Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1860-02-03

The contest for the Speakership termina-
ted, % we feared from the beginning, in the
election of d Republican. 1t is some co1so-
latiou to know that tine successful candidate
WAS neither the choice of his party. nor an
endorser of the Helper lilo Is upon. the-Souih.
Still bis eIectionais a misfortune which could
and should have been prevented. 1t could
have been prevented by arconeeniration OF
the democratic vote upon Mr.. GLNER; and
be would have had eight votes to spare. 1t
could have been prevented 10y a concentra-
ton of the democratic vote on Mr.. SMITH, on
the 9th of January. when he wanted only
three votes to elect him. and Messrs. HOLMAN,
ALLEN and DAVIS, democrats, stood off and
refused 20 join the other democratic members
In voting for HIM. We give the democratic
members who voted for Mr.. SMITH on that oc-
casion due thanks for their support of q
Southern Opposionist. They merit all the
credit due to temporary abandonment OF
party obligations for the good of the ceuHtTy
but, nevertheless, the action of the ms jori-
~ does not obliterate the fact that at the
door OF democrats lies the responsibility of
the defeat of Mr.. SMITH, and the subsequent
election of a Republican. Ii is in accord
ance with democratic logic TOR US to hold the
democratic party responsible for the.vote of
the three recusants, and We commend to de-
mocrats the cup which they would have Of
fered 10 Southern OppositiOnists were. the
positions Of the respective parties as repre-
.onted in the vote for Mr.. SMITH reversed.
The draaght is bitter, but they must swallow
it.
In regard 70 the bearing of the vote of
HOLMAN, ALLEN, and DAVIS upon tie result.
the Cincinnati Enquirer, the ablest democrat
ie journal In the West, in its issue of the 3Ist
-uIt., says:
The VoTE FOB SPEAKER--Onr Washington
dispatches this morning are interesting. Pea
nington came within one vote of eing elect
cd Speaker yesterday. Mr. Smith, of North
Carolina, an Old-line Wing. who never be-
louged 20 the American party. would have
been elected if Allen. Holman and Davis,
Democrats, had voted for him. There is DO
excuse for their not doing it. The Democra
cy OF their districts, we have no doubt, are
unanimous for Smith in preference to Pen
niugtsa- Democrats geneIa ally express much
regret at their coGrse.
The Washington correspondent of the
Richmond CVa-) LIdcz, another democratic
journal, says
S-song hopes were entertained that HHl-
man, Of Indiana. Allen, Gf Ohio, and Davis,
Of Indiana, would come TO the support of Mr..
Smith, and thus terminate tie struggle but they
remained iapTaeisodbLe To the last.
The Herald, Mr.. BUCHANAS's New York or
ran, says
On Friday the result of the thirty-ninIb
balIOt in the House of Representatives, show
ed liz votes for VIM. \. III. Smith, Southern
opporiionist, of North Carolina, and L. 6 fOr
Mr.. Sherman, HelperiIe-necessary for
choice, lis. VIM. $ Holman, democrat, of
1ndi ana; VIM Allen, democrat, of Chio. and.
John q. Darts. anti-L-cOmpton Democrat,
Of Indiana. did net vote tor Mr.. Smith, other
wise he would have been elected.
These democratic authorities all agree as
TO the cause of Mr.. SMITH defeat. 1t is true
that be could have been elected without the
votes Of the recusants, had not certuin North
err men who voted for him changed their
votes before the result was announced. But
when the Northern men deserted, they should
have come to the. rescue, and saved the coun
try the misfortune of the election of Re-
publican Speaker. They did not take this
patriotic step, aud to-day the Speakers
Chair In filed by q Republican.