Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1856-01-25
The SpeakershIp,

resolution lmbodyDg Inc pfuraly rule was reJeceeo
Yesterday He avaied himself of the opportunity of
the privileged question to place before the House
and the country his views regarding the RESPONSE
biity for the present dlsorganzed condition OF the
House In the year 1S49, after the House had voted
for three weeks, they found that they were in the
same condition that the House now, after seven
weeks voting, found itself in. They saw that there
was no one party in the House who had a sufficient
number TO elect, and the House stood in that
position.
Mr.. JONES, of Tennessee, asked whether the gen.
tleman was in order in moving reconsideration OF
the vote of yesterday when be did not vote with the
majority against the resolution.
Mr. GIDDINGS, of Ohio, could not be interrupted,
and moved another resolution of the same kind as
that which rejected yesterday In 1849 the
wing and democratic parties, by agreement in caucus
adopted the plurality rule, and in that way Speak
was elected, and it met with the approval of the
country. The gentleman from Georg Mr.. COBB
had received the benefit of that resolution and he
STOOD with his party who then established that pre-
cedent, opposed to it Its action would go
down to all coming time in condemnation of that
party. The republican party stood ready now 10
carry out the same principle that the democrats did
in 1849, and he rendered 10 them their own policy,
and said to the country that the republican party
stood ready to adopt the rule which the democratic
party adopted then, and for which they then had the
approval of the country.
Mr.. COBB, of Georgia. wished to correct the state
ment of the gentleman and make proper statement
of the facts to go out to the country in connexon
with the gentlemans remarks. He MIR. GIDDINGs |
had stated that the democratic party had in l849,
adopted in the plurality rule The truth of
the matter simply this that the plurality rule
adopted in caucus by the whig party, when it
was reported by committee of conference OF the
two parties, but 1t was ro ected in the democratic
caucus by decided majority and that afterwards
it was offered in the House by member of the demo-
cratic party notwithstanding its rejection in their
caucus and was adopted by the votes principally of
the wing party, with minority of the democratic
party. If the gentleman would examine the record,
he would find that ority of the democratic men,
bers of The House in 1849 voted against the adoption
of the plurality rule, and would find also that there
was no one more denunclaory and violent in his OPP
position TO that rule than the gentleman himself.
He mir G. had on that occasion offered substitute
TO the rule, which, in substance declared that it was
wrong in principle, dangerous in tendency, and
ought not 10 be adopted One word in reference to
the responsibility for The disorganizaton Of the House,
and he (Mr. CO. was done. The record Of the House
for the last few days exhibited this fact 10 the coun
try-that the republican party, as they termed them
selves, had 1T IN their power to place IN the Speakers
chair member of their own party, who had at the
commencement of the session received the highest
number of the votes of that patty for that position.
The resolution offered by the gentleman from Iowa
[Mr THoRNGToN] declaring Mr.. CAMPBELL to be
Speaker of the House had received he believed the
votes of fifty members of the House. They were
called republican patty ifty-tw of those who have
heretofore been casting their for the honorable
gentleman from Massachusetts, Mr. BANKS and
if they had voted for instead of against it, the
luton would have been adopted, and Mr.. CAMPBELL
would have been elected Speaker of the House.
These gentlemen, therefore, placed themselves before
the country in this position, that they are not content
TO organize the House with member of their own
party-a member who was the choice of plurality
OF that party at the commencement of the session.
nay further, they prefer that Congress shout remain
disorganZed and the government cease to 90 on with
its operations than they should place man of their
own party, having the confidence of their party,
agreeing with them in principle, and capable Of dis
charging the duties of the office, in the Speakers
chair. Such is the record of this party. Their is
sue is Mr. BANKS and Reorganization in preference tc
oIootins DIS prceiding officer member of their own
party 10 whom they have urged no personal or polit
ical objection. The responsibility rested upon them
and they must justify their position before the coun
! try. 1t was not necessary, and he would not go in
to discussion in reference to the plurality rule
He would only point the gentleman from Ohio to his
vote against that rule in 1919 He [Mr. GIDD1NGs
now in favor of it, because he the recip ien
of the benefits of 1t; but he Mr. C. would not vote
for it now. 1t never would receive his vote wher
its operation would inevitably be to place in tht
| Speakers chair the gentleman from Massachusetts
Mr., BANKS and he believed such was the dete-mi
nation of a ma lory of the House. If gentlemen
were holding on, supporting MIR. BANKS, under thu
impression that the plurality rule would be finally
adopted and that gentleman elected, he gave it a.
his opinion that they were deceiving themselves.
| they preferred BANKS and disorganization to o
their own party and organization, let them stand o
fall upon the issue which they thus make before thu
! House and the country
Mr.. GIDDINGS had not stated that the member
of the Democratic party in the House in 1849 ha
voted for the resolution he had only said that tina
party, acting as party, not in the House, but il
caucuss, had IN association with another party
adopted the plurality rule
Mr.. COBB, of Georgia. This is not correc
statement of the facts. | have already state
them to the gentlemen from Ohio as they oc
Cured; and every member of this House who wa
member at that time, and in that caucus, will bea
me out in repeating the REPUTATION of the charge
made by the gentlemen.
Mr.. GlDDINGS had only referred to what ha
been stated on the floor of the House at that tim
by a Democratic member Mr.. Stanton, and tn
silence and heard that gentleman declare that it ha
been agreed upon by his party, and he did not den
1t. He asked that gentleman whether he was pre-
, pared to do now what he prepared to do then
He did not wish TO arraign the gentleman his pal
Y tyj but when they attempted to arra gn his chi
Gs) party they said let the record be referred to-
i. He here read the following:
d I" MIR. STANTON, OF Tennessee, rose and said tia
f he desired to present proposition to the House.
presumed that, under the rule which had been adop
ed, it would not be in order to debate it. He wouIC
= however, be permitted to say that a propositio
l. known to have been presented on the part of tn
S committee appointed by the Wing caucus to conft
e with similar committee appointed by the Demo
/, cratic cacus''-
e Here, said Mr.. G., the gentleman was interrupted
It and turning over few pages further he continue
it reading
o I" The House had reached the contingent
n contemplated in the proposition of Mr.. Stanton
had exhausted the three votings therein provided fc