The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-04-17

Y
Mr. LINDLEY / feel no squeamishness In reference to
this matter but as the gentleman from Tennessee has
ered to the circumstances Of election beg 10 correct
him. was member Of the know-nothing or Amer
lean party at the time was elected and so know
was not voted for by know-nothngs, was elected by
the wings and sound democrats. [Laughterl
Mr. HOUSTON. There were no know nothings in the
Mr. SMITH. | will ask the gentleman whether he was
not elected before the organization of the knownohing
Nj. LINDLEY. No. sir, a member was elected in the
St Louis district at the time do not know that
there any know-nothngs in my district the time.
Mr. SMITH ask the gentleman from Missouri whether
he is not a know-nothing2
Mr., LINDLEY. win answer the gentleman.
The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman from Missouri will
suspend The Chair decides that the question of the gem
tleman from Tennessee ia personal and therefore Of
Mr sTs Iasnss sass 1o, iii, list from ii. author
iy had before me- did not suppose that any member
could have the necessary information in his su
fcen to enable him to classify correctly gpy member Of
the House and am astonished at being able in the short
time had to classify them 10 prepare the list correctly
as have done, and to find few embraced in the list
have made out to deny that they elected by the
know nothing or American party. And here let me say,
for ALL that have become SO much in the habit Of
speaking OF the American the know nothing party that
use the term because IT is the most natural and not in
tending to employ il in any dscoureous say in
all sincerity, that consider it, and it,
distinguishing term for the party
take it for granted them Mr. Chairman, that have the
right to regard hundred and twenty members ia this
House elected by the know-nothna party And how,
ask you they able TO break down and override the
democratic party in the northern States? 1t by the
efficiency power and influence Of association We
all know that in private matters efficiency depends in
great degree upon secrecy 1t by the operation
Of this order that they able to pat down the demo-
cratic party in the northern States and return here this
overwhelming majority of those who call themselves repub
cans At the time when these elections held there
published platform of this party. 1t Sc
cret in its organization its acts and secret in it's
operations and its secrecy did fatal execution against
those men who have stood by the constitution and its
guarantees in reference TO the institutions of the southern
States. h '.|
Mr.. WHITNEY understand that the gentleman from
Tennessee has been kind give the of those
whom he considers the know-nothing members of this
House. ss
Mr. SMITH. Yes sir
Mr. WHITNEY. And find that tho gentleman has
classified them as black republicans or republicans
Mr. SMITH. Yes, sir, have.
Mr. WHITNEY. should like to ask the gentleman by
what rule he has made that classification
Mr. SMITH Well, sir, that is a very easy question to
answer. ~
Mr. WHITNEY should like to hear the reason for
Mr.. SMITH A portion Of those who were formerly
know-nothngs classified republicans abol-
tonsts The distinction between the two may be easily
made by the division into which the parties were thrown
at the commencement of this session of Congress.
Mr. WHITNEY In the election of Speaker
Mr SMITH. Yes, sir have classified the gentleman
from New York u know-nothing. | have not alluded
TO him a republican aboltonist
Mr. WHITNEY. New one question further. An issue
has since arisen in this House which has called forth the
American sentiment of the House. How many favored
the democratic party against the American party that
subject2
Mir. SMITH On what subjectP
Mr. WHITNEY allude to the suffrage bill for the
District Of Columbia
Mr.. SMITH | am not speaking on the District of Co
lumba suffrage bill but If the that bill is to be
garded as test Of the condition of parties here shows
two facts
lst That the know othings have o majority in this
House; and,
I'd. That majority of that party are aboltonsts.
Mr.. WHITNEY. None voted with the democratic party.
The American party stood united against it,
Mr. SMITH. cannot yield the foor for the gentleman
TO discuss that question going TO say that the
American party had succeeded through its secrecy With
out published platform, and without published prsc
pies except the general idea that they going to put
down the Catholics and put down the foreigners BY this
they have been enabled TO override the democratic
party in the northern States and to here with
overwhelming force and control the popular branch of the
American Congress
Mr. MURRAY. The know -nothnes in my district voted
against and for my opponent hard-shel democrat
Mr. SMITH The geneman's name Is not upon my list.
read il by mistake hope that may be permitted 10
The efficiency of the lnow-nothing party Mr.. Chairman
because Of the secrecy in which all its movements
were shrouded They came here with an overwhelming
majority but since their coming division has taken place
in their ranks .r..
come now to another point. have been charged by
The organs Of the American party in my State with the
election Of the gentleman from Massachusetts, Mr. BAsKs
the position OF Speaker Of this body because Submitted
the plurality resolution which adoped by the House
Now who, ask those who elected that geneman?
have before the of sevenyve members elected
az knOonohing' who voted for the gentleman from Mas
that Of those elected TO this House by the kuownoh
ings Americans seventyhve voted for the gentleman
from Massachusetts, Mr.. BAsKs for Speaker and that
gentlemen may examine the classification have made
and any that may be In IT, give the
as follows: ..."
kuow-nothings or Americans voting for Banks the
final ballot
Nessrs Albright, Allison, Ball, Barbour Bennett Of New
York, Bingham, Bishop Bradshaw, Burlington Burlingame
Campbell Of Pennsyvsnia, Campbell OF Ohio, Chaec, Clark
Of Connecticut Clawson, Colfax Conin Covode Crsgn,
Cumback, Damrel, Davis OF Massachusetts, Dean Dewitt
Dick Dodd, Durfee Edie, Flsgler Galloway, Grow, Hail.
Harlan, Holloway, Howard King, Knapp, knight, knowl-
ton Knox, KuDkel Letter Mace, Maoson, MoCarty, Mil
Ter OF New York. Morrill,, Norton, Pearce, Petou, PEN
Robson, Sage, Sapg Sherman, stanton, Susnaban Tap
pan, Tborington, Tburston, Todd, Traon Tyson Wal
bridge, Waldron, Watson, welch, Wood, and Woodruff
To the first list be added the Of Mr. Speaker
BANKS who II Is wen known, the champion Of hs
der in this House during the Thrtythird Congress The
Speaker Of this House. at bis election received the OF
seventy-ve members who elected by the know-noh
iss republicans and did receive the vote single
member OF the democratic party. And yet attempt g
made to hold the democratic party responsible for that
election because humble member OF that party oer-
ed the resolution to elect by plurality ofyotes The cleo
tons OF the members from the northern States who
occupy the time filed by members Of the old
whg party triumphs of the knowAnothng or Ameri
party In Tennessee Georgia, Alabama North Caro-
lima Mississippi and other southern States the victory of
know-nothingism was hailed the defeat of the demo-
cratic party and reocd such by the press Of that
party in the States before named. And what have
they rot In the way of Americans ruling America ~
raised nv voice against II Mt first 1t was weak Il Il
true and had little influenza / wish II had more
It is found that by Americans ruling Ameri-