New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-02-11
WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENCE.
FROM OUR SPECIAL ooEEEsposDEyr.I

WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENCE. -sr
[FRoM OUR SPECIAL COMPREHENSIVE
WASHINGTON, February 8, 1856.
The long agony is over, and Speaker is elected!
And for the first time in the history Of the Govern
ment he has been elected upon a purely sectional
question! After continuous session of hours
yesterday, N. P. Banks, of Massachusetts, chosen
under the operation of the plurality rule
On Friday Mr.. Clingman, Of North Carolina, offer
ed the plurality rule, but it was lost by vote of l05
to 10. On yesterday it was offered by Mr.. Smith, Of
Tennessee, and adopted by vote of lib to l04eght
Democrats, viz Messrs. Barclay, Clngman Herbert,
Jewett, Kelly, Wells, Williams and Smith, Of Ten
nessee and one now-Nothing, Mr.. Clark Of New
York, voting for it. The rule provided that after
voting three times for Speaker, them on the fourth
vote the candidate having the highest number of
votes should be declared elected. The balotng then
proceeded, the Democrats and Americans gradually
concentrating on Mr.. Aiken, Of South Carolina, until
they reached the last and decisive vote. The excite
ment by this time had become intense. The gale
rics, and even the floor of the House, crowded
with spectators. As the clerk proceeded with the
call Of the roll and it was discovered that it was q
close matter, the excitement and agitation exceeded
that Of any political contest have ever witnessed.
Finally the vote was declared to be- For Banks 1o3
Aiken 100 Fuller 6, Campbell Of Ohio i, Wells /.
So n. P. Banks was declared to be elected Speaker Of
tile thrty-fourth Congress
On an analysis Of the vote it will be seen that all
the Democrats voted for Mr.. Aiken, except Messrs.
Barclay and Hickman, of Pennsylvania--the former
OF whom did not vote at ALL and the latter throwing
away his vote Mr.. Wells All of the Southern
Known othings also voted for Mr. Aiken except Mr..
Davis, Of Maryland. Five Of the Northern Know
Nohngs voted for Mr. Fuller, and four CT the Black
Republicans for Mr.. Campbell, Of Ohio.
The result is to be regretcdbut there is reason to
rejoice that the House is at last organized even under
such auspices. It had come to lie an eye-sole to the
public, and inasnuch as the Black Republicans are in
capable Of any practical legislation, | see no reason
for setting up doeful jerernade over the result
This morning all parties are trying to tlstcn the re-
sponsibility upon others for the election of Banks
The Democrats, matter of course, assert that the
Know-Nothings are at fault, because a few Of them
did not vote for Aiken. They forget that it was by
| Democratic assistance that the plurality rule was
adopted only one solitary member Of the American
party voting for it. The Black Republicans had re-
peatedly failed to carry the plurality rle through. 1t
! WAS only done when eight Democrats went to their
assistance. Humphrey Marshall, and Mr., Trippe of
Georgia. warned them that, if they passed the rule,
| Banks would he elected. They would not heed the
warning. That may do them no injustice, however,
it is but fair to say that those Democrats who voted
for the plurality assert that they thought Aiken could
| he elected under it.
| Iregret that a few of the American members did
not vote for Aiken-and more particularly that Davis
of Maryland did not. They defend themselves on
the ground that they steadily resisted the plurality
rule from first to last, and that they not justly
HAT
adoption. What excuse Messrs. Barclay and Hick-
man Democlats) can give for not voting for Mr..
Aiken, AM unable to see.
Tomorrow the election Of the other officers of the
House will come up, It is generally thought that
Mr.. Cuom Of Tennessee, an ex-member of Congress,
will be elected Clerk-and that the remainder of the
Old officers will be reelected.
Congress may now 60 to work-and it ought to 60
to work diligently not only to make up for lost time,
but because there grave and weighty matters de-
handing its attention. Prominent among these are
our relations with Great Britain, our relations with
Denmark relative to the Sound Dues our troubles in
Nicaragua, and the civil connections in Kansas. A
bold and vigorous foreign policy would soon settle the
first thIee-but we may not expect bold and vigor-
Gus foreign policy as long Marcy holds the Premier
ship Of this, Or any other Administration He is es-
scntiay man of peace and as long as he can quietly
enjoy the spoils of Office he is insensblc Of every
thing else.
a letter from Marcy to Mr. Wheeler, our Minister
to Nicaragua, has just found its way into the public
prints in which he cautions Minister to maintain
strict neutrality as between the old government and
the new government of Walker. He says it is DIFF
fcult to decide who has the responsible government
there" and consequently Mr. Wheeler must wait to
see what the result will be- Somebody ought to send
Mr.. Marcy leather medal. Every one who knows
anything at all about Nicaragua knows that Walkers
government is fixed lact-that there is not even
show Of opposition to it, Like all old ogy politicians,
he is about half a century behind the times. About
the time that Walker will have swept over the whole
Of Central America, and probably made successful
toray into the South Of Mexico, Marcy will probably
discover that he has landed upon the coast. When
we contrast the feeble foreign policy of our Admins
traton with the bold professions of the inaugural we
are at once reminded OF the Billy Patterson story.
Going up like rocket, and coming down like q
stick, is the Just verdict of the people upon the fee
bleness and ineificiency of our State Department,
when compared with its Understanding promises in the
beginning. Bombastes Furioso has been as SUCCESS
fully enacted by the present Administration as little
Ellen Bateman ever acted it upon the stage
James W. Mcdonald has been appointed Collector
Of the Customs at Natchez rice Edward Pickett re-
signed. ESSEX.
MUTUAL ATTACHMEST.-A lady friend of mine was
walking on broadway short time ago gentleman'S