Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-04-22

the man who entertans the PRINCIPLES OF that
party;" but he said, II want to organizes
zion, and hope il will soon be effected"
Subsequently there were various propositions
made to institute the plurality rule They failed by
dint of the united votes of National Americans and
Democrats, with few Republicans who were OPP
posed TO Mr. Banks This brought about a discus
sion among members as 70 what would De the ei-
feet OF that rule The question also discussed
In the newspapers. And what the public Opn-
ION in the House and out of the House? What was
the opinion of Southern men, Northern men, DEM
ocrats Americans and Republicans? Why, that if
the plurality rule adopted hF. Banks tcould Be
elected SPEAKER Under these circumstances, my
colleague, on the End of February rensNsi the
proposition 10 adopt the plurality rule. He seemed
to have solved, in his own min 1. the question
:" Who can do it, and hoo can IL be done?" His
| proposition was carried By Republican votes, and
those of few Democrats, to-wit: Messrs Barclay,
Cngmau, Herbert, Hickman, Jewett Kelley. S. A.
Smith, and Williams-the National Americans and
the great BODY of the Democrats voting against it,
/ My colleague makes the argument that the half
dozen national Americans who, under bis plurality
rule, voted for Mr.. Fuller are alone responsible
for Mr. BANKs's election, because they had the day
before voted voluntarily for Mr. Aiken. 1t was
well known that, while they were very willing, if
left TO act for themselves to vote for Democrat,
they were not Milling to do 50 under eomp,iisi1n
i
more than one Democrat and willing to con.
tnue to do so but they resisted the plurality rule
! After my colleague moved the plurality rule, aud
| before the vote taken upon it, Mr.. Garlic,
national American, offered the following resolution
as a substitute for my colleagues proposition:
Resolved That the Hon William Aiken
Representative from the State of South Carolina
be, and he is hereby declared the Speaker Of the
| ThrtysFOurth Congress"
My colleague objected; and the previous question
! demanded also by my collesgue) having been
seconded, the resolution could not be acted upon.
He seemed resolved to force US under rule which
he knew was very obnoxious Having succeeded
in this, the candidate of the Democratic party
Mr.. Orr immediately sitLdrsW IN favor of Mr. Al
ken; apparently with I view, if not expressly to
give to, the proposed test an air of Democratic
pre-0TrdngsDlent (which was, Of course dstastetnl
to Americans, who in spirit oflberality, had al
ready yielded everyt thing but principle at least with
a view of forcing direct test between Aiken and
Banks, under the plurality rule And this, too,
when Democrats had refused to vote for an Amer-
can under any circumstances
Mr.. SMITH of Tennessee. Ifmy colleague will
allow the to interrupt him for a moment, desire
to ask him this question: Did not q sufficient
number of Americans for the gentleman from
South Carolira, Mr.. Aiken, the day before, TO
have elected on the first vote under the plurality
rue and whether, il the same members OF the
American party who voted for Governor Aiken on
the day before had voted for him on the day the
election took place, it would not have elected himy
Mr. ZoLLICoFFRR, 1t is true that the American
party had voted for Governor Aiken voluntarily;
but they had not voted for him under the circum'
Stances which existed when the election took place
They had mt vo.ed for him when the candidate OF
the Democratic party had Withdrawn. They had
voted tor him when the Democratic party had
united with the Republicans in forcing on US the
plurality rule And sir, this union took place after
the gentleman from Georgia Mr. Trippe ] a mems
Der of the American party, had stated that that
party would not vote on cOmpulslOn
Mr.. SMITH. Ny colleague did not answer as to
whether il the same members Of the American
party who voted for Mr. Aiken the day before had
him on the day Of election, he would not now have
been the speaker Of this House.
Mr. ZoLLICoTFER As che VIII lie body Of Amer
cans did vote for Governor Aiken the day before,
and did rot elect him. how does il appear that they
comd have elected him? And how is it that they
did not elect him. What were the Democrats do
ing then?
Mr. SMITH II my colleague will allow me to ask
him one other question, will not take up his time
further Did not the gentlemen from New York
Messrs. Whitney, Walk and Bayard Clark and
the gentlemen from Pennsylvania, hessrs Broom
aud Fuller vote for Governor Aiken; and If Ihey
had voted for him Oh Saturday would he not have
been elected? whether they did not vote against
him that dayl
Mr. ZoLLICoYTER. The record show how gentle
men Voted cannot tell whether the whole Amer
lean vote would have elected Mr.. Aiken, unless
knew now Democratic votes would have been cast
in that event. But my colleague should not take
up my time to catechize in this irregular man
Mr. Smith. Very well. have stated that fact
in my speech, and will not take up the time Of my
colleague by further referring TO it,
Mr.. Whitney. | will take pleasure in explain
ing the remark of the gentleman from Tennessee,
Mr. Smith, so far as am personally concerned,
if the committee will give me opportunity when
the gentleman has concluded his remarks
Mr. Walk If the gentleman from Tennessee
will allow mc for single moment, desire TO
state what will be within the recollection of many
gentlemen here, that was not in the House when
the final vote on the election of speaker was taken,
and therefore the statement of the gentleman from
Tennessee, Mr. Smith, that voted against Gov.
ernor Aiken cannot be correct
Mr. SMITH | should like to know where the
gentleman wa-' He was in the House Immediately
before he vote taken.
Mr. Walk. was not.
Mr.. ZOLLIcOTEER Ny colleague has a theory
with regard TO the Democratic party, which wish
to examine. In his speech the other day, and IN
the one to which he then alluded, made at the last
is one Of strict construction of the constitution
that its elementary principles have ever been the
sAme-that it is a true aud sound national party,
aud should be relied upon TO protect the interests
and rights of the South In this connexon | re-
member that, having assumed that had attempted
to throw dscrsdit upon the Democratic candidate
for Speaker Mr.. RICHARDSON, be asks II IL 10 not
time that these assaults upon tue sound Democrats
OF the North should cease. | think il demonstrate
Al Hlaa II
or less fallacOus
But frsta word as to Mr. Richardson Ny So
called assault consisted merely 10 propouudug
questions which dreto from him his real opinions.
tie disclosed that he still the advocate OF the
constitutionality Of the Wilmot Proviso, aud that
under certain circumstances he had In 1850, pledg
ed himself 10 vote for it, but thai he repudiat
ed the pledge, to vote for abe WilmoI Proviso,
which was really much gra,ifed a. for have
long regarded the gentleman from Illinois one 81
the soundest of Northern Democrats So regard
other prominent Democrats Of that State, at the
head OF whom stand Senators Douglas and Shields.
But, while | couC EIDE .his, is il not my right nay,
my duty, to point out the yet very great unsound.
moss OF their actual recorded Opinionsi II such
exposures emDarrass thsm, or gentlemen who en-
dor-e and support them, I is not my fault, but the
iault OF the political records they have made for
themselves For example, have sketch OF e
speech before which General Shields made 10
defence Of the Nebraska Oill at Springfield Illinois,
IN the fall Of 1884, which appeared in the Wash.
ington Union of October IS o. that year Now,
orring that the Nebraska bill is the pre- enI
Democratic platform, this extract is important
Here it is; upon what ground he defends that
measured lie said
kansas aud Nebraska were free Rov and she
people there would ks,p them free The establish
mens Of slavery in those Territories not only
improbable, buI sD,posIibs, aud il always wiser
aud better to let people work out great coed for
themselves, than have il forced upon them BY
others; and this was she way in which freemsn al
~, .h-- 1. and ...aA .h.l. L..