M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1858-02-18
Exciting Scene in the HOuse-The
Niger Business in APiZOnia--I
The BeIiigerent Generals.
WAsnINaroN, February 9.

lcrleS were crowded TO excess with
earnest spectators. Every foot Of
available room was occupied, and the
number of ladies could not have been
less than four hundred. Atleast !hree
thousand five hundred spectators look
ed down upon the people, watching
with eager interest every movement
which took place. 1t was a scene
worth travelling many miles to behold.
Each party had rallied in all its avail
able absentees, and two hundred and
twenty-six members answered to their
.name8-the largest House of the pres
ent session thus far. 1t bad been
agreed, after the fight Oh Saturday,
that at one o'clock on Monday the vote
should be taken on the resolution OF
Harris, without delay Or amendment
1t was regarded as a test of strength
on the Kansas question, although not
by any means fnality. If the reso-
lutions were defeated, it was intended
to pass a vote upon the constitution;
but if adopted, the matter was only
delayed for short time. The Senate
Committee on Territories will, no
doubt, report a bill for the admission
of Kansas as soon as possible under
the Lecompton Constitution, with
suitable provisions; it will pass the
Senate by six or eight majority, and
at once be sent into the House. Then
a vote direct and satisfactory can be
taken. No one can predict what a
day may bring forth concerning the
action of the American House OF Rep
resentativcs. A wandering comet is
not moro erratic in its course. Night
| ly caucusos and conclaycs determine
daily action.
On sustaining the previous question
and on ordering the main question to
be put, the majority was six votes on
the first, and seven on the second
question. The House was resolved to
settle matter somo way, before ad-
iourning. Then came ballot ofg.eat
Importance, and never was the value
Of a single vote more singularly illus.
trated. The question was now on tho
motion of Stephens, of Georgia, to re-
fer the matter to the Committee on
Territories. Upon this the yeas and
nays wcro called, and the result was;
yeas 1l3, nays114. Samuel Arnold,
Of Connecticut, an Administration
man, happened to be out Of the House
when the vote was being called, and
came in just in time to hear the result
announced. Had he attended to his
duty the result would have been tic,
and the Speaker, by voting AYE"
might have sent the whole matter to
the COMMITTEES on Territories, and
thus changed the entire aspect Of al
fairs. Upon such slight incidents do
great events depend.
Upon all but the final vote Mr..
Pendleton, of Ohio, voted with the
Administration men, in company with
Messrs. Miller and Burns, OF Ohio;
but Oh the last ballot the Ohio Demo
Gratis, with the exception Of the two
above named gentlemen, voted to re-
fer to the Select Committee. When
| the final ballot came there was an in
. tense excitement. Colonel Allen, the
Clerk, called the roll in person. Many
members and spectators kept tally.
sheets. There was a dead silence in
the throbbing, earnest mass of gazers
which hung like a variegated cloud on
all around the hall. The roll was
finished, and Colonel Orr, in a loud,
sonorous tone, announced the result:
Yeas 115, nays III. Public senti,
ment was evinced by the suppressed
tremor Of applause which ran around
the galleries, and the muttered con,
gratulations everywhere exchanged
between the lockers on. Thus closed
the days drama, for the House in,
stantly adjourned.
The leaders Of the Republican par.
ty are determined to keep open the
Kansas question, if possible, until an.
other Presidential campaign. To that
end money is freely supplied to Lane
and his followers, who are charged
with troubling the waters constantly
and keeping up q quarrelSome, sedi
tious feeling throughout the Territory
These facts shculd not be lost sight o
by the Democratic members Of the
present Congress, and they ought
never to adjourn without taking meas
ures to secure peace in Kansas for the
future. 1t issupposed that New Mex
leo and Arizonia will be the next sub
iects for Northern sentiment to blubbe
and lament over. would not b,
surprised if some Republican shoul(
introduce bill which should, in som,
style, drag the "nigger business" int
the affairs Of the above mentioned sec
tons ofoountry. lfso, the wisdom o
bitter experience should teach th
Democracy to decide the matter a
once.
Mr.. Harris thinks he can have ;
report ready in three or four weeks