The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-01-31
THIRTY-F 0URTH CONGRESS.
irst Session.
FriGay. Jdna,drU 25. 1856.

FRIDAY, January 70, 1906.
The Senate did not sit to-day.
HOUSE
The Clerk called the House to order at II
o'clock.
After prayer by the Rev. DIR. Sunderland
the Journal of yesterday was read.
Mr.. Boyce, of South Carolina, moved that
there be call of the House.
Mr.. Bennett, of New York, asked the gentle
man to withdraw his motion, SO as to enable
him to offer the following resolution:
Resolced, That it is fundamental principle
of our political system, that ours is Govern
ment of the People, acting by their Represent
atives duly elected that the members of this
House, as the direct Representatives of the
People, and necessary part OF the Congress
of the United States, are not here merely to
act as political partisans, but have higher du-
ties to discharge, among which it is their duty
to organize and proceed with the legislation
necessary to carry on the Government and pro-
mote the general welfare; that the House of
Representatives should be so organized as truly
to reflect and carry out the sentiments and
wishes of a ma jority of the American People !;
and in order to do this, where there are more
than two political parties represented in this
House, each adhering to a separate organiza-
ton, the Speaker should, in accordance with
institutions rest, as we'll as in conformity to
the general practice of all legislative assem-
blies, be taken from that party having the lar
gest number of members; and where in such
a case, reasonable effort has been made, and
neither party is able to command the votes of
a maiority, so as to elect a Speaker, the adop
ton of the plurality rule is the only fair and
practicable mode left to organize the House !;
that it is right in principle, and in conformity
with the former practice of this House.
Mr.. Dunn, of Indiana, desired to offer the
following resolutions, as substitute for the
proposition of the gentleman from New York !:
Resolred, That, regarding the political COM
plexion of the present House of Representa-
tives as indicating the undoubted sentiment of
a large majority of the People of the United
States against the act of the last Congress, re-
pealing the restriction against Slavery in the
Territories of Kansas and Nebraska, imposed
by the Compromise of 1920, no man ought to
be chosen Speaker of this body who does not
fully and heartily harmonic with that senti-
ment, or who will hesitate to exert himself ear
nestly for the restoration of that restriction in
terms or in substance.
ResolUed, That said restriction ought to be
restored. as an act of justice to all the People
of the United States, as proper yindication
of the wisdom, patriotism, and plighted honor
of the great statesmen who imposed it, and as
q necessary and certain means of reviving that
concord and harmony among the States of the
American Union, which are essential to the
welfare of our People and the perpetuity of our
institutions.
Resolved That as useless and factious agitation
of the Slavery question, in or out of Congress,
is unwise, unjust to portion of the American
People, and to some extent injurious to every
section of our country, it therefore should not
be countenanced; but until the Missouri re-
striction of 1920 shall have been restored, in
fact or in substance, to the said Territories of
Kansas and Nebraska, fully and completely, to
that extent and for that purpose it is our SOL
emn duty to the past the present, and the fu-
ture steadily and firmly to persist in our efforts.
Mr.. Boyce declined to withdraw his motion !;
and, the question being taken thereon, the
House refused to order call-yeas 81, nays
l42.
Mr.. Smith, of Tennessee, moved to rescind
the resolution prohibiting debate during the
present week.
Mr.. Jones, of Tennessee, moved that the
motion be laid on the table; which motion was
decided in the affrmative-yeas l04, nays 81.
The House, resuming the business of voting
for Speaker, proceeded to the one hundred and