The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-01-10
Saturday, January 5, 1856.

There having been no election, at quarter
past three o'clock the House adjourned 4
Saturday, January 5, 1856.
Mr.. Etheridge, of Tennessee, moved that
John 5. Millson, of Virginia, be Speaker of the
House. He thought the Republicans might
support him because he had opposed the Me-
braska bill, and that the Fuller men might
support him because he had voted for the
proviso excluding alien voters. Subsequently,
at the earnest request of Mr.. Millson, he with,
drew the motion. '
Mr.. Broom, of Pennsylvania, deemed this
the proper time to remind gentlemen of the
distinctive paramount issue upon which they
were elected to represent the will of their con-
stituents-the American issue. Gentlemen
who were elected upon that issue had deserted
it, and resorted to another. He trusted that
months experience in unsuccessful ballotings
had fully convinced them that the only issue
upon which they could stand here was that to
which they owed their seats. 1t was. therefore,
necessary that he should appeal to those gen..
tlemen who had been elected as Americans, to
change their positions, and, returning to their
main principle, see if they could not thus sue,
coed IN etfecting an organization. Every in
teligent man knew that there could be no leg.
islation whatever during the present Congress.
or with respect to a restoration of the Missouri
compromise.
Mr.. Howard, of Michigan, wished to know
if the House should unite on the American
basis, and proceed to pass laws recognising
any one of the American principles, would
they not be defeated either in the Senate or
the White House? Laughter
Mr.. Broom replied, that to unite on the
American basis would be an effort of patriat-
ism that would cover the interests of the entire
country; but a union upon a sectional is7he
was Objectionable to the South, injurious to
their rights, and dangerous to the Union. de
submitted, that all the candidates be withdra sn,
and that the members representing the dill err
ent parties on this floor are hereby requei ed
to meet together, and appoint committed of
five from each, with a view of selecting con
sentative member Of this House as a com no,
mise candidate for the position. Laughte ;.
MIR. Stephens, of Georgia. The gentler ian
had said that the American party in the He use
were elected upon the principles of that patty,
as paramount to all others, and had there ore
invoked an organization upon the basis of that
party. He Mr.. S. did not know the strength
of that party in the House, though the other
day the gentleman from Kentucky, Mr.. H.
Marshall if he did not misunderstood him.
informed them that they had majority here
1t might be, then, that majority of the Hchse
could organize upon the principles of that
party. But what a spectacle would be pre-
scented to the country, if it should be organized
upon that basis !! 1t might be that there was
majority of the House-one hundred and seven
teen members-in favor of the principles Of
the American party; and if so, there were only
| about thirty-six all told, who had supported
the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr.. Fui-
Ter, and the gentleman from Kentucky, NJ.
H. Marshall and of these, he believed there
were but six from the North. All the, other
members of that party, amounting to perhaps
| about threefourths Of it, were standing in solid
phaanx against one entire section of this
Union.
Mr.. Stephens, continuing, said that if he
understood the principles of that party-and
| gentlemen could set him right if he wac ia
error-because they, outsiders, had only got 3
little glimmer of light that had shot forth f.orn
the dark caverns of that party. Laughfer1
1t set out on the ground that none of its mem
bers should vote for any one but nativel orn
Americans, nor for Roman Catholic.
Mr.. Whitney, of New York Suppose
person was presented to you for appointpleI:t
to office, and it should be made known to your
own satisfaction that he entertained poll ica
opinions hostile to the interests of the country
would you appoint him?
Mr.. Stephens. l should not.
Mr.. Whitney. That is the basis of all our
hostility to Papacy.
Mr.. Stephens. The gentleman says that thst
is the basis Yet the party rests upon the
| principle that no Roman Catholic shall ever
be appointed to office; and this assumes that
every man who holds that religious faith is an
enemy to his country, which spurn, on behalf
of those who profess that faith.
Mr.. Eustis, of Louisiana. | take occasion
| to state to this House, and desire it to 60 to
the country, that / coincide with the gentleman
| from Georgia in every respect, as regards his
| opinions on the subject of this religious tes;.
| The American party in the State of Louisiana
has repudiated, in the most formal and en-
| phatic manner, the action of the National
American Convention with respect to that queg-
| ton.
| Mr.. Stephens / have no doubt that the
| American party of Louisiana has done as the
| gentleman has stated, and that they have done
| so in other States; and have no question that
they will do it, State by State, council by couh-
| Gil, until the great fabric of Americanisra,
"growing small by degrees, and beautifully
less" will be extinct in less than twelve months.
| Laughter.
Mr.. Campbell, of Pennsylvania, replied to
the remarks of his colleague, Mr.. Broom.
He (Mr. CO. had been elected as an Anti-Ne=
| braska man, and would remain so, and would
continue to act with those gentlemen whe were
opposed to the principles of that measure yet
upon all distinctive American doctrines be
was as sound as his honorable colleague The
State of Pennsylvania had repudiated the l2th
section of the Philadelphia platform; and if
the gentleman acknowledged the authoritysof
the council that met at Reading, he could MT
vote for the election of any gentleman on that
distinctive issue along.
After some further debate,
The House proceeded to the ninety-third
vote for Speaker, with the following result:
Mr.. Banks, of Massachusetts lO5
Mr.. Richardson, of Illinois IL.
Mr.. Fuller, of Pennsylvania 80;
Mr.. Pennington, of New Jersey g.
Scattering A
Whole number of votes given 2I9
Necessary to a choice ITO:
No election having been effected the ninety
fourth ballot was had, and resulted as follows:
Mr.. Banks, of Massachusetts 90.
Mr.. Richardson, of Illinois ~,
Mr.. Fuller, of Pennsylvania 90
Mr.. Pennington, of New Jersey 6,
Scattering s
! 2lO
There having been no choice, at a Quarter