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

| j. G. w.
is the statement that Slavery has been formally anC
totally abolished i'll Egypt.
THE STATE OF THINGS IN THE HOUSE.
| Congress has been in session more than
five weeks, and no Speaker has yet been cho
sen. The House is divided into three Parties
the Administration, the National Know Moth.
ing, and the Republican. We use the term,
Republican" to designate that class of mem
bers who, putting aside all other issues, unite
in accepting the issue forced upon them by the
Administration and Slavery - the Nebraska
Bill and the Pro-Slavery policy embodied in,
and implied by it. Questions concerning the
Tariff, Public Lands, Naturalization Laws, &C.,
are subordinated with them to the paramount
be for or against, the Nebraska bill, its princi-
pile and policy? The Republicans say, against,
and therefore vote for Mr.. Banks, who stands
as the exponent of that issue alone. The Ad-
ministration men and National Know Nothings
say, for, and therefore the former select Mr..
Richardson, who introduced and carried through
the bill, as its candidate, and the National
Know Nothings select Mr.. Fuller, who has
pledged himself to abide by the bill and all ex-
listing acts in relation to Slavery.
But, there is an intermediate group of mem
bers, elected as Ant-Nebraska men, who will
not vote for any of these candidates. If they
would support Mr.. Banks, he would be elected.
They refuse; and their refusal prevents an
election of Speaker on the majority principle.
What are their reasons? Mr.. Dunn says that
Massachusetts, has had enough distinction in
national affairs For the life of US, we can find
no other reason assigned by this gentleman for
not voting with the body of Anti-Slavery men.
The others have assigned no reason to the
House; but, one of them, Mr.. Moore of Ohio,
in letter to the weekly Portsmouth Tribune,
of January I'd, gives us clue to what we sup
pose is the real difficulty. After referring to
the struggle in the House, he says the majority
of the Anti ebraska men adhere to Mr.. Banks,
pertinaciously with view to Interior objects.
He then proceeds:
I" have not time now to state fully the ute
rior objects to be accomplished by the election
of Mr.. Banks. 1t is enough, however, for me
to say now, that the daily object is, as l con-
ceive, the utter swallowing up Of the American
party. Campbell was defeated, as it is now
openly avowed, because he would not give up
his Americanism.' My constituents understand
my position on that question. 1t was we'll I'M
derstood when | was elected, and on account of
that position received thousands of votes which
/ otherwise would not have received. How can
/ then, with fidelity and honor, so soon forget
those who sent me here, and repudiate the very
principle upon which so many voted for me-
have been willing all the time to meet the Anti
Nebraska men, and cooperate with them in
every instance in which that issue is involved :;
but when / am told that the gerry object to be
accomplished by particular measure, is to
ignore Americanism,' am not in, even if they
should call the measure itself Anti N ebraskasm.
| do not believe that there is any occasion to do
anything Of the kind, in order to prevent the
Northern view of the Kansas issue. And when
i say Americanism, L do not mean American
ism as defined by Southern gentlemen, but as
it is understood and known in Ohio. You will
hear great deal said about the frmness of the
Banks men. But what is the truth We know
that there at least forty men voting for Banks
who have been entrapped into it BY the willy
management of those who are here to fix up
this thing, who are kept in the traces by the
lash that is so freely applied; and the only diff
ference between them and us is, that we will
not be whipped in. There are several other
considerations preventing me from voting for
Banks, but defer them for the present. | do
not believe he can be elected Speaker, but that
we will organize is certain, and that too by the
election of an Anti-Nebraska Speaker.
40. +. MOORE"
This is plain enough. Mr.. Moore is not will
ing to organize the House on an Anti Nebras-
ka basis-but, he is determined to organize it
on an american and an Anti Nebraska
basis. This IS the secret Of the struggle. Why
keep back longer what is in the mind of every
member?
Mr.. Moore and his associates, hoping that a
regard for Native Americanism," as the para
mount question, may finally detach the forty
members who, he says, have been entrapped
into voting for Banks, from the ranks of his sup
porters, continue to scatter their votes. We do
not believe there are forty such men-we know
that no member has been entrapped into the
support of Mr.. Bsnks-gentlemen voting for
him will repel such an imputation with indig
nation-but, the country ought to know that
there are few members among his ostensible
supporters, who are constantly talking about
the imposibility of electing him, so as to en-
courage the scattering voters and the Admins
tration men to hold on to their respective posi-
tons. If every one of the one hundred and five
men voting for Mr. Banks were believed to be
determined upon his election, he would be
elected.
Now, we do not blame Mr.. Moore and his
friends, whether outside or inside the ranks of
the Republicans, for desiring to secure an
"American as well as an Anti Nebraska or.
ganization of the House. Entertaining sucb
views of Native Americanism as they do. their
conduct is not surprising. But let us reason
the matter.
That which broke down the Wing Party. al.
most disorganized the Democratic, revolution.
lied the free States, and filed the House with
an overwhelming majority against the Admin.
iStration was, chiefly, the repeal of the Missouri
Compromise, and the Slavery propagating pol.