Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1856-01-23
rhirty.Fo.reA consress-Fir,t session.


On Tuesday, the 10th, the House voted twice for
| Speaker; after which Mr. Washburn offered the
following Resolution:
Resolced, That the House will proceed immedia-
tely to the election OF Speaker US0G C0ce and 1t,
after the roll shall have been called three times,
member shall have received majority Of the whole
number of votes the roll shall again be called, and
the member who shall! then receive the largest num-
Der of votes provided it be majority of quorum,
shall be the Speaker of the House Of Representa-
tives for the Thirty-fOurth Congress
Mr. Cngman, owing to some opinions he had ex-
pressed in reference to this subject wished to say
a word in explanation of the vote he intended to
give. As far the adoption Of the plurality rule
was concerned he saw objection the principle.
1t was mere question Of changing the mode of
election. The House might adopt the majority mode
at time, and then, as had already been done in
many OF the Safes, adopt the plurality rule. Feeling
strong anxiety to See the House organized, he had
been willing to- and had repeatedly said that he
thought they had better make change the plu-
rality rue in order to allow election to be made
in that way. Though he had repeatedly expressed
that opinion, and for the last two weeks had said
that the House had better adopt it, and had tried to
get his friends to support it, to allow the majority
to make the election yet as in all questions OF expe-
diency he felt liberty to do he pleased about
changing the rule. On Saturday last there
declaration made by one of the prominent candi-
dates [Mr. Bank>] which, taken in conncxon with
some things he had heard since, induced him to de-
cline voting for that proposition The candidate of
those who called themselves republicans had placed
himself on the extreme and most odous grounds
ever maintained in this country by any of aboi-
tonists. He mir. Banksl not only seemed thcore-
tcaly to stand with them. but he understood him
to express opinions, or, at any rate, not to have
mhde up his mind in relation a subject which the
senior member from Ohio Mr.. Giddngs] discusses
in the House along with other extreme abolilionsts
he meant in relation to the equality of the
The gentleman Mr.. Banks had said that he did
not know whether the white man superior to
the negro, or the negro to the WATERMAN, that
he was anxious to have a rial-not of intellect
of moral worth, but certain of trial by which
he proposed to determine that test. His mode was
that most odious Of all the modes by which the abo
toniss of the country proposed to carry out their
views-an amagamation Of the two races, in order
to ascertain which WILL in the end be the superior
race. He gratified to know that certain gentle
who had heretofore voted for the gentleman
from Massachusetts disguised With such doc
trnes, and that, though they may have agreed with
that gentleman in of the political opinions of
the day. they were not prepared to go that length
with him. He understood that they were extremely
anxious to get the gentleman. out of the way
candidate, and he willing to give them fair
opportunity OF doing So lie had said that, so far
the political questions discussed in the House
concerned, he did not know that there was much
difference, practically, between the gentleman from
Massachusetts, and the gentlemen who sup port
ing him. II they were in majority, and desired
the election of that candidate he did not care they
elected him but when that gentleman took it upon
himself to assert the odiouS offensive and dis
gushing doctrines entertained in the House,
and that, too, with and JEST if it afforded
him matter of amusement. entirely different
was presented. He thought it little singular
that when he explained the opinion alluded TO, he
did not also take the opportunity of explaining his
assertion that under certain circumstances he was
fO Of he min hal nttar
with much indifference as Fl would be of no
more account than drunken sliding into a
gutter. For the present he would vote against the
plurality rule, and when his opinion changed, he
would give his reasons for it. As it had been stated
in the public papers that he in favor of the rule
he deemed it right that the House should understand
why he refused 10 vote for 1t now.
Mr. Banks asked and obtained leave of the House
to speak a single sentence. He said 81 discaim
the opinions imputed to me by the honorable gentle
man from North Carolina Mr.; Clingmanl on the
subject upon which he has spoken"
Mr.. Clingman did not want to do any injustice to
, the gentleman. lie had understood HIM to use the
| language he had represented him using.
He (Mr. Banks) had been asked the question which
he thought the superior race, the white the black
| or whether he thought them equal or something to
that effect; and nc had said that should the two
amalgamate, it was principle that the super
Tor powerful one would absorb the weaker {;
and he was willing to wait the result Of the expert
mCnt OF ueVeOplnenC 10 whether the Wnlte WOuiu
absorb the black the black absorb the white. lie
understood the gentleman, therefore, as looking to
this experiment. lie did no. know whether the geh-
tieman had said he in favor Of making the ex-
pertinent but he inferred that nc was as he appeared
to look to that result He therefore thought it was
! legitimate construction which he had put upon the
gentleman's REMARKS and had commented accord
| ingty.
Mr. Orr, Of South Carolina, begged to call the at
tcntion Of the gentleman from North Carolina mr.
Clingnan to report of the remarks of the gentleman
from Massachusetts,, MIR. Banks as follows
"I have to say in this matter that accept the
doctrine of the Declaration OF Independence, that
all created equal In regard to the super
iority of races am impressed with the conviction
that is to be determined only by capacity for
durancc So far as | have studied the subject, it
to to be the universal law that the weaker
is always absorbed and disappears in the stronger
race. Whether the black of this continent or
any other part of the world is equal to the white
race can only be determined by the absorption and
disappearance of one the other; and propose to
wait until the respective can be properly SUBJ
jccted 10 this philosophical test before give dcci
sve answer" Roars of laughter
Mr. Clingman had so understood the language of
that gentleman; that he Mr.. Banks could not de-
termine in his mind which was the superior
the result of all aualgamation test He was
not willing to put to the test ofnelect, of science,
mathematics, poetry, vaor the field, but referr-
/ ed to that particular test and had therefore OBJ
lection to it, and thought that it legitimate
and proper one. He (Mr. c. had always shrunk
from the idea with repugnance, and it surprised him
that a gentleman Of the education attanments, and
ability of the gentena from Massachusetts, should
express himself in such manner. If he did him in
justice, he regretted it, but the gentleman would
the that inference he had drawn was very natural
one