The daily union., 1856-01-31


responsible for producing organization by changing the
law regulating the election. After the change has been
effected u will then be for The electors who shall be
chosen Speaker under IL am in favor Of changing the
law; ] am willing TO bear the responsibility OF that
When the law 10 changed then il is for the electors
70 make the election, The responsibility OF that rests
with them Some years ago. for example, the State Of
Massachusetts failed to members Of Congress under
the majority system But recently that State had adopted
ile rule IN the election Of Their members just ~
we have in most Of the States, In fact Now this Con-
gress has right TO alter that law Suppose then, that
gentleman shond get up and say II propose 10 alter the
plurality law by which members have been sent here from
Massachusetts, because find that IL il owing the pu-
ray system that the gentleman from Massachusetts, Mr.
BAsKs and Others whom do not ke have been returned
rs members OF the House Of Representatives Well you
might just well say that responsible for the eec
ton Of those genteenf refused to change the plurality
system under which they hare been chosen
plurality rule in the election of members Of Congress And
sir although prefer the majority force Ia
the election of officers in ths hail. in the first instance
yet after have given il fair trial. would rather take
The plurality rule than to continue further IN this state Of
disorganization. 4 Ell bgB saa a
believe that the importance Of the sice of Speaker in
tins House has been greatly exaggerated in this Congress
The Speaker has really practically little power than
any other member He has only one vote and no right 10
cast that except N case Of tie while others vote every
But gentlemen have said tina, the Speaker has the s
ponment OF the committees, and that the committees
which he appoint bring in propositions abolish
slavery and every other sort Of aggressive No
doubt Of that But suppose such propositions brought
in and majority Of the House are opposed 70 them they
will be defeated, and mischief be done On the
other hand majority OF the House should be in favor
Of the passage of such any member could
them any time and my friend from South Carolina Mr.
OnR being IN the chair could not prevent them from being
carried by the House hold then that the action Of the
aiority would be materially affected upon any the
may place in that chair.
1t is true that there is another class Of questions in ref
erence to which the patronage of the speakershp is Of
importance. speak with respect the appointment
of the small committees such the Committee Print
ing, the Committee on Engraving the Committee on
Patents, the Committee Of Claims &c The questions pre-
sened by those committees not generally of sufficient
importance to insure thorough examination Of them
and hence we rely to great extent upon the statements
made by the committees and therefore say il import
ant that we should have honest with clear heads to
constitute Them But In reference to the great questions
that come before Congress, every man will of course
anime them for himself aud will upon them ndepend
emily of The recommendations Of committees.
Isay therefore, that in my opinion the power Of the
Speaker and the importance Of his election have been great
~ exaggerated And maintain further that there
was a time when was less unwilling to my political
friends lose the organization of the House than the pres
eDt We have the Senate in the other end OF the Capitol
largely and unqualihedly side We have the Ex
ecutve also the side of the constitution and If mis-
chief originates here it viii he promptly arrested by them
that if those who represent the plurality upon
this hoor should be found to have majority of the House
upon any offensive measureand am not nj all certain
that they haveany mischief they might attempt enact
would be defeated in the other end Of the Capitol
But it is not all certain that ese gentlemen have
majority here They in, about year and half ago
in high tide since that time there has been rcux. In
the elections held last fall in Of the districts now
represented here by these gentlemen majores found
against them that if they disposed TO Of
ensve here, they would not be supported by
their constituencies at home and have said their
would be arrested in the other end Of the Capitol and
by the Executive Seeing th and having lost their foot
ing at home IL is not likely they will be able move
here with any chance OF success. .'
have therefore, fears OF any mischief resulting from
the election of Speaker here by these parties. IL sup
posed that the rights OF section Of the country depend
"A ;tc
condition, should say tina, the government not worth
preserving under that state Of things.
And LET say further that do not wish TO disguise
The fact that IL majority Of the members sitting
favorable 10 the enactment Of aggressive the
rights Of the South, would, nevertheless be willing that
under republican system they should take their
course and II such brought forward shall
oppose them here well knowing that they win be defeated
elsewhere +.
that originating here offensive the rights of
any portion Of the Union would be likely be finally
red should then be in favor Of perpetual disorgsnza
ton. If which would justify revolution were
likely to be carried out by every branch OF the government
would be proper that they should be resisted here Then
would be proper that the contest II is 70 commence
should begin here announced upon this foor six years
ago. upon occasion when there prospect Of Sc
contest in The country between the North and the
South that twas TO be forced on the people by the
ton OF Congress then ought in justice to LET it begin
here that we might ourselves have the cream OF the
struggle But the country in such position as
then was the branches OF the government
| therefore do not hesitate TO move this proposition
Whether ID be adopted In the form in which have pre-
sented it, In that suggested by the gentleman from Cali
fornis Mr.. HKsaERT not think IL better that
the House should organize BY the adoption Of the plurality
rule that the wheels OF the should longer
remain blocked We have seventy millions OF money
that are be appropriated Our works Of defence should
be strengthened Our navy needs ncrcasng under The
threatening aspect OF foreign affairs and orgsnza-
isn necessary carry the proper ought
not TO get at IL in some practicable modeH
Mr. HERBERT said that the democratic party bad tried
every enpeden and made every concession their part
gentlemen who claimed TO be conservative upon the
floor and boased that they represented national and
servaive constituencies would to their assistance in
effort defeat the horde Of fanatics who in favor
Of rampng under foot and destroying those principles
which give vitality country lie asked those gen
occasion stand by and the ens OF the OF
the placed In the hands OF who has said tnat
under certain circumstances he would be willing to see the
Onion side7 a#..d
Mr. CAMPBELL, Of Pennsylvania, wanted TO know
when the gentleman from Massachusetts said anything OF
the kind. H-.rs
Mr. HERBERT answered that IL the gentleman wanted
to ask him any questions he might do II out OF doors
where honors easy and responsibilities equal He
thought that questions of national policy ought TO
sink into insiguhcance when they were brought into
contact with the question Of aboliuonism and the
southern Americans called upon to decide whether
the love they for their country and the Union was
greater than the hate they entertained for poor Catholic
and fsrcie born citizens Whatever might be their
feelings or the convictions Of their judgment, TO the
positions they occupied beretofore II ought to be
sembered that there obligations resting upon them
as representatives OF the people OF the country paramount
to all selfish persons considerations He called upon them
to adopt the resolution and organize the House
Mr.. LETCHER of Virginia opposed, from the first
The last 10 the adoption OF the plurality rule He re-