Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1856-02-09
BANKS. ELECTED

The Republicans III Congress have achieved
n great triumph in the election of Mr.. BANKS
as Speaker of the House. For nine weeks
have they presented a solid phalanx, alike de-
flying open opposition and secret treachery.-
Despite the detection of those who should have
been true, they have persisted in the struggle
with a pertinacity and unity that has led them
to a glorious victory, and inspirited the friends
of Freedom everywhere. -i
The Importance of this triumph can only be
properly estimated by those who are aware
how greatly the legislation of the country is
moulded and controlled by the Speaker and
the Committees he appoints. 1t will be re-
collected, that in order to repeal the Missouri
Compromise it was necessary to put in the
chair a tool of the South, whose gross peryer-
sions of parliamentary rules aided materially to
c~onsummate the outrage. The friends of Free
dom have been unable to accomplish anything
because, all their movements were smothered
in the Committee. The present regime will,
we trust, be conducted without reference to
such past unfairncss and every section of the
country will be allowed q fair hearing.
To some, nine weeks balloting for Speak
er has seemed a great waste of time. The
friends of freedom, however, could well afford
to spend as many months in balloting, if by
that means a Speaker would have been secured
who would do justice to them, both in his APP
pointment of committees aud in his decisions.
In view Of the great questions likely to arise
in Congress, nothing short of such q result
would have been satisfactory. BY the election
of BANKS these questions are more than half
settled, by being placed upon a basis where
dough-faccism and recreancy cannot evade
them. -.s A
In another aspect, this struggle has been Of
incalculable good. 1t has concentrated and
cemented a great Republican party in Con
gress. 1t has shown how utterly feeble are all
other party ties and organizations when mcnaccd
by slavery, and that the only hope for our
country is in that Republican organization
which seeks to bring the Government back to
its original purposes. 1t has demonstrated,
that old parties and old questions are extinct,
and that there is but one vital question which
now engages the attention of the country, that
we must meet like Freemcn or succumb to like
coward slaves. ,r ~ g.
1t has shown too, the affinity of the Admin
~istration party with the southern know-Noth
ings. After all the clustering and rhodomon-
tade against Know-Nothingism the Admiuis-
t~ration forces were ready to ~coalesce with them,
provided they were sound upon the slavery
question. For this purpose RICHARDSON was
Withdrawn and ORR substituted-for this pur-
pose both ORR and the platform we're with
drawn and AIKEN (the owner of thirteen hun.
dred slaves substituted. For this purpose the
Union went down on its knees to the Know
Nothings and begged them to take their can
didate. For this purpose, the plurality rule
was finally adopted, the slavery men believing
that AIKEN would receive enough Know-No-
thing votes to secure his election. The plan
only failed of success because the certainty Of
an election, and the consequent responsibility
sent back to our ranks some ~stragglerS who
were afraid to face that kind of music.