The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-01-03


self, at least to other gentlemen upon the floor
of the House? He would ask the gentleman if
he was not aware of the fact thar assurances
had been given to some members of the Penn
sylvania delegation that if they would give their
suffrages to a certain gentleman in the House,
Mr.. Banks, whose opinions in reference to
free trade were fully known, they might rest
assured Notwithstanding those opinions, that
the iron, coal, and manufacturing interests of
their State would be perfectly secure in his
hands?
Mr.. Millward. l have, sir, and am not the
only member who has heard such assurances.
Cries of Who are they?"
Mr.. Milward. l insist upon my colleague
answering my question, whether or not he had
any conversation with Mr.. Banks relative to
this matter
Mr.. Pearce. have distinctly stated to this
House, and now repeat, that have never been
authorized by Mr.. Banks or anybody
Mr.. Millward. (interrupting.) That is not
the question. Had you, or had you not, any
conversation with Mr.. Banks on the subject of
which you spoke to me?
Mr.. Pearce. ! asked Mr.. Banks if anything
could be done for you particularly, and he said
he made no pledges. Cries Of "good," and
laughter
Mr.. Millward. You told me that Mr.. Banks
said should have the place you promised me,
If l would vote for him. Cries of % ORDER" and
much confusion.
Mr. Banks, of Massachusetts. understand
this matter better than anybody else. No man
has had an assurance from me- of any kind
whatever, in regard to the formation of the
committees. If l am elected to the office for
which gentlemen have voted for me this day
| and for days past, will stand perfectly free to
do that which is right and proper for myself,
| for the House, and the country and of that
alone am the Judge, and for what do / will be
responsible to the House and the country. APP
| plause, and cries of " Call the rolll"l
Mr.. Galloway, of Ohio. The gentleman from
Pennsylvania has no right to make vague and
general charges against members of this House.
If such pledges as he has spoken of have been
sought, l demand that those implicated shall
be pointed out. 1t is the duty of.the gentleman
| to do So
| Mr.. Edie, Of Pennsylvania. | desire to ask
the gentleman from Pennsylvania, if, in what
he has said about assurances having been made
to members Of the delegation from that State,
| he had any reference to me?
| Mr.. Millward. Not at all.
Several members. To whom, then, had you
reference?
Mr.. Millward. l do not name any gentle
man, but refer to conversation with Mr.. Co.
vode, Of Pennsylvania, and Mr. Campbell, OF
! Kentucky.
Mr.. Todd, of Pennsylvania. Then the gen
tleman has implicated the honor of the Penn
sylvania delegation upon common rumor.
trust my colleague will be more guarded here
after, and not suffer himself to be used for the
purpose of casting imputations upon his col
leagues. We stand here independent Rep
resentatives of Pennsylvania, guided by our
convictions of right and truth, and ask nc
| pledges, nor will we give any. We desire to
do our duty, and in doing that duty shall dis
charge it as intelligently as we can, trusting to
the honor of those with whom we act.
| Mr.. Millward. l wish to say to my colleague
and to every gentleman on this floor, that am
not to be frightened by being told to be more
| guarded in future. throw no imputation upon
any of my colleagues, except he who has been
guilty Of this offence, and that is John j. Pearce
| throw no imputation upon any other mem
Der.
Mr.. Campbell, of Pennsylvania, desired to
say in behalf of the gentleman from Massachu
sets, whom he had been supporting through a
number of votes, that he had frequently met
| him socially since the commencement of the
session, and had had many conversations with
him; and, while he admired him for his high
and chivalric sense of right and honor, he de-
sired to say that he had never heard him al
any time or under any circumstances, make
one remark which could be construed into 6
pledge. He had said to his colleagues and other
members, that the interests Of Pennsylvania
were safe in the hands of any honorable mem
Der of the House, cries of that's right" and
that no man having high sense of right could
| so organize the committees as to strike down
the interests of his State. He was willing to
place the interests of the Keystone State in the
| hands of the gentleman from Massachusetts
| because he was gentleman of high sense oil
right. His colleague Mr.. Covode was not here
to speak for himself, and he regretted that this
subject had been referred to in his absence
He knew him to be good and true man, and
he hoped his colleague Mr.. Millward would
not refer to him until he should be here TO de
fend himself.
Mr.. Millward had understood that Mr.. Co
| vode was present, and in so doing had labored
under misrepresentation Of his colleagues re
marks.
Mr.. Payne, of North Carolina thought that
| the House should be very much obliged to the
honorable gentleman from Pennsylvania Mr.
| Millward for having exposed the effort which
| had been made to secure his vote for the gen
tleman from Massachusetts. lie himself had
heard the gentleman from Pennsylvania Mr.
Pearce say that he had the assurance from
Mr.. Banks, that in the event of his election the
interests of Pennsylvan should be properly
taken care of and this he could prove.
I Mr.. Pearce desired to explain. When, by q
complication of circumstances, he found it ne
cessary to change his vote from Mr.. Fuller
whom he esteemed as highly as any gentleman
here, TO Mr.. Banks, he had a consultation with his
colleagues, and urged that the gentleman from
| Massachusetts was said to be freetrade man.
His (Mr. PSI colleagues then assured him that
| Mr.. Banks was a man of such sterling charac.
| ter and of such high sense of honor that he
would not organize the committees of the
| House in such manner as to PROSTATE the In
terests of Pennsylvania. He had received his
impressions from his colleagues, and had re
| ceived such assurances as to make him believe
that in voting for Mr.. Banks he would not run
| the hazard of having the interests of Pennsyl
vania Frustrated.
The SEVENTEEN ballot was then had, and re-
| suited as follows:
Mr.. Banks, of Massachusetts lO3
Mr.. Richardson, of Illinois 81
Mr.. Fuller, of Pennsylvania 81
Scattering 8
| 2l0
A majority having been given for no one
candidate, there was therefore no election.
Mr.. A. X. Marshall, of Kentucky, followed.
Mr.. Colfax, of Indiana, thought that the
time of the House could be more proftably
spent than in the questioning and cross-question-
ing which had been carried on this morning
and though the gentleman from Kentucky had
INDUCED in some dark and vague insinuations
in regard to the candidate for whom he (Mr.
C.) had been casting his vote, yet on this, as
on other occasions, the gentleman from Massa-
chusetts Mr.. Banks had shown that, like true
gold the more he was rubbed, the brighter he
| that o1o