The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-12-29
THE NATIONAL ERA WASHINGTON, c, DECEMBER 20 1859

Mr.. Smith insisted that Mr.. Sherman haC
not denied the charge, and he wondered at the
course of the gentleman from Tennessee, Mr.
Nelson, who had said Mr.. Sherman had de
MED it.
| Mr.. Nelson, of Tennessee, said he certainl,
understood Mr.. Sherman as saying that he did
not remember signing the recommendation Of
the book, and disapproved of its ultra doc
| trines.
Mr.. Smith read from the Globe report the
language used by Mr.. Sherman, to the effect
that he did not reeollect signing the paper re-
ferred to that he had not read the Helper book
or seen copy of it; that his party desired to
organize the House quietly and peaceably
that ne would not trespass on a single right OF
single Southern State; and that he was op-
posed to any interference whatever by the peo-
pie OF the free States with the relations of mas
ter and slave in the slave States. That was all
that he said, and he insisted did not amount to
disclaimer. He asked that gentleman now
Does he disclaim the doctrines of the Helper
| book? Every one knew that there were differ
ent ways Of operating. Helper had said that
if his advice were followed, in fifteen years
there would not be a slave in America. Would
| the gentleman disclaim those doctrines? The
gentleman was dumb as an oyster, laughter,
and the gentleman from Tennessee wanted to
speak for him.
| Mr.. Nelson, Of Tennessee, said he did not de-
sire to misrepresent the gentleman from Ohio
Mr.. Sherman nor anybody else. he was not,
of course, that gentleman's organ, nor in any
way his confident, but in justice to himself, he
thought it proper to say to the House that, as
he understood the doctrines of the Helper book,
as published in the newspapers, when the gen.
tleman from Ohio distinctly disavowed any de-
sire or intention of interfering with Slavery in
the slave States, he considered that that was re-
pudiating the doctrines of the Helper book.
| Mr.. Morris, of Pennsylvania, said he was a
supporter of Mr.. Sherman, knowing that he
was free of all fair charge or implication in
anything of reasonable character, and be-
cause he knew him TO be eminently conserva-
tive. He caused to be read an extract from a
speech of Mr.. Sherman in 1856, in the debate
on the Presidents message, in which Mr.. S.
condemned the Northern Abolitionists and
fanatics, and repudiated the idea of interfering
in any manner with Slavery in the States,
though he regarded the repeal Of the Missouri
compromise as an infamous wrong. He (Mr.
Morris) knew that Mr. Sherman still enter
tanned these sentiments, and therefore sup.
ported him.
Mr. Smith, of Virginia, denied the right of
the gentleman from Ohio Mr.. Sherman to
speak by deputy In this lmperous manner. de
was not Speaker yet They had come to a
pretty pass, when gentleman put in nomina-
ton was not allowed to speak.
Mr. Smith then proceeded to reply to the re-
marks of Mr.. Grow of Pennsylvania, made on
Thursday last, and charged that gentleman
with the defeat of the Post Office appropriation
bill at the last session.
Mr. Branch, of North Carolina Mr.. Smith
yielding the floor for that purpose,) made some
remarks on the subject of the defeat of said
bill, designed to fix the responsibility for its
defeat upon Mr.. Grow.
Mr.. Grow asked few minutes to reply to
the gentleman from North Carolina, but Mr..
Smith refused to yield the floor for that pur-
pose.
After considerable desultory debate in rela-
ton to taking ballot for Speaker, adjourning
over the holidays, &C., the House proceeded to
the twenty-frst ballot for Speaker, with the