Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-02-08
Messrs. Smith, Vance, Leach, and Gilmer.

deep sense obligation to honorable gentlemen of va
rous political opinions, constituting this House, for
the honor which they have endeayored to confer
upon me by placing me in the chair, and entrustiDg
me with the high and important responsibilities of
presiding over the deliberations of this body When
irecoect how much Of selEsacrifce must have been
incurred, how much gentlemen have given up in
their patriotic effort to concentrate the votes OF the
House on some individual who stood national and
broad conservative grounds, and when remember
also, sir that myself, with name unknown to fame
and now making my entry on this floor for the first
time have received the honor of so large and honor
able a vote as has been conferred upon me, | can
only say that shall cherish, during the residue of
my official term while member of this body, and
shall carry with into the shades of private life
when my public service is ended, grateful and
abiding sense of those deep obligations under which
gentlemen have placed me.
But, SIT, without intending--it is not the proper
occasion-without intending to go into any
matters of detail | will here take the liberty Of
saying, that am satisfied that the presentation of
my name longer before this body would not cOntri
butte towards the desired success, accord with
the wishes of those gentlemen who have so cordially
and steadily sustained me, and beg leave now, be-
fore another ballot is taken, to withdraw my name
a candidate before this body, and to say, that
hope the indications which are now presenting
themselves in this body, may be harbingers of re-
turning goodwill among all the States of this Con-
federacy; that may in the preservation of an in
tact and nviOlate Constitution, find guarantee OF
the rights of every part of our Conlederacy, and
that our glorious and blessed Union may be perpet-
uated to the remotest period of time Applause on
the floor and i'll the galleries.
On the same day. before casting his vote for Mr..
McClernand, Mr.. Smith said
Before l cast my vote, | wish to make brief
explanation. The gentleman from Illinois, who has
been put in nomination by his own party, did me
the honor of giving me prompt and ready vote.
He did not sir in that case, | understood IT. COM
promise any of his own political principles; nor do
| compromise any of mine in the vote which now
propose to give; and without intending therefore to
say that that gentleman peculiar views in reference
to the territorial policy correct but placing my
self upon the same footing towards him that he did
towards me- say he shall not excel me in the spirit
of patriotism that prompted his act; and sir, he
shall not be more generous to me than will be to
him. ] cheerfuy cast my vote for MIR. McClernand,
of Illinois. Slight applause in the galleries. follow
ed by cries of Orderr from the Republican bench
es."l
In contrast with this exhibition of just and libe
raj spirit, read the following remarks on the same
&C .asion by Gen. Leach
Mr. Leach, of North Carolina when his name
was called, said 1t was made condition precedent
when our Democratic friends agreed to vote for my
distinguished friend from North Carolina that he
should before they voted for him, receive the entire
vote of his party. see with regret that there
are a number of distinguished gentlemen OF the
Democratic party, from different States, who have
declined voting for the gentleman from Illinois.
stated, heretofore, that would vote for any to
defeat the Republican organization. | am willing
now to vote for the gentleman from Illinois because
believe him to be man of talent, and possessing
the necessary qualifications to discharge the duties
of the SpeakerShip; but my vote would effect no
result While | differ from him in the doctrines
/ hp1li larly in
the doctrine of popular sovereignty, which utterly
repudiate still to defeat the Republicans am will
| ing to vote for him; and | say now, that if the
| Democratic party come up in mass will cast my
vote for the gentleman from Illinois,. For the pre-
sent, vote for Mr.. Bocock, of Virginia
| And now turn to the letter of our Washington
| correspondent, and read the remarks of Mr.. Vance
on the same occasion. They furnish the best and
most conclusive reply that could be offered to Gen.
Leach.
On the 1st instant, the day on which Pennington
was elected Speaker, Mr.. Gilmer, in reply to Mr..
Barksdale denied that he preferred a conservative
Republican to Democrat for that Office. In other
words he said he had never said any such thing.
| Mr. Gilmer then went into calculation to show that
Mr.. McClernand could not be elected, and he con-
frmed his calculation by refusing to vote for him.
! He voted for Mr. Etheridge, who charged the Pres-
| dent in a speech which he delivered in the House a
week or two since, with "haring sti7ed the dspira-
tions Of brare and noble people after freedOne"-
meaning the people of Kansas, instgated and led
on by John Brown and Jim Lane; and the black
| Republicans of the House applauded Etheridgc for
/ the expression. That is the man for whom Mr.. Gil
mer voted
tits well known that black Republican Pennington
was elected Speaker by Henry Winter Davis Know
Nothing, of Baltimore. Mr. Davis led off on the first
! day of the session by voting for Mr.. Gilmer for
Speaker, and he continued to vote for him fire.
quently than for any else for the space of six
! weeks. But, finding he could not elect Gmer, he
went over to the enemy boldly and elected Penning-
ton. Gilmer was his first and Pennington was his
second choice. a man is known by the company
! he keeps" The eXecrations of all true ilen are
/ now showered on the head of the traitor Davis.
| Mr.. Gimer uniformly and stubbornly refused to
vote for Democrat for Speaker; and when, on the
last ballot it apparent that full vote for Mr..
McClernand by all the opponents of black Republi-
canism would tie the House, and might thus prevent
an election until Mr. Stallworth, of Alabama, could
arrive and decide the contest in favor of the Consti
tuition and the Unlon Mr.. Gilmer cent into cdlcu-
lation to shOao that Pennington could not be deteat
ed! And yet Democrats censured because they
would not vote for Mr.. Gilmer for Speaker.
IfMr. Gilmer really desired the election of ma
tional Democrat over black Republican, he Meier
shoaoed that desire by his cote.
ELECTION OF CLERK AND SERGEANT-AT-ARMs.-The
vote for Clerk of the House of Representatives is
follows John W. Forney 1l2, James G. Allen II,
N G. Taylor %, D. L. Dalton 8, T. W. McKnew l.