The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-12-29
Saturday, December "a, 1859.
The Senate not in session.
unUSE

HOUSE,
| Mr.. Bonham gave notice that after the speech
of Mr.. Smith, Of Virginia, who was entitled to
the floor, he would endeavor to obtain an op-
| portunity to move that the House proceed to
ballot for Speaker faithfully throughout the day.
Failing in that, he would make an effort to offer
resolution that from and after to-day no vote
for Speaker shall he taken before the hour of
| II O'clock, meridian on Wednesday, the 9th Of
January and that when the House adjourn to.
dav, it be till Wednesday.
Mr.. Fouke, Mr.. Smith giving way, replied to
! the remarks of Mr.. Farnsworth, who had COM
mented on the course of Mr., Douglas. His col
league Mr.. Farnsworthl had declared in SUP
stance that he would rather see any other man
than Mr.. Douglas elected to the Presidency
The Republican, hatred of Mr.. Douglas was
deep-seated, and well it may be, for he has given
them many heavy blows. Mr.. Douglas stands
on the Cincinnati platform, and desires nothing
else than its adoption by the Charleston Con-
vention.
He (Mr. Fouke) would support the nominee
Of that Convention in good faith, and so will
the Democrats of Illinois. They have buried
the differences of the past, and consider that
every one who abides by the Democratic organ
izaton is a Democrat.
Mr.. Farnsworth. Will Mr.. Douglas support
the nominee of the Charleston Convention on
platform on which he will not stand himself?
Will he sustain platform which does not
recognise his Mr.. Douglass doctrine, that the
people in theTerritories have the right to legis-
late in reference to Slavery2
Mr.. Fouke said he would tell the North and
South that Mr.. Douglas will support the nomi-
nee Of the Charleston Convention.
Mr.. Farnsworth. On any platform
Mr.. Fouke said he would give his support
AGAINST the RapuhlicanS and ba procaada1 70
show that the State Convention of Illinois de-
clared they would sustain the nominee of the
Charleston Convention.
The discussion was continued for some time
between Messrs. Fouke, Farnsworth, and Morris,
of Illinois,
Mr.. Smith. of Virginia, then proceeded to
address the House. He referred to the exciting
circumstances under which the House had as
sembled, and the attempt made by the largest
party in this House, who stood before the coun-
try as having proclaimed no fellowship with
shareholders, and war to the death against Sla-
very, to elect as Speaker one who had endorsed
the Helper look. In speaking of the character
of that book and its endorsers, he asked if the
Republicans thought it would be right if they
should propose to put man who is murderer,
a robber and a thief and who procams his
deadly hostility to any of their institutions, into
that chair.
Mr.. Sherman, of Ohio desired to know if the
gentleman from Virginia applied those words
to him.
Mr. Smith said he was only illustrating his
argument He had no such thought and did
not intend to say that the gentleman from Ohio
was a murderer.
MIR. Sherman had misunde rstood the gentle
man.
Mr. Smith restated his position, and applied
10, he Ron N n
They had a right to say that the gentleman's
party had been guilty Of these things.
Mr.. Curtis, of Iowa. / call the gentleman to
order. He impeaches the honor Of every man
on this side of the House, and ask the gentle
man to recall it.
Mr.. Smith. When / have anything to recall,
will do it, sir, without being asked, lap.
plause and if the gentleman will keep cool,
he will perhaps fare the better by it. He was
charging nobody On that floor with being muir
derers and robbers, but he did charge that
when they came here, finding that many mem
bers of the Republican party had endorsed
Helpers book, they had right to believe that
those endorsers, unless they dsclaimed it, we're
just as bad and just as damnable. Applause
The Clerk here gave notice that order must
be preserved in the galleries, and called on the
Sergeant-at-arms and Doorkeepers to perform
their duty
Mr.. Smith said he was proceeding to illus
trate his position strikingly, and had been using
strong figures of speech, for the purpose Of
making it SO plain that there could be no escape,
and to vindicate the Democratic side of the
House from the charge of unnecessarily delay.
ing the organization. He asked the gentleman
from Iowa if he would have vbted for Mr. Sher-
man if he had really endorsedthe Helper book.
Mr.. Curtis said the gentleman knew he would
not, and that his candidate would not sanction
any assaults upon the rights Of Virginia or any
other State. When the gentleman asked wheth
or he or his party would put Ipeuurer or vii.
lain into the Speakers chair, the very question
was horrible. He could not suppose that the
gentleman ever seriously believed that the Re-
publican members were so insensible to justice
and honor as to dare to bring into that hall and
sustain any one who would propose or endorse
any argument in favor of an outrage and crime
like that of John Browns raid. He did not blame
them for raising the inquiry, to which he had
responded, as had the Republican nominee, by
full denial, but he thought those gentlemen
ought now themselves to yindicate them from
the imputation, E'@5T