Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1860-02-11
FOUR GREAT SPEAKER CONTESTS.

of the House of Representatives have occurred
during the last twenty years, and there happens
curiousy to be a connecting link between the
first and the last. When the House (26th
Congress) met on the I'd of December, 1889, it
was apparent that its organization would turn
upon the decision of the contested seats Of the
New Jersey delegation. That State then elect
cd by general ticket, and five whig members
presented themselves with their election certif-
Gates, duly bearing the "broad seal" of New
Jersey and the signature Of its Governor, VIII
liam Pennington. Five Democratic contest
ants also appeared. In calling the roll of the
members elect, the clerk of the previous House
called the name of one New Jersey member,
and then proposed to omit the other four till
the remainder of the list had been called. A
stormy and dsorderly debate at once arose, fol-
lowed by others, on various specific motions
John Quincy Adams, Henry A. Wise, Ogden
Hoffman, and Mr.. Rhctt of South Carolina be-
ing the principal speakers-until the 18th of
December, when the motion to admit the seer
tilted" members from New Jersey was lost by
tic vote. The House then began to vote for
Speaker on the next day, bat it was not until
the 10Th of December, on the eleventh ballot,
that Il. Nj. I. Hunter, now one of the Senators
from Virginia, was chosen Speaker by three
majority. He was then acting with the Wings,
although he was in favor OF the Democratic
sub-treasury bill.
The next remarkable conte-t was at the open
ing of the 3lst Congress, in 1919. The gener-
al division of the House, as regarded the poll
tics of the dav. was Democrats 1l5 Wings
1O5 Free Soilers, 8; Howell Cobb Of Georgia
was the Democratic, and Robert c. Winthrop
of this State, the Wing candidate for Speaker.
The former was so Objectionable to the Demo-
Gratis of Free Soil tendencies, that Mr.. Win
throp came very near election, and would have
1n1 but for tha of & ~ h.
A. ii. Stephens, and three other Southern
Wings, who refused to go with their party
without distinct committal Of it against the
Wimot Proviso. On the other hand a few
ant-slavery men. elected by Wing votes, stood
aloof from Mr.. Winthrop. After many ballot
ings, without any prospect Of success, other
candidates were tried on both sides, with no
better result, finally, after the ninety second
ballot, the House decided to try the plurality
rule; and on the next vote, Howell Cobb had
102, Robert c. Winthrop 100, and there were
20 scattering. The contest consumed little
over three weeks.
But the most remarkable Of all the contests
for the Speakership prior to that of this year,
signalized the opening of the 3ith Congress- in
lSjj. The strength of parties in the House
was then estimated as follows: Administration
Democrats, 49,; Anti-Nebraska men, III;
Wings and X. Ms, 81. The ballotings began
on the second Of December standing on the
first count as follows: William A. Richardson,
Oem.) "A l.. ID. Campbell, (Anti- -Nebraska)
So; Humphrey Marshall (K. NJ 80; n.
p. Banks, (Anti Nebraska) 81 Henry NJ. Full
Ter, (K. NJ Il; A. c. NJ. Pennington, (Anti-
Nebraska) Z; with % votes scattered upon 10
others. No great change was made until, ON
the twenty-fourth ballot, Mr.. Campbell with
drew, and the Anti-Nebraska men generally
settled upon Mr.. Banks, whose highest vote
went up on the thirty seventh ballot to 1O7-
lib being necessary to a choice. Richardson's
vote continued about as it began, until he with
drew, after the one hundred and twenty-frst
ballot, and Col. Orr took his place. The latter
did not run quite so well. Explanations took
place all round, which resulted in making the
subsequent Anti Nebraska force at about lOS;
the Democratic, 75; the X. ~, 40; with half
dozen floating. On the first of February, Mr.
Cobb tried to elect Mr.. Aiken of South Caro-
lima, by resolution, which attempt failed, and SO
encouraged the Democrats that they determin-
ed to try the plurality rule, which the Anti
Nebraska men had been for some time endeav-
oring to get. Finally the one hundred and
thirty-third ballot was taken under the plurali-
ty rule, on the second of February, and result
ed in the election of Nathaniel p. Banks, he
having 103 votes TO 100 for Aiken.
With the progress of the contest Just closed
by the election of the same William Pennng-
ton whose official signature was not properly
recognized, as we have seen, By the 26th Con-
gress our readers are now familiar. 1t began
on the 9TH of December, when the first ballot
showed that John Sherman of Ohio had &c
votes, Thomas Bocock of Virginia SO, G. A.
Grow Of Pennsylvania 43, A. r. Boteler of
Virginia 1.-THE remainder scattering. At the
next balloting on the 7th, the Republicans con-
centrated upon Mr.. Sherman, who had 107
Ir ,,.al. .l1c ELL -.
tration strength, SO votes and Mr.. Gilmer, the
South American support, having % votes.-
For long time the ballotings showed nearly
the same division, except that by the aid of
Ant-Lecompton Democrats Mr.. Sherman final
ly attained to within three votes of an election,
which seemed to be a permanent ultimatum.-
Under this view, the Republicans who had care
fully abstained from general debate made eve
ry effort to obtain the plurality rule, which had
decided the two previous contests, but without
avail. 1t was at length discovered that forty
one Democrats had privately signed written
agreement to resist the adoption of that rule at
all hazards-which closed all hope in that di-
recton. . In the meantime the Administration
men had successfully supported Mr.. Bocock,
Mr. Millson, also, of Virginia, and Mr. Hamil-
ton of Texas, without making any gain. At
length, on Friday, the 9th of January, the en-
tire Democratic strength, three votes excepted,
was given to William N ii. Smith of North
Carolina, Opposition. That-the 39th-ballot
stood: Whole number 22S; necessary for
choice, ll5; Smith, l12 Sherman 1867 the
remainder scattering. At the next ballot, on
the 30th, Mr.. Sherman withdrew, and his sue
cessor, Mr. Pennington of New Jersey, was
within three votes of an election. In the four
remaining ballots he gradually gained the votes
of Mr.. Davis (American) of Maryland, Riggs
(Anti-Lecompton DemocraD of New Jersey,
and Briggs (American) of New York, until on
the lst of February, 1860, at the 44th balloting,
he was chosen by the following vote: Whole
number present 233; necessary to choice,
III; John A. McClernand (Dem) of Illinois
So; John A. Gilmer of North Carolina, 16.-
Boston journal.