Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1860-02-08
The Speakership-Election Of Pennington, a
black Republican, from New Jersey,

House began to vote for Mr.. Smith, Of this State,
for Speaker against John Sherman On the 39th |,
ballot the vote was Smith 11s, Sherman 1885, Cor
win 4, and scattering. Mr. Smith lacked three of |;
an election But he elected on this ballot and !
would have been the Speaker but for the fact that E.
Joy Morris, Scranton, and Wood, of Pennsylvania,
who hadvoted for him. changed thervotes to Corwin.
These three Pennsylvanians who defeated Mr. Smith,
the national candidate are moderate black Republi-
cans They all voted for Mr.. Gmer, and they all !
declared afterwards that they would have adhered
to Mr.. Gncr if the Democrats had come to his !
support. Mr. Briggs. of New York. an old iinc t
Whig who voted for Mr.. Smith, reproachcd these |
three Pcnnsylvaniars in severe terms for their
treachery and faithlessncss Representing as he
does considerable number Of black Republicans, he
also announced that while he had cheerfuy voted
for Mr. Smith, and desired his election, yet when he
should come to the conclusion that Mr.. Smith could
not be elected he would feel bound to vote for Mr..
Pennington. The result shows that on Wednesday
Mr. Pennington elected by the vote of Mr.
Briggs. Under the circumstances We 10 not per-
ccvc that he deserves cesule for that vote Sltua-
ted as he is, and having done all he could to defeat
Sherman for whom he declared he never would vote
he could not well have pursued any other course.
The Daily Globe contains an interesting account
of the change of votes on Friday for Mr. Smith
The national Democrats from the free States, with
two exceptions, who are not regarded as SOUND par
ty men, to him i'll solid column, and Ia
bored with their Southern friends to secure an Or
ganization on national basis Some of these North
ern national Democrats represent constituencies
largely composed of naturazed citizens, and may
therefore, he we'll conceived that they had difficulty
in voting for gentleman who was regarded as in
any sense connected with the Know Nothing organ
ization. 1t was known that Mr.. Smith, though he
had not actu lily joined the Know Nothings, had
nevertheless acted with them and received their
votes against his opponent Dr. Shaw yet SO anx-
ious were these Northern Democrats to organize the
House, and in doing to defeat Sherman that they
voted with their Southern friends for Mr. Smith
We alludc to these facts to show the sacrifice which
those Democrats made on the occasion. 1t is prop
er to state, however, that Mr.. Smith was privately
interrosatcd on the subject of his connection with
the Know Notings, and that his answers were re-
garded, under the circumstances, satisfactory.
Mr.. Morris. of Illinois, said IL want to know, not
only whether Mr.. Smith ever connected with
the Know Nothing Order but whether he approves
of the doctrines or principles of the Order" To
which Mr. Larrabee, Of Wisconsin, replied.
g. will say to the gentleman from Illinois, that
have put these questions to the gentleman from
North Carolina, AMI he his ansnerei them to my
stixtact;oa. represent more foreign Born citizens
than any other man on this floor and every foreign
born Democrat IN nv District, if here to-day would
vote for William \. Ii. Smith, of North Carolina"
This was confirmed by Mr.. Ilindman and others
Mr.. Cochrane of New York said
81 hold him. mir. Smith therefore, to be, while
not entirely and altogether such as | am Demo
crat vet in its nearest approach, old line Whig
free from the leprosy of Fao~- -No'h;nyism a man
conservative national, and patriotic
At an carly stage of the ballot on Friday, Mcssrs
Branch, Crage, Rufin, and W:nslow, of this State,
voted for Mr.. Smith. Mr. Craiec said
as laEg as believed that the only effect Of my
vote would be mere compliment to my friend Mr..
Smith, and wculi not change the result, have uni
form' voted 70: Mr.. Bocock. But believing that
now this long contest be terminated, with
pleasure cast my vote for Mr. Smith, Of y. Carolina"
Mr.. Branch said
81 desire to change my vote. have no explana-
ton to make, and will only express the hope that
my colleague may be elected Speaker of this House.
l change my vote from Mr. Bocock to Mr.. Smith, of
North Carolina
Mr. Winslow said --
81 desire to change my vote from Mr. Larrab,c
to Mr.. Smith, of North Carolina"
Mr. Ruffin said
II suppose l am now standing alone in the
southern phalanx and it Is about time that should
march over.
Mr. Clerk, at the commencement of this sessio I,
when commenced bllloiing for Speaker, | was
determined to adhere to the Democratic nominee,
and to vote for no outside of that organization,
unless the probability that by my he could
be elected never intended, either, to vote for any
man that the Democrats from the North were not
willing to support. For six years have stood side
by side with northern Democrats. | have always
found them true men, willing to give equal justice
to al! sections Of the Union and, sir | have not
been willing, and am not now willing to give any
vote that will injure them at home l am not will
ing to desert my allies with whom l have fought
here for years, and go over to the Opposition,
against whom, at homo, have always contended.-
But sir, find things now in this position there
has been struggle here for nearly two months with
asectlonal party waging war against the South
We have tried our own men of the Democratic par
ty have invariably voted for them, not only here,
but may say, and say truly, that in no political
election in my life have ever voted against DEM
ocrat anu To-Day, lot tne nrst Time, expect to vote
for man opposed to my own political sentiments
nothing but the Importance of the OCCASION nothing
but the great necessity of organizing this Ronse up
on a national PLATFORM could induce me to vote for
man opposed to my own political sentiments.
believe the Democratic party to be to the coun
! try; believe it to be constitutional party; am
devoted to its principles and never expect to do
anything to njure that party its principles and
even now ! cannot say that should have been will
ing to vote for my colleague man for whom
have the highest regard, a man whom know to be
eminent in his profession as lawyer, and whom
know will adorn that chair and give satisfaction to
/ the country--if had not been advised and en-
| couraged by my Democratic allies of the North In
frequent conversation with them majority of whom
have already voted for him, have been advised and
requested to vote for him and now take the re-
snonSihlitx Of CHANGING my xofa from Mr. cRococlc