Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-01-05
An Instructive Debate.

following extract from the discussion had on the /
withdrawal of Mr. BorELEa, Virginia Opposition |
list. for whom the body of the Democratic members |
had Just voted aud the nomination by hiin Of Mr.
MIIIsoN of Virginia:
Mr. BorELER Is. Opp of Virginia, here rose, and |
was listened to with mar ked attention. lie said his
humble name had been before the House, but not |
through any act Of his own. lie did not presume to
aspire TO the Speakers chair lie there for the
first time, and without parliamentary expert
ence and unacqUainted with the business Of the
House He therefore had no right or reason to ex-
pect any such tokens of consideration and regard
those he had received. He desired to express his
grateful acknowledgements to his political friends
who had stood by him, and most especially to those
from whom he had heretofore differed. He desired
to express to them his gratitude not in the cold Ian
guage Of convenhOnalism, but in those simple words
watch leap up from the heart to the lip. He with
drew from the contest and proceeded to name gen
tleman who he sure would be acceptable to both
sides-he meant tie conservative portion Of the
House who battle for the Constitution and to pro-
tect it from tie angry surges produced by the per-
sstent course of those who call themselves repubi-
cans He nominated Mr. Millson, of Virginia, trust
ing he would claim the support of Those who are not
only conservative in name, but in conduct. Cap
plause)
Mr. COBB-I trust the object Of harmony is accom-
plished and since it seems that an organization can
be effected, am done
The vote having been taken, Mr. MnLsoN receiv-
ing 90 votes, Messrs. ErHEnrDGE NELSON, HATToY,
STOKES and QUARLEs, of Tennessee, voting against
him the following debate was had:
Mr. BURyErr, Of Kentucky I have watched the
ballotng for the election Of a Speaker with great
interest and stand ready to unite with any party
able to organize the HOuse-conserYative men, as
matter Of course. But l must confess that am op-
posed organization BY the election Of the gen
! teman from Ohio Mr. Sherman.) Not that hav
ANYTHING against him personally. SO far, from any
! thing that has come under my observation have
! always found that gentleman polite and courteous
/ upon the floor of this House. But am opposed to
e!evating to that char gentleman who entertains
and aVews the sentiments and the doctrines that he
| holds. Applause from the Democratic benches) /
was much struck with the remark Of my friend from
! Georgia, and l concur with him fully, and must
say that much as regret 1t. much as l desire the
organization the last ballot demonstrates clearly to
| my mind that we have no chance Of electing Dem
| ocrat as a Speaker. Applause from the Republican
| benches, ard considerable noise throughout the
/ hall) Now, much, as l said before, as | desire
! organization, l cannot approve Of the suggestion
thrown out by gentlemen Of the opposite party, who
themselves numbering only twenty-three votes, ask
us on this side to 20 over to them and elect their
candidate Speaker. l clam for myself to be
national man, and to belong to no particular party,
but modest the request is which asks this side 10
! Join the twenty-three members Of the Opposition,
for one cannot agree to it. We find that the gentle
man from Tennessee announces frankly and flirly
what mis- views were and yet he cannot vote COR the
man whom four years ago he proposed to elect
| as Sneaker He tells US that he cannot vote for
| gentleman of the Democratic party except under
| certain contingencies What has SO operated on my
friends mind since four years ago, that he cannot
| nov vote for General MillsOn? Has there been any
charge brought against hun. either personally pO-
liticaly? Has he changed since, Ina any way? Is he
not the same man today that he was when the gen.
| tleman from Tennessee proposed by resolution in
this House TO elect him Speaker. lpause for a re
ply.
! Mp Etheridge-I am asked whether the gentle
man from Virginia Mr. iillsOn) is not the per-
son to-day that he was four years ago? answer.
personally lie Is, doubt; politically, to my mind.
not So (Applause) But l will tell my friend
Jtle incident connected herewith, that no doubt ne
forgets lust now. / viii tell him that four years
( ago. when l put that gentleman Mr. MillsOn) in
nomination for Speaker, not a single democratic
member of the House cast q single vote for him.
/ Applause from the republican benches, and cOnsid
| cradle uprOar in the halL) | nominated him as
Speaker for the good and sufficient reason, at the
time that lac stood upon the floor Of this House and
had resisted a measure which was the beginning Of
! these agitating scenes which are now witnessed.
| (Applausel He resisted that iniqutOus measure
/ which lighted torch that has set the cOuHtry on
fire I allude to his against the repeal of tne
/ Missouri Compromise bill. (Applause.) He is not,
/ politically the same he was four years ago.
Since that time he has stood again upon this floor
] mower OF the government and Executive was una
/ bic to do (Applause) He sought by his vote 10
/ bring into this Union State under constitution
which the Legislature and the whole people thereof
/ solemnly demonstrated against. lie sought 10 give
effect to the wishes OF the Executive, who tried TO
crush with the hand OF despOtism the aspirations If
/ ter freedom of a brave and noble people. gap
pause from the republican benches) have been
solicited to lend my aid IN organizing the House ny
/ supporting the democratic candidate out l say,
! never shall l do except as last resort and I'M
der certain contingencies, which will not state
here To vote for democratic Speaker Is the last
! thing l would dO-(great applause from the repu6-
! lican benches)-becaUse 1 am opposed To the ad-
mnistratiOn for that act of dCspOtsm to the people
/ of Kansas and but for which the republican party
would not be here to-day 1t may be saic that am
here representing sectional party buE tie party
king here shows the lniqultOus act on enc part OF
! fine administration when it attempted &c force the
| Lecompton constitution and to bring the people OF
Kansas into the Unisn under that constitution. Sir,
the man l nominated a Speaker in 1854 IS not the
/ same man now that he was then-at least he Is not
/ so to me. loud applause from the Republican
! benches1 He is no doubt an able and an honest
man and from his abilities and learning he would
grace the Speakers chair; but when vote to place
him in it. it will be as a last resort, and against
which and the circumstances leading TO 1t, would
protest to the last Continued applause.) SIR the
most objectionable offence in my eyes-It ~ an IN
superable objection in my estmaunn-ls that any
man should have voted for the LecOmptOn consttu-
]
| inc of the people Of Kansas now, who despise and
! scoru the constitution that was attempted to be
forced upon them much as they despise and seorh
/ the men that made It.
Mr. Burnett did not see the force Of the gentle
mans reasons for his opposition to Mr. MllsOD. 1t
was trLe that he voted for the Lecompton bill and
you think that act was wrong That IS the only
point of difference between you. myself do not
endorse Mr.. Wilson's vote or the Kansas Nebraska
bill vet, as 4 Southern man, as man claiming to
! be a national conservative, say that would sooner
/ vote for him than for man who had signed the
| Helper book compendium The House shall not be
organized with my consent, or with the consent OF
| NV constituents by the election OF man to that
chair who has lighted the torch of the incendary
and sent it to invade the States Of the South Gap
! plause from the Democratic benches) l viii not
vote for a man, as Speaker Of this House, who has
SIGNED and recommended a book, upon every page
of which is written nccndi2risn, mprder and blood
shed. (Applause) ! appeal to all the members oi
the South 10 combine to prevent so great an EVIL oc-
curing in their midst As one who loves his coun-
try and who has faith in the bright destnIes which
are before her, say to you vote tor the honorable
gentleman from Virginia, Mr. MillsOn) nOtwIth-
standing that you all may not, as do not approve
of his vote upon the Kansas and Missouri questions
| understood a gentlemen on the other side to say
that we could not bring forward democratic can
didate for whom we could command nlnety-three
votes Now the inference to be drawn from these
words is shat if could produce such candidate
he (AIr Etheridge) wOIld vote for mni, and YET
when nave put IOfNafl u lllA nv has AS~S4SAi
not only ninety-thi votes, but ninety SIX votes
when we present a gentleman so supported one who
has received the largest number Of votes yet record
ed for any one man by the national elements IN the
House-he votes against him
Mr. Eheridge Il said this morning that you could
not eel ninetv-three votes for Democrat, and /
repeat that again The vote just recorded Of nine
sin for the gentleman referred TO has been made up
from the Southern Opposition. (DeriSiye laughter
from the Democratic benches.)
MIR Burnett-Sir, if we cannot get nlnety-thr6c
Democrats we have got what is bettcr-llaughter)
-ninetv-slx natl nal conservative men, who have
rallied round Mr. Millson and yet you invite me to
to over to your side and vote for Mr. Giiner.
Mr. Etherldge-L gave no such invitation. But |
why sneak upon this subject, when you know that
fine southern Opposition mel voted for Mr. Alllson
simply because the application Of the lash would not
succeed in getting over the members Of your own
Mr.. Burnett will tell you what we want: the
south TO know who are her friends (APPlauSe
from the Southern Opposition, and cries OF That
the noint'9 have also this remark to make;
understand very well that the united southern vote
yyopId not elect him. but what would be the result
70 the countrv-what the cdect-wiat the amount !
of moral force and power it would produce IN the
- g +l,, DannIa-yyhpn they saw the South !