Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1860-01-26
The spe.kersh,p-cap ,t be Done -:


Circumstances go to show that, 80 far as human
vision extends the chances for the election of Speaker
of the United States House of Representatives are less
on this the 4th Monday of January 1860 than they were
on the LIST Monday in December, 1859. Parties have
come to dead lock and it is manifesy impossible as
things stand to bring forward the of any member
of the House of whatever party against whom objection
will not be made or upon whom majority of votes can
be concentrated.
In this position Of affairs, any number of expedients
have been suggested resort to the plurality rule has
been attempted by the Republicans but resisted by the
Democrats while the question is pending on the resolu-
lions offered by Mr. Clark, of Missouri, declaring no
endorser of Helpers book fit to be Speaker The plan
of closing the nominations at certain fixed time, and
then after each successive ballot, dropping the lowest
candidate has also been suggested but for reasons per-
haps better understood by those the ground than by
us at distance has not been acted upon seriously
considered The last proposition, and the most startling
of ALL because one that could have been thought
Of save in the most desperate circumstances which
in no circumstances before has been broachedis
that the House should choose some citizen, not
Der, to preside its deliberations as Speaker.
The question arises whether this can be done? The
only reference to this matter in the Constitution of the
United States is in ART L. SEC. H., paragraph 5,
which says -
"The House of Representatives shall choose their
Speaker and other officers and shall have the sole
power of impeachment.
We see here no difference between the Speaker and
other officers and it is notorious that the other off
GERS" as Clerk Door-Keeper, SergeantatArms, Post
Master ETC., are not, and indeed hardly could be
bers Some of them certainly could not be, consistent
with proper discharge of their duties We must
fess that after pretty careful search unable to
find anything in the Constitution at all preventive op
posed to the last proposition made, that OF choosing
outsider for Speaker. That there is much in parliament
tary usage all must admit. That the resort would be
humiating one, none deny 1t would remind
too forcbly of the euds that tore the Italian Republics
of the middle ages and compelled them to ask governor
from some of the neighborng States under the title of
" Podesa" The rival factions would rather submit to
an outsider than to each other. Little harmony and
still less good for the country could be expected to flow
from the deliberations of body whose vitality as an
organized branch of the Federal Government could not
be indicated maintained without extraneous help
from some outsder-unof6cia person.
Besides this, cannot but think that alter ALL this
would be only evasion of the issue-a makeshift d
temporary expedent and of such things we have had
enough, and TOO much We much prefer that the thing
should be met fairly and boldly face to face through the
plan of dropping the lowest candidate at each ballot,
until all should have been compelled to show their hands
and then could the better understand our ground
1t would be unjust to MIR. Winslow, our Representa-
tive to close these remarks without bearing testimony
to the cOolness tact, rmness and urbanity with which
he has borne himself throughout, chairman of the
managing committee appointed by the caucus of the
Democratic members at the beginning of the session.
If he has failed in efecng an organization by the ee
ton of national to the Speakershp, we GER
tain that the failure has resulted from no lack of zeal
ability on his part.
By the wayf they do talk Of an outsider for Speaker
why not elect Mr. Allen of Illinois the present Clerk
who has had to preside during the most trying times
who is Of ability, character and legislative ex-
perience ?-Doity Journal, 23d inst.
Rgg~ Everett Peterson, Esqr, of Sampson County
the 10th inst, killed hog years, months, II days
old, which weighed eight hundred and forty pounds
This pig was half brother to the one killed short
time since by Haywood Boykin, Esqr, which weighed
al pounds. Mr.. Peterson says that Mr. Boykn will
have to try again
Beg Things may be overdone and then reaction is
to follow, and the objects of any movement
DONE may be defeated matter how laudabe such OBJ
| jects may be- We think that the movement against
books and periodicals written published at the North
is being rather overdOneas for instance, regard to
Harpers Magazine readable affair, little sectional
as it we'll can be. Other folks may be keener than
are but really art and literature know no bounds oil
latitude unless of they be seconay abusive and
| Harper's is not, so far can see
| - 4l,o
| Smaey, of Vermont, Chairman of the Democratic Ma
tional Committee, who is his way to Charleston tc
make arrangements for the meeting of the Nationa
Democratic Convention in that city in April.
Judge Smalley is a very pleasant gentleman, and as
national Democrat, to entertain opinion upor
national politics that might not be expressed with equs
acceptance in North Carolina in Vermont. We were
pleased to hear him speak quite cheerngly of pros
poets at the North. In his opinion great and visible
reaction has already taken place there and the end
not yet. Neither Heperism nor Stewards irrepressi
BILE conflict can hold it's ground
He seems to think that organization of the Hous
will probably be effected during the present month
at the expense of any abandonment of principle thu
part of the Democrats we would that it should
neuer be effected. We tired of temporizng.
| Daily Journal, 23d inst
Breakers ahead still apprehended in the way of The
meeting of the European Congress, which has already
been more than postponed and which, according
the accounts of of the English papers, destined
+ indefinite postponement and final abandonment.
The difficulty Immediately pressing has reference K
the PapaI provinces outside of the city of Rome. Whe
the war commenced in Italy the Austrian troops quar-
tered in different portions of the Roman territories
withdrawn for the protection of the more immediate
dominions of the Emperor, and following upon sucl