Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1860-01-04
The Speakership.

The other d.y, 10 the House Of Representatives
Mr.. MArsAsp. of Tennessee. . member Of the
Southern Opposition was put in nomination for the
Speakership He received nearly every Southern
vo,e--whig and Democratic. Had the Northern
Democratic members voted for him, be would have
been easily elected-and the country would have
been spared the spectacle Of seeing the third Office
of the Government filed BY an cndorser 81 the IN
famous pamphlet Of IIsIrss.
But the Northern Democratic members did even
worse than 10 refuse to vote for MAYNARD. Some
Of them whs who had voted for Southera Demo
crats hat roted for MArSARD. got mp and changed
their voses to Northern Democrat! Not only
would they not vote for MAYNARD himsclf-but
they would not even vote for Scorr, EsoLisH, and
others, who had voted for MAYNARD. If q strong
or instance Of party intolerance and malign'y
can be found than this, we would like to see it
no, we would be panied to see it.
What o fimsy excuse they offered for this ILL
beral conduct! They were elected they said, in
great degree, by the votes Of foreign.born cti-
zens-and they could not account to their constr
tuents II they aided, directly or indirectly, in
placing in the Speakers chair a gentleman who
Wnen AmefiCanism was M iesue oeloTo 'ne Sohh-
try. had acted with the American party.
The issue in Congress 10 narrowed down to this:
Whether tho Speakers chair shall be filled by II
national man or q sectional. These Northern
Democrats themselves admit and proclaim the
fact. Without doaying Mr. MArsARp's national
ity-for they have not tue hardihood to do this
they yet pursue course that must result ncyita-
bly, in the election of SHERMAN. They know-as
everybody else knows that unless a combination
Of the the Opposition be effected SHERMAN will be
elected Speaker. Probably that result will be at
tanned this very day, under the operation Of the
plurality rule. 1t is impossible to resis. tho
clusiou, then. that these Northern Democrats pre-.
fer the election Of SHERMAN to the election Of
member Of the Southern Opposition.
The Southern members Of Congress. on both
sides, have display a commsudablc spirit Of lib
eralty. A majority Of the Democratic members
have voted for BOTHER and for MAYNARD, and all
Of them would no doubt do the same thing if
there were prospect OF election. On the other
hand majority of the Southern Opposition have
voted for MILlsoS, and others have avosed an en-
tire willingness to do so rs soon their are
are likely to be efectual. Thus it is clenr pro-
position that the failure Of tho House of Repre-.
sentatves to organize with u National Speaker is
due to the Northern Democrats Lecompton and
Anti Lecompton-who refuse to vote under any
circumstances for a member of the Southern OPP
position The combined vote Of both parties Mt
the South is inadequate TO the election Of Soca-
ker-and thus the factious course Of few i'm.
practicable Northern Democrats produces the pre-.
sent dead lock in Congress which must finally re-
suit in the election of Black Republican.
All this trouble-and great many other trou.
bles that aiRict tue country-arses frou tho ridi-
eulous fear that most Of our Representatives in
Congress have of their constituents They seem
10 forget the fact that their constituents elected
them because they had confidence in their patriot
ism and honesty. Instead Of taking the response
bty like men, they pcrpctually lodging and
twisting. and exhibit q moral cowardico disgrace
full alike to their constituents and themselves.
They ought to reflect that the people would never
have sent them there, unless willing to trust them
in all contingencies, and to allow them to be guild.
ed by circumstances in their Official action.
The union which the South now presents makes
it an easy matter to determine the responsibility
for the non-organizstion Of the House Of Repre-
sentatives. Primarily, tho Douglas Democrats.
and then the Northern Democrats generally with
out respect Of their divisions, hold the balance Of
power Let this fact be remembered by the pco.
pie, when SHERMAN shall take his seat, rs he will
do in q few days, the Speaker OF tho House of
Representatives Of the Thirty Sixth Congress.
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