Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1856-01-10
A Pretty Family Quarrel.

If the Know Nothing members of Con-
gress are to be believed, Banks and Fuller,
the Know Nothing candidates for Speaker,
are a pair of the most corrupt and consuIu-
mate scamps to be found in the whole coun-
try. Whether the charges brought against
these gentlemen are or are not true, we have
no mems of knowing, but the mere fact that
they have taken and subscribed TO the horri-
bic oaths of the Know Nothing faction is at
least prima facie evidence of their guilt
But we will let the brethren tell their own
story. In the House of Representatives, on
the 9th ult., Mr.. Millward, a K. n. member
from Pennsylvania, made the following state
ment:
MIR. Millward. Mr.. Clerk, as an Amer
lean, and to preserve the honor and dignity
of an American Congress, | wish to make an
exposure of an attempted disgraceful arrange
ment for the purpose of securing a Speaker
Of this House. A few moments ago, a gen.
tleman called on me and offered, if | would
vote for Mr.. Banks as candidate for the Speak
er's chair, that | would be made the chair
man on Engraving and Lithographing, and l
take this method to rebuke the insult, as it
certainly was upon my honor and integrity.
Great sensation, AMI loud cries of "Give the
name!' "Who was the man?" His name
is John j. Pearce, Of Pennsylvania, and |
wish the gentleman to distinctly understand
that the district which l have the honor to
represent, cannot be bought or sold like sheep
in the shambles.
Mr.. Banks. No such arrangement as the
gentleman alludes to was made with my con-
sent or knowledge.
Mr.. Pearce. If gentlemen will re still
for a moment, they will hear all that | have
to say. Mr.. Clerk, / am not, and never have
been, authorized by Mir. Banks to make any
such pledges as have been mentioned, either
to my colleague Mr. Millward] or any body
else. / saw my colleague a few moment ago,
and | did ask him whether he would like to
be the chairman of the Committee on Engrav-
ing and Lithographing. Laughter But l
did not say that, if Mr.. Banks should be cleo
ted, he would be appointed the chairman of
that committee.
Mr.. Millward. l will ask my colleague
some questions. Did you not come to my
seat a moment ago and take me back of
the screen? Did you not ask me whether |
had any inclination to change my vote? Did
you not ask me to vote for Mr.. Banks? l
asked you the reason why l should change
my vote? You stated. Because you will
make a good thing of it." Laughter. =
ain what way, sir?" "Why, you will be
made The chairman of the Lithographing and
Engraving Committee" Said |, "There is
no such committee" Immediately l came
to my seat, and borrowed the Manual from
Mr.. Wright, Laughter, and, upon reference
to it, l found no such committee reported;
whereupon l asked the question of MIR. IL.
Marshall, who was passing by at the time,
who Informed me in the affirmative; this be-
ing the case | was convinced of the sincerity
of the proposition. | then went out and
heard what Mr.. Pearcc had to say further
| SAID, allow do you know that | can be
made chairman of that committee?" He re-
piled, that he had had a conversation with
MIR. Banks, and that lac had assured him that
any promise he made to me would be carried
out.
Now, does not this exhibit a beautiful
state of things? Here are the friends of the
pure and immaculate Mr.. Banks endeavor-
ing to buy votes for him by promises of the
chairmanshirs of committees out of which
"good things' Chat is, stealings) can be
made. 1t is true Mr.. Banks denied that he
had authorized these propositions to be
made, but those who made them no doubt
knew their man and were confident that he
would fulfil any contract for votes that might
be made in his behalf.