Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1860-02-03
Correspondent II tts A. 7. Tribune.
TIE SCENE On FRIDlT-- THE PER
1.-THE ESClPi.
W AsnTNaIoN. Jan. q. 186l

4 y
/ day of tho session. Eariy ii the forenoon i,
was whispered around thst ehe South Aaericans
encouraged By the ynte already given to Mr.
Smith Of North Carolina, bad held caucus
and concentrated all their sole ppop bin, in
cluding the very iuGexi5le and decidedly ir-
dependents Mr. Winter Davis About the
time of the assembling Of the House, it was
eoDtideutially stated that i've or six gentlemen
from PennsylvanIa and New JERSEY, who had
been supporting Dir. SheFman, would, on the
first ballot to-day, try the rather hazardous
expedient Of scomplInentiug' Dir. Smith -
The votes thrown for bin by Mr.. Keitt and
other Democrats gave currency to the rumor
that that party would also eudeavor 10 unite
their strength upon tho same gentleman. But
the firm belief that Northern Democrats, aud
especlaliy those Of the Western States conld
never be induced to dig their own graves with
their Own hands, by placing an Ola Line Whig
American III the Speaker S chair, led ihe Re-
publcaEs generally TO scout tbe idea that this
attempt TO consolidate unccugeua elements
would result otherwise than all its predeces-
sor7 bad 5oue-in utter failure.
But that indescri54Sle nental phenomenon
called magnetism ppregnaled the atmos-
phere of the Chamber Wita It some;bing that
said to every cautious mind on our side of the
Hall, Beware The galleries we're crowded
20 Eepletlon; there was an Unusual buzzing
and ruHuing 10 and iro on the hoor After a
few brief 'peraonal explanations Of Anu Lee
comp onltes, which showed that soms careless
person had been firing into that fock Of rare
birds, and call Of the lisl of members, and "a
comparison of pairs the teller9 took their
seats at the Clerks desk, snd the House ea-
tered upon vo'e for Speaker. 20 the casual
observer, the tedious roll call, and the stereo-
typeo responses, Indicated no change, except
thai Smith seemingly obtaining all the
South American vote, with some half dozen
quasi American Republicans from Ponusylva-
MA and New Jersey, and larger proporiion
of the slaveholdlng Democracy than OH any
previous ballot.
But no sooner lad the clerk reache3 the in-
eVitable John V Wright, than half hundred
heads on the South siue of the Hall, in squads
OF threes and ives, entered upon an earnest
consultation, while scOres Of pencils were put
in tequisitien to ascertain the precise result
and It's probable bearings, the Chamber, ulean-
while, FesoandiDg WIN that hum of human
voices SO recognizable but indessrihaLle. which
always indlcstes intense feeling, and often pre-
sages coming events.
Alter little coyBess and besitaaoy, so nat.
urai and becoming in men who were about TO
take leap IN the dark, doubtful whether thew
were to land Oh bed Of roses or ledge of
Focks, tbe Democratic stampede commenced. In
The tWloRiing OF an eye, score OF the bolder
spirits prepared .oE tno exedas. Eae rsoIe
sensitive gcpeiaily gave rather tsdlous an
usually quite unsatisfactory reasons for aban-
doning Bocock: Nltlson, Lamar, aud tHe:f eth
er tried brethren, for tbiG North Caroline Know
Nothing Old lime Conservative National Whig.
The more sensible made short Tork of the dis
agreeable jno. by simply requesting that their
votes be changed.
Iae struggle now became interesting. The
Senate aeJoucne5, ard its members went oyer
ALMOST eH 1sssse 10 the Representatives Hall. -
Reporters, spectators of note, aud politicians
from all sections ct the Union, feuad ingress
upon the Haor, and the exeieIneas became To-
teose. The crowd above filled every nook Of
The vast galleries and overfowed into the ac-
joining passages. Sone of the more timid and
nervous Republicans began to feel auxious.-
ISs six amable gentlemen wno had oonpll-
lueeted" Mr.. Smlth tegau TO sboE some sIgns
Oh uueasiness.
The advancing wave had already reached the
Nurl heru Democracy, and had swspt In It's outer
edges. Mr. Dan'l K. SIckes had lust grace
fully 'c.ayed" and gone Under, when Mr.. John
Coehrane took tile f1or, aud in a speech of tan
minutes urged his colleagues to stand firm. and
braveiy tacthg the surge, said: "Phns far, but
no farther!" The exbortati9n and The edist were
alike uoheeded. The tile still poured on, boar
ing down Tom Florence, MoCIernAnl, and 9TH
sr sturdy champions of our adopted citizens
At length it was announced that Smith lack
ed bat eight changes more TO elect bun. Bill
English sends up dying vail aud disappears.
Seven more changes, and She work is dane:--
Barr OF New York-what viii his Irish boys
say TO thatl Barr stood lingering, >hlvariug on
the brlnS, and feared to auGch away; bat said
be was ready t. leap into the gulf, like that
other Roman, when his plunge would elect Smith
aud save the country. Va.landig9sm said ditto
to Barr. He was ready to commit suicide at
moueuis notice. Morris of illinois, bold aud
bluff, tried to stem the current which was sweep
lug the North Western Democracy to psrdtion.
lie SAID he wouldn't vote Tor Nc. Smith until
be declared his opinions ON Squatter Sovereign
ty aud Slave Cude.
Tue battle Was beginning to look doubtful, |
wGen Mr.. hickman, who had wtbhsld his vote |
en the regular call of the roll, now recorded |
tis name for John Shermsu Nc. Smith, who |
had been sitting oH rear seat, seemingly halt |
iflghted out OF his wits, and actually ooscning |
his cravat TO facilitate bis breathing, now re
tired TO The CLOAK room, an was speedily fol- |
lowed by dozen Democratic members. We
cannot say what ,ranspired there. We only
know that several gentlemen we're Immediately
thereafter vociferoas in declaring that Mr.. |
onith had given them satisfactory assurances
Ia regard to his opinions on such questions, and
was 'all right : whereupon some OF the weaker
aud more reluctant brethren caught of these
straws and went down with the tide-Mont-
gomery and Pendeiton and Howard among the
rast tha no llo.,oa