who cooperate with
him, that it is just as they please about that.
wish to be distinctly understood. We are not
alarmed at these declarations. If gentlemen
are pleased to declare that there are circum-
stances at work that must necessarily produce
a disruption of this Union, say to them, as
Representative from free State, it is Just as
you please about that, gentlemenl
We of the free States have no idea of produ-
cling disruption of the Union. We want to
preserre this Union, and, God helping US, we
aciU preserve it for all coming time, to spread
the blessings of Liberty throughout all our vast
domain, and to stand a spectacle before the
whole world, of what Liberty and Freedom, can
do for a nation. That is what we intend to do
Mr.. Howard. 1 desire to present to the House
my views in regard to the ENHANCEMENT refer.
red to by the honorable gentleman from Indi
ana, Mr.. Dunn and first, / wish to call his
attention and the attention of the House to one
single fact. The gentleman alluded to the
Northwest Territory, or rather to the States
formed out of that Territory; and as / have the
honor to represent small portion of that Ter
ritory, beg to be heard. The State of Ohio,
whose honored son Mr.. Letter. the gentleman
himself proposes to place in the chair, was the
frst-born State from that great Territory. But
does Ohio come here asking that gentleman's
elevation to the Speakership of this House
Have not nineteen out of twenty-one of her
Representatives been steadily casting their votes
for the honorable gentleman from Massachu-
sets? Then, by what authority does the gen.
tleman from Indiana claim this honor for the
State of Ohio? How does the matter stand,
with reference to the gentleman's own State,
Indiana, formed out of part of that same Ter
rltory9 Are not all the Anti-Nebrask Repre-
sentatives from his State voting steadily for the
gentleman from Massachusetts, with the excep-
ton OF two? How is it with Wisconsin, anoth-
er OF those States? Is not every one of her
An, y ebraska members acting with the inAex-
ible lone hundred and fve," in favor of the
honorable gentleman from Massachusetts? How
is it as regards the State of Illinois, another of
the States formed out of that Territory? Is not
every one of her Anti-Nebraska Representatives
svsi,;ny with US, shoulder to shoulder, and, vo-
eide his destiny, and be the crisis Of bis new
career,