Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1856-01-28
Speech of Hon. J:s. Carlile, of Virginia,
Delivered iR the House Of Representatives., jana
arg IL, 1856.

Uetivered tH me House of Representatives, jana
arg IL, 1855.
ORGANIZATION OF THE HOUSE.
After the reading of the Journal, Mr.. CARLILE
rose and said:
Mr.. CLERK propose, with the unanimous con-
sent of the House, to occupy the time usually con-
sumed in call Of the House.
Cries of agreed" $50 on!"l
More than six weeks have passed by since we
first met in this Hail. and yet the House of Repre-
sentatiyes remains without an organization. Our
constituents are not Indifferent spectators, but view
with anxiety and alarm this extraordinary state OF
things. 1t has seemed to me that il would not be
Improbable to the House or the country to revert
to the history OF the last few years, for the pur.
pose of inquiring into the causes which have pro-
duced this somuch-to-be-regretted condition in
which we find ourselves placed. If we can come
to correct understanding of the causes, possibly
we may be enabled to relieve the country from the
embarrassment under which it is laboring in conse.
quence Of the obstruction to the ordinary work
ings OF the government, caused by the paralysis
which now rests upon the legislative department.
For the first time believe, in the history OF
our country, is found sectional party in this
House willing to elect speaker to preside over it's
deliberations, by sectional votes alone. There is
not gentleman voting for Mr.. BANKS, the candi-
date OF this sectional organization who will rise in
his place and say that he has the slightest hope OF
obtaining single vote for the gentleman from
Massachusetts from all that portion of the Confed-
eracy lying south of Mason and Dixons line
Surely, such an organization thus depending upon
its own section for the furtherance of its own Pc
culiar views, cannot claim to be national and its
Success will fear, produce state of feeling that
will shake this glorious Union to its very founda-
ton. Sir, here take occasion to say, that if il
were in my power to place in that chair as the
presiding officer OF this body, a man elected by
Southern votes, and Southern votes alone, should
hesitate long before would do it. 1t may be that
1T is the duty OF the section of the Conederacy from
which come to present the same united front in
behalf OF its interests as s presented by the North
in behalf of what is to them an abstraction which
fanaticism and demegoguism has enabled, for the
time, to rule tho hour.
With this view, my honorable friend from Ala
bama, Mr.. WALKER, for the purpose of effecting,
If possible, speedy organization of the House
upon sound conservative principles, proposed
some weeks ago, to the friends of the admnistra-
ton, to unite in conference with us to ascertain
If that desirable object could not be attained.
regret that candor and due regard for truth COM
pei me to say, that that proposition, made in the
spirit in which it was, was repelled by those to
whom it was made, notwithstanding they were
aware OF the fact that in such conference they
would have majority of two to one, and the pow
er TO have dictated and adopted whatever they
may have desired, The people OF this country
may well draw from this refusal the inference that
the members OF this House belonging to the ad-
minstration party recollected they had party to
obey, but fail to remember that they had a coun-
try to serve.
Mr.. Clerk, to what is this agitation so fraught
with all that is evil justly attributabeg 1t Is to be
attibuted to the conduct of the administration and
its friends, at the last Congress, in forcing re-
opening OF this question of slavery, which both
parties were pledged by their national nominating
conventions of 1852 to keep out of Congress and
| repress in the country The two great political
parties that then divided the country were pledged
by their national conventions to abide by the Com
promise measures of 1850, as final settlement o!
this agtating subject, and upon that pledge this
administration came into power. / aided it--fee-
bly, admit, but to the extent Of my abiity-in OBJ
tanning its present position; but scarcely was it
installed, and in possession of the power given ii
by coufdiDg people, before it violated that pledge
| thus solemnly given. will not pretend to say
what was the governing motive, but there are
those who arc uncharitable enough to declare that
it was the effort of waning administration to con-
| tinue itself in power
That the Comp-oms measures were TO be looked
upon final settlement ofthe disturbing questions
that had wellnigh destroyed this Union, and occa-
stoned their enactment, is evidenced not only by
the platforms of the National Conventions hereto
fore alluded to, but by the discussions in this House
while those measures were pending before it, and
by hereport made to the Senate by the distinguish
ed Chairman (Judge DoUGLAs) Of the Committee on
Territories in that body, when he reported the bill
for the organization of the Territories of Nebraska
and Kansas. With the permission of the House,
/ will read passage from the speech of the
| gentleman from Ilinos, (Mr. RIcHARDsos,) de-
lvered in this House, on the Sd Of April, 1850,
while those measures were under consideration.
He said:
81 am sensible that must be content to follow
as an humble cleaner in fields, which have been
reaped by abler hands. Impressed with this con-
victon, still hope TO aid, in some degree in salts
factory adjusting all the questions that disturb the
tranquility and threaten the destruction of the gov
ernment. 1t should be the desire of all to see the
kind and friendly relations and feelings OF former
times restored, and peace, quiet, and happiness
again blessing every member Of our Confederacy
At this time, we could not by our united action
here, destroy this government, or dissolve this
Union. The sun of our political existence viii
never sink from meredian splendor--its setting
will be followed by lingering twilight. If all who
occupy seats in this Chamber were TO agree TO dis
solve this Union, they could not now do IL. But
sir, while this is true, if this excitement shall con
tinue--if this agitation shall be kept up unit
sectional parties can be formed and united-unti
the South can be arrayed against the North and thc
North against the South--until the kindly fee linl
OF one section can be changed to hate against the
other section, we may despair of the perpetuty o.
our government and prepare our minds for its
certain overthrow. Our wise and patriotic fathers
have warned US against the danger Of parties thus
organized. If we heed their voices, or the warn
ings of history, we viii remove every inducement
every cause for such organization"
also beg the attention of the House to the fol.
lowing extract from the report of Judge DoUGLAs,
made TO the Senate at the same time he reported
the bill for organizing the Territories Of Nebraska
and Kansas
"Such being the character of the controversy