The Empire County argus., 1856-03-08
Coloma. Saturday Morning, March 8, 1856
A Speaker Elected Mt Last.

On Saturday, Feb Cd, after adopting the plural
ity rule, N. P. Banks, Jr., Of Mass. was, the
fourth ballot eected--receiving l03 of the pa
votes cast. MIR. Aiken, of S. c., was the Demo-
cratic candidate, and received 100 otes--leaving
ii scattering AS as the vote was announced
Mr.. Aiken asked to be allowed to conduct MIR
Banks, as Speaker to the chair This request was
received with applause from all sides, and Southern
men We'd with each other in courtesies and express
sons of good will. On motion that Mr.. Bank
be declared Speaker of the House, the vote wa,
almost unanimous in the Affirmative
Mr.. Banks was conducted to the chair by Messrs
Aiken, Fuller of Pa, and Campbell Of Ohio; and
after having been greeted with repeated rounds Of
applause, addressed the House in brief feeling
and patriotic speech urnng thanks for the
honor conferred appr rpriately aluiing to the pro-
tracted contest. and enuneiating few sound ma
tiona sentiments as landmarks Of the course he
should pursue.
How different the conduct Of Messrs. Clinsman
of \. c.. Cobb of Ga, Smith of Ala, and other
disting guished St uthern members from that Of Mr..
Beatty, in our State Legislature! The former
gentlemen. although they throughout the struggle
consistently and conscentiously opposed MIR Banks
as soon as under the plurality rule he received IL
greater number IF votes than either of the other
contestants, seemed to take pleasure in at once
putting aside their prejudces, and courteonsly re-
cognzing the Speaker elect. But the Caaveras
legislator some Mr.. Beatty. as the fhalnnx or
gan would say-away out here in California, so
completely isolated from the natal States of both
classes of sectonists-must denounce the action of
q majority of the American Congress, who adopted
the plurality rule, under which the Speaker was
ellcted.
We read with pride the remarks of our members
DR.. Taylor and j. W. Oliver on the resolutions of
MIR. Eeatty. They considered the resolutions in
their proper light--as calculated to initiate Il use
less discusio and sectional warfare into the
Legislat ure--and they were not afraid of being
called Abolitionists for opposing them. No man
ever need fear being called an Abolitionst, for re-
sisting the introduction of the slavery question
into the politics of this State.
Speaker Farleys substitute was finally almost
unanimously passed-the question, we presume,
coming to be considered as between the substitute
and the original resoutions--else, are convinced
even that would not have carried, for they both
do violence to the conservative character of our
State
Even supposing Mr.. Banks Abolitionist-a and
at worst that is but prevalent opinion, not by any
means established, and he is not the only public
man who has cited q certain contingency" in
event of which he would advise " slide " - but
suppose him an Abolitonist--and what good can
accrue to California from introduction Of con-
demnatory resolutions into the Legislature after
the House of Representatives at Washington lad
almost unanimously declared him Speaker! Il
Democratic Members introduce such issues into the
Legislature for the purpose of diSractng the
American party, in hope Of building up for them.
selves its ruin, they will day and that early
find that they committed fatal Political blunder
If they sow to the wind, they shall reap til.
wHIRLwIND and the trap they bait for others vii
fasten on themselves. Even now, their di,jointee
organization ought to admonish them Of the fallac,
Of foisting such an issue upon their opponents
when they have in their own camp the materia
for so magnificent an explosion