The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-02-08
IT III e u Mo N
EASTERN JOURNAL
A Speaker Elected.
FRIDAY MORNING, FEB. s, 1856.


A Speaker Elected.
Our readers will perceive by the perusal
Of tho proceedings ofthe House on Saturday
last, that the persistent efforts Of the Re-
publican members of the House, have been
at length rewarded with success. On that
day, Hon. NATHANIEL p. BANKS was elected
to the Speakers chair, and thus there has
been q favorable issue TO u struggle, which
from the nature Of the principles involved,
and the influence which the result promised
to have over the future Of our country, was
felt to be the most important which has ever
arisen in the halls Of Congress. Important,
so will the pen Of history record it, and will
il not also record the unshrinking fidelity,
and persistent patriotism of the men who,
amid scenes disgnceful to legislative Halls,
needless of vile accusations and imputations
of disloyalty to the Constitution, have man.
fully stood their ground, without being
guilty Of single act which could compro-
mise either their dignity as Representatives
Of an honest constituency or sully their char
acters as men, nobly discharging their duty
to their constituents, and vindicating by
their frmness their attachment to the true
principles of the government.
The issue made up two years ago, by a
slavery propaganding administration, was
the extension of slavery and the moulding OF
the powers of the government into means to
Nationalist the institution. This issue has
been met and freedom forces are the victors.
The people in the Congressional electionsde
clared against the exercise Of the powers OF
the federal government to aid in the extern
sion of slavery, and most Of the men whom
they elected have nobly fulfilled their trusts,
few have faltered, seduced by temptations,
frightened by menaces, or become treacher-
Gus from innate corruption, but the many
have neither been allured by seduction, dis
heartencd by delay, or frightened by mcnaccs.
They have manfully maintained theirg ground,
manfully fought freedoms battle, and the
victory they veachieved is rendered doubly
glorious by the circumstances which have
occurred in the progress of the contest. The
moral heroism which they have exhibited in
the face Of the serried ranks of the slavery
progandists will be appreciated by crate
full constituency. We honor them for their
firmness, and we rejoice at victory won
without dishonor, and at triumph, not OF
the North over the South, but triumph OF
the free principles upon which we believe
the pillars of our republican edifce rests
Among those who have never faltered from
the beginning, and who needed no other
support to lean upon but their own convic-
tions of duty to their constituency and their
attachment to right, are the Republican
members from this State. Not one of them
has faltered, not one has shivered, on all
occasions have they been found watchful
sentinels on the outposts Of liberty, and
whether we speak Of Washbum, Benson,
Wood, Perry or Knowlton, we must speak
only the language of ;" Well done good and
faithful servant" Some Of them to our
knowledge, and particularly the Representa-
II
tive from this District, Hos. JoHN NJ. WooD,
have remained at their posts very much to
the detriment of business matters which
might have, under other circumstances and
after an organization had been effected, call
Ell them home for limited period. Of all
the New England members, Fuller alone,
of this State, who voted against the Nebras-
ka Bill in the last Congress, and who could
not have been reelected had he not signif-
ed his persistent hostility to its principles, has
turned his back upon free principles and al
lowed himself To he made ga vessel of dis
honor in the hands of Southern taskmas-
tiers.
And what of the Speaker elect? Confess
cdly the best qualified man in Congress, by
his knowledge Of parliamentary law, and
clearness of intellect, and his general bear
ing as Representative man for the Office,
the dignity with which he has sustained
himself, when assailed, the ability he has