Nebraska advertiser., 1859-12-22

IL Is not our purpose 10 comment at
length on the doings in Congress. We
only intend to make a concise synopsis,
CLEANED from telegraphic reports and
Washington correspondence, yet sufi.
cient 10 enable u readers to have a TO-
lerably accurate idea of the proceedings
Of that body.
., HOUSE.
On the first day Of the session, imne-
diately after the first ballot for the cleo
ton of a Speaker had been taken, the
result of which we gave last week, Mr..
Clark of Missouri, after making some
remarks, offered the following:
Whereas, Certain members Of this
House now in nomination for Speaker, did
endorse and recommend the book herein
after named, Therefore,
ResOiUed, That the doctrines and senti-
ments Of a certain book, called "The inn
pending crisis of the South, and how to
meet it, purporting to have been written
by II. r. Helper, are incendiary and
hostile to the domestic peace and tran
guilty of the country, and that no men,
: Der of this House who recommended or
endorsed it, or the compend, is fiji to be
Speaker Of the House.
The book above referred 10 was writ
ten, some two or three years ago, by a
man named Helper, from North Carolina,
on the subject of slavery-ostensibly in
the interest of the on~-slOveholding whites
OF. the South-pointing out their depress-
ed condition, and designed TO stir them
up to measures of relief and redress. A
number of Republican Congressman con-
ceived the design Of making this book a
campaign document, and sixty-three of
them signed a certificate of It's interest
and value as a book of popular instruction
on the subject which it discussed. By
declarations made subsequently,, 1t seems
however, that most of the endorsers sign
ed the endorsement without reading the
book.
The reading Of the resolution was the
signal for mingled applause and Kisses in
The galleries, in which a few members
joined.
Mr.. Clark then proceeded to denounce
the work and its endorsers, and finally
gave way, after repeated Interruptions,
for a motion to adjourn, which motion
prevailed.
Onthe following day (6Ih) the resolu-
ton came up for consideration. Mr.
Clark concluded his remarks; after which,
Mr.. Gilmer. of North Carolina, offered
a substitute embracing the resolutions
adopted BY both the Democratic and
Wing Conventions in 1852, on the subject
of slavery. A motion to lay the whole
subject on the table was lost by a vote Of
lie TO ll6. An extended and animated
discussion ensued, in which a number of
members took part. Sherman of Ohio,
Kilgore of Indiana, and several other
Republicans, energetically disclaimed the
sentiments of the Objectionable book, and
all intention Of ~meddling with slavery in
the. States. During the discussion an in
cident occurred, which is related as fol-
lows by the correspondent Of the ST. Louis
Republican:
SAT one time il was believed the whole
body was on the eve Of a general explo-
sion. Mr.. Stevens Of New York had
declared that the southern cries Of 'disu-
nion, were intended tofrighten the timid
of the North. Mr.. Crawford, Of Geor-
gia, approached Mr.. Stevens and %rejoin-
ed. AS the parties approached each 9TH
er, il seemed to be taken for granted that
a fight was on hand, and the mistake
came near involving the bodyin a terrible
scene Of slaughter. aud proves the excit-
ed condition Of the members. The Dem
ocrats rushed to Crawford, while the Re-
publicans came to the rescue of Stevens.
Itnow only wanted the slightest motion
or pass. 10 commence a fight. which would
probably have resulted In breaking up the
Congress, and perhaps the Union. Some
thirty or forty members were known tc
he armed and prepared for a row. But
fortunately, a motion to adjourn was made
and the ayes and nays were ordered.
when members returned 10 their seat:
and order was restored"
The discussion was renewed on the
next day. Kellogg, of Illinois, opened
the eight, by stating that Douglas had
been chosen Senator in consequence of q
b~ack-parlor bargain with Greedy and 9th.
er Republicans, a treaty with the stipu
lations of which K. declared himself ia
miliar. The debate following this state
ment was violent. Pryor, Of Virginia
declared that the Northern supporters 0
Douglas are not whit sOunder than tn
Republicans, and denounced Nelson, o
Tennessee, because that gentleman wa