Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1856-05-05
G5e naiIp spp.
MONDAY. MAY 5, 1856.
The spca.ership and the Presidency

The SpeakershiP and the Presidency
T, conversation, short time since, with
aart and whole souled Republican from the West,
who by the way seemed well posted in political
matters. he based his ground of hope in the
cess of the Republican nominee for the Presi-
dency in the fall among other suspicious omens
on the fact as he stated that ever since the or
canization of the Government that party had in
varably succeeded in every Presidential election,
which succeeded in the election of Speaker of
the House. for the Congressional term immedi-
ately preceding. II he had said such had been
the case, ,ojth exception, Tin the case of the
first election Of Mr. Jefferson, in 1867 he would
have been correct in his statement, for such ap-
pears to be the fact, the following table will |
show Below we have placed in the first column, |
the names Of the Speakers whose terms expired
at the commencement of each Presidential term,
and in the right hand column, the names of the
Presidents whose terms of service commenced on
the 4th OF March of the year, set against each
name:
speaters-terms erpld. Prcsd'ts-ferms commenced.
jonathan Dayton, n. j., l79S. g orge Washington.
Jonathan Dayton, N. j., 1871. John Adams
Theo Sadgewick, Mass, 1901 Thomas Jefferson.
Nathl Macon, Georgia, 1905 Thomas Jefferson.
Jos B. Varnum, Mass 1909. James Madison.
Henry Clay, Kentucky, 1913. :"
1917. James Munroe.
John ". Taylor, N. Y, 1921. " ="
Henry Clay, Kentucky, 1925. John Quincy Adams.
Andrew Stevenson Va, 1879. Andrew Jackson.
1888.
james K. Polk Tenn, 1897 Martin Van Buren,.
Rab't NJ. T. Hunter, Va, 1S41. VIM Henry Harrison.
John W. Jones, Va, ls45. Jas. X. Polk
Po5't Winthrop, Mass, 1919. Zachary Taylor.
Lynn Boyl. Kentucky, 1851 Franklin Pierce.
Nath'l P Banks, Mass, 1851.
For the first eight years, during the admins
traton of Washington, before party animosities
had sprung up to any considerable extent, of
course there was opportunity for deviation from
the rule alluded to above. But during the Pres.
idency of John Adams, owing particularly to the
passage Of the odious Alien ana Sedition laws,
violent opposition was made to his administra-
ton.and the separation of the body polite into OPP
posite party divisions, commenced in right good
earnest. Accordingly, the contest for the Speak
ership. at the session of Congress which com
menced in Dec. 1879, and terminated with the
close of Mr. Adams's term, was very spirited,
and resulted in the choice of Theodore Sedgwick.
of Massachusetts,, Federalist or administration
man, who received AZ votes, to SS for Nathaniel
Macon, of North Carolina, Republican. In spite
of which fact the Republican forces rallied with
vigor at the ensuing Presidential canvass under
ing him. Thomas Jefferson got 70 eectoralvo
and John Adams IS.
Though all the succeeding terms, the singular
rule of relationship mentioned, between the
Speakership and the Presidency, has invariably
prevailed. Some may imagine the case of Mr..
Hunter, elected Speaker in 1889, an exception,
but the fact was, he chosen by Wing votes,
as John Tyler Wing, in opposition to the whole
democratic strength, and Harrison and Tyler
were the successful nominees for the Presidency
and Vice Presidency in the ensuing Presidential
contest. The election of Robert c. Winthrop
to the Speakership in Dec lS47, which was fol
lowed by the success, the next year, of Taylor
and Fillmore, was another instance in illustration
of this curious relationship, an exception to
which we hope may not occur the present year.
But the success of the Republican nominee for
President, in the ensuing fall, to match the cleo
tion of Republican Speaker in February last,
complisnmen eio4--S lie desideratum, for the &C.
on besides remarkable coincidents," ofa relled
GUS facts" however pleasing may be theI import
We must buckle ON the whole armor of politica
truth, cast aside all chickering's on minor matters
and combine together on the ONE GREAT ISSUE
opposition to the further extension of slavery
and to the further increase of the slave power
When the idea is proposed of involving with this
other issues, we must reply, as did Mr.. Banks, tt
those who catechised him on the eve of his cleo
ton as Speaker, " they are all SUBORDINATE tc
that respecting slavery in Kanzas, and he would
not ask any man what he thought of this or that
measure, (meaning the naturalization question,
tariff, &c.,) but would unite with ALL to interdct
lavcry in the territories" By following this
rule, by hard and constant labor and earnest eff
fort, and in this way alone, can we place in the
Presidential chair, on the 4th of March next,Ia
man whose political principles shall correspond
to those embodied in him who now presdes, with
such honor to the country, over the House Of
Representatives That blank, against the name
of N. P. Banks, Jr, in the table above, is now
waiting to be filed, and upon the wisdom Of our
action it will entirely depend whether 1t shall be
filed by one of like views and sentiments with
those of the present Speaker, in accordance with
the precedent so generally established, or by an
embodiment of the border ruffian democracy.