Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-08-31
From the Lynchburg ylrg.nlan.


From the Lynchburg yrgnian.
Speaker Of the next House OF Repre-
sentaflves--HOu. Emerson Ether
fdge, Of Tennessee.
What has occurred three or four times al
ready in the history of Congress, will occur
again at its next meeting-tbat is none of
the political parties represented in the House
will have on absolute majority of members.
There will be no less than five different parties.
The .RepubIicansv viii be the strongest, the
Democrats next, and the southern Ameri-
cans next. But no one of these parties can,
by its own strength. elect Speaker.
What then shall be done? Twice. of late
wears. when a similar state of affairs existed
the House of r. representatives. has been driven
at length to adopt the plurality rule, as the
only means of escape from difficulty in which
il was eniangled. But this has always given
Dissatisfaction The Speaker himself is con-
tinually oppressed wits the reflection that he
was elected by minority vote-and the party
in opposition is too much disposed to hold
the other side responsible tor the egislstion of
the House, from the mere barren circnm-
stance that they have the Speaker and pre-
sumtiye majority. On many accounts the
election of a Speaker by the plurality
rule is Objectionable. aud the resort to il never
fails to produce dissatisfaction.
Much better would it be to adopt the plan
pursued at the time when Mr.. Hunter, of
! this State, was elected Speaker. Mr.. Hunter.
| at that time, stood between the two great
parties He called himself conservative.
He was Wing, but he refused to support
either Van Buren, or Harrison. He occupied
the ground of independent neutral
| ity When neither of the two parties could
! elect a representative man, they agreed to
compromise by which MIR. Hunter who was
not obnoxious to either side, was elected to
! the Chair OF Speaker. And his administra-
tion of the Office, we belive, was universally
| acceptable and satisfactory.
1t will be much better for the next House
of Representatives to make sCme such COM
promise than to repeat the disgraceful scenes
/ and wrangles of four years ago. and finally
be compelled to resort 10 The plurality rule
| again. Two months were then FILTERED
away in the vain attempt TO elect a
| Speaker. Fortunately, the next Congress
| will contain man upon whom all shades of
the Opposition may unite. That man is the
Hon. EMERSON ErHERIDGE, of Tennessee.
Mr.. Etheridge has already served four years
in Congress-suficiently long to become ac-
uuanted with the rules of the House, and to
| understand the process by which the business
of legislation MAJ be facilitated. He is a
man OF Spartan trmneSs, and OF heroic cOur-
age, moral and physical. He is a man whom
no combination of circumstances can shake
when once be has made up his mind. With
enough OF the sudUiter IN naodo to excite per-
sonal affection aud friendly regard. he has al
so the fortiter in re TO confront and to master
any difficulty that may come in his way. In
short, be has the precise combination of quail
ties which are needed for responsible and
delicate position as Speaker OF the House of
Representatives.
From his Independent and national course,
| Mr. Etherdge is held in high regard in both
sections of the Union. 1t is too common
mistake to believe that politician cannot be
held in high esteem in the North, without
having done something to forfeit the conf
dence of the South. The position of justice
to both sections is one which involves no in
consistency.
Because Eheridge is admired by the states
men of the North, il by no means follows
| that we are justified in impugning his devO
ton to southern interests and honor. The
two circumstances are entirely compatible.
| Representing, as he does, one of the largest
slave-holding districts in Tennessee, We
would as soon trust him, to day, with the pro-
lection of the rights of the South as any
other man in the Congress of the United
States. The people of the North, while adj
mring his manliness and independence. know
and admit that be is the last man in the Sodth
of whom they would expect the slightest con
cession of the legislative or natural rights Of
the Shareholder.
Thus, Mr.. Etheridge appears to Us to be
specially fitted for the emergency that will
occur upon the assembling of Congress in De-
cember. He is emphaticsAly the rigut man
for the place. In his personal fitness for the
duties and requirements of the office, as well
| as in respect of his political aDtecedents and
surroundings, Mr.. Elheridge is the man, OF
all others, to preside in the next House of Re-
| prrsentatives. AS none OF the parties into
81, e 1iV-iI a1 ha ..hl la II
oloot a representative speaker il would seem
! proper that all of them should unite upon
one who commands The peculiar position oI
Mr.. Etheridge. We trust that, upon this fail
compromise all difficulty about the Speaker
ship will be adjusted