Weekly Minnesotian and times., 1859-12-31

uTaWn lutO tuC COllNCISutOh NhiSh h"N cS~'
held with his colleague; he had no doubt that
the Charleston Convention would adopt the
Cincinnati pletlorm he .had no DOUBT
Douglas would support its nominee.
F.-That'S no answer.
Morris-Then, sir, | will say that they
will.
f. reoined that Douglas had declared that
he would not accept Il nomination, unless he
were placed upon Il platform that conceded
the right of Il territorial legislature to leSisate
upon the subject of slavery.
Morris-We consider all that our business,
not yours.
F., in reply, held that it was also business
cncy Douglas could support the nominee OF
Charleston, even upon platform upon which
he would not himself be candidate.
Mr.. Smith, of Va, then proceeded to ad-
dress the House. In consequence ola course
of remarks indulged in by the gentleman from
Pennsylvania, Grow he felt it his duty to
take his part.
The country was startled with amazement
when it was seen that some members of the
last Congress, besides numerous other gents
| of the highest position, had endorsed PAM
phlet, known as Helpers pamphlet inaugur-
| ating crusade of blood and insurrection
against one of the largest sections of the
Union. What had been the first develop
ment? One of the very gentlemen who en-
dorsed this book had been put in nomination
| as presiding officer of the House. That Off
Ger must sustain most intimate personal and
| social relations with members over whose de-
liberations he presides.
He asked the House and country if they
would rightfully and truly perform their
great social and political duty by electing
that man to preside over this body He put
the question here, and he desired the country
to understand it. They may have the
power by force of numbers to put a man who
is murderer and a robber, who prOclaims
his deadly hostility to onehalf Of the Union, in
that chair, but | ask them if it is right If they
will stand as the representatives of cOnstitu-
tional liberty on this floor.
| Mr., Sherman, with composure, but with
| signs of a stOrm)-I desire to know if the
gentleman from Virginia applies these words
| to me.
Mr.. Smith (quickly)-I am illustrating:
did not say that the gent is murderer.
have no such thought in mind and was about
to say so and it would have come with more
grace than from an interruption.
Mr. Sherman with satisfied air)-I mis-
understood the gent.
Mr.. Smith (imperiously)-I was illustrat-
| ing. Would you vote for murderer?
Mr.. Sherman (rather gerly)-certainy
| not.
Mr.. Smith-If the act of party
| Mr.. Curtis (very much eXcited)-I call the
| gentleman to order. | consider that reflec-
| ton upon the members on the floor. 1t i'm
peaches the honor of every man on this side
of the House, and ask the gentleman to re-
call it.
Smith (firmly)-When have anything to
recall, | will do it without being asked. Gap
plause from the gallercs.) If the gentleman
will just keep cool he will, perhaps, fare all the
better for it. | charged nobody with being
murderers and robbers upon this floor, but |
do charge that, when we came here, we
found sixty eight members of the last Con-
gress, many of them now here, did endorse a
pamphlet according to what we had right to
believe and suppose was just as bad and as
damdable (Cries of good and applause in
the galleries)
The Clerk said that he gave notice yester-
day that if the rules of the House were again
violated by applause in the galleries, he would
call upon the officers of the House to suppress
it. In accordance Herewith he called upon
the Sergeant-at-arms and the door-keeper to
perform their duty.
Here ensued scence of confusion, many
members crying out ''clear the galleries, "
whilst others hoped such course would not
be pursued. In the galleries commotion
could be observed, and one middlc-aged, re-
spectacle gent exclaimed loudly. 81 will leave
it." and made his way through the dense
throng, whilst the sergeant-at-arms passed at
rapid pace out of the main door of the
House to intercept him. Finally order was
restored.
The Clerk stated that it was not his nten-
ton to have the galleries cleared, as many Or
derby persons occupied them, but simply to
preserve order.
The business of the House then proceeded.
Mr.. Smith said he was proceeding to Illus
tratc the position that had been taken by the
Democrats and had used strong figures OF
speech for the purpose of making it in a way
from which there could be no escape, and then
vindicate the Democratic side of the House
from the rcproaches cast upon them from time
to time, of triflng. with organization of their
body.
The discussion was continued at some
length. At the close of the discussion, the
House took ballot for Speaker, which re-
suited in no choice Adjourned.