The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1859-12-15
The First Collision IN COngresss
Correspondence Of the Chicago Press Tribune.
WASHINGTON. Dee G.

The Flr0g COinS9Ou H COuSfcSSs
Correspondence of the Chicago Press 4 Tribune.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 6.
Horace F. Clark, Of N. Y, anti-Le-
compton Democrat, made an able
speech, showing that the South began
the slavery agitation by breaking down
the Missouri Compromise, and had
kept mp the agitation ever since. He.
reviewed their course in Kansas and
elsewhere, and charged them with
grossly and foully libelling the people
of the Union. He made many telling
points, and stirred the chivalry up like
the pouring of live Goals into a basket
Of rattlesnakes.
Now comes the crisis OF the day.
Thad. Stevens, the Nestor of the House,
arose to a point of order-that all the
speeches and resolutions were wholly
out of order, and in clear violation OF
parliamentary law; that voting for
Speaker, or to adjourn, was all that
could be done until the House was or
ganized. He would therefore move to
lay all the resolutions on the table, and
take up the proper und legitimate bus
mess of the House, and on this he
would call for the previous question.
A dozen Southerners shouted that "by
Cd the debate should go on, rules or
no rules, whether in order or out of or
DER" Stevens, who had stood immov-
able during the threats and uproar, siad
he did not blame gentlemen from the
South for pursuing the course they did
because they had always succeeded
thereby in frightening the North into
compliance with their demands, and he
had little doubt but the same tactics of
intimidation andinvective would alarm
timid men from the North, and again
crown their demands with triumph.
While he was uttering these words in
a. cool and dispassionate tone of voice
the chivalry all sprung to their feet !;
Crawford, of Ga, made q rush towards
the old imam and commenced screaming
out, "Why don't you hold Union meet
ings ?"-repeatiDg it a dozen times. A
score of fre-eaters plunged to the front
and began to below like Indians. Old
Thad. waved his hand towards them,
and turning his head to the Republicans
and Anti-Lecompton men, said, in a
firm but quiet tone, "See them that is
the way they frighten Northern men
and carry their point. / have often
witnessed these exhibitions, and under
stand their object; they never fail to
accomplish their object"
The storm was now at its height. A
hundred voices seemed to be brought
into free use. Two thousand people in
the galleries sprang to their feet. The
Republican members arose, and a por-
ton of them gathered quickly about
the old chief, who stood as unmoved
as statue, and as cool as an iceburg.
Adozen Southerners placed their hands
on their revolvers, which they carried
in their breast pockets, but their hearts
failed them. They dare not strike the
old man, who looked the advancing
mob steadily i'm the eyes. At this juno
ture some of the Northern Democratic
members began to shout, "order, order,
sit down, Clerk, preserve order" And
the rear members of the Southern
crowd commenced pulling away Keitt
Prior, Barlsaale, Crawford, and others
who were. shout starting fight
Members began to take their seats, and
after quiet was restored, Stevens, who
had not budged an inch, finished bis
remarks by saying that this was only
passing ebullition of Southern feeling
that it meant nothing-at least it had
produced no effect on his side of the
House. He then renewed his motion
for the previous question.
Several motions to adjourn were
promptly voted down, the fire-eater:
voting with the Republicans. Finally
at near o'clock, the House adjourned