Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1860-04-06


the consideration of this resolution, the Adj
miASssration party forced the House 70 adjourn
on the first day without a second vote for
Speaker. On the next day, substitute for il
was offered, when, after debate, it was moved
to lay the whole subject on the table, that the
Hopse might proceed to elect Speaker
Ihs was lost by tie vote all the .fdminis-
fration members Uotiag in the negataue. There
upon, they claimed unlimited freedom of de-
| base, and denied that there was any power
10 tie body to stop it. Points of order aud
otasi complications of the question were made
aI1 withdrawn, as the exigenoies of debate
suggested. They spent whole whole weeks in
mating mischiaRous and incendiary speeches,
which, Incorporate in the highest degree,
catlsatnred the principles held by this side of
the House, aud were intended to arouse
seetlcnal anmosities, and intensity alarm, that
miserable partisan purposes might be promoted.
Isagg objected to a resolution proposed by the
gssEieman from Illinois, Mr.. Morris,l that no
DEBATE be allowed until after the election of
Speaker. They refused to make an arrange
mapt for having at least one vote for Speaker
each day again, they objected to resolution
providing for three votes daily; aud for time
theg even turned a deaf ear to the feeling ap.
psaa OF the gentleman from Virginia, lMr.
Clenens,l who, in feeble health aud wearicd
wiz long sessions, desired settled under
stsnding on the subject, that he might know
wts5n hispvesence was necessary, and when he
might retire from the floor.
hen not ready to speak, being unwilling
to vote, they make dilatory motious, and thus
O agpelled an adjournment. They refused to
Pefhiit the Offering of resolution TO limis
ea9a debater to thirty minutes. and one speech
OF pending question, until all desiring had
sp4keR. They threatened to remain in session
unsil March 4, 1861, rather than allow the
adsptIon of the plurality rule, which was twice
adopted under ike circumstances, ID Iecog-
nis in tue rules of the House and in al pop
alaE elections, aud which for weeks appeared
20 ~ the only escape from the entangemcut
rat, they appeared wiling to poEmifa vote
t5 afzsst,ss F5fls 80 Elss sad sssi skke
result. Then they made that contingent upon
tho House voting on the resolution offered the
frst day. Then they declined to say that il
the latter were voted on, they would agree TO
vote upon the former, And, finally, they de-
clared that it never should be voted upon; and
that, to prevent it, resort would be had to eve
ry parliamentary means at command. Not con-
tent with declaring this purpose, which, in the
existing condition of things, seemed tauta-
mount TO absolute prevention of organization,
form and substance were given to this threat
ey hfty-eight of them signing paper pledg-
ing themselves to each other to act together in
resisting, BY all parliamentary tactics, strategy
and means. known to the Constitution aud the
law, the adoption of the plurality rule.
The full force of this will be better uuder-
stood when it is stated that fifty men, thus
banded together, unit for purposes of disor-
ganizaton, can, by resorting to the endless
cham of dilatory motions to adjourn, to ad-
journ over, to be excused from voting, &c., on
all which, constantly repeated, they could call
the yeas and nays, effectually and forever pre-
vent the election of Speaker, the passage of
q bill, or the transaction of an itcm OF legss
lative business.
Such combination was made on the Adj
ministratiOn side, ana its nature aud terms, and
their purpose to persist in 1t. openly proclaim
ed upon the floor. This conspiracy contem-
plated three things; to prevent vote being ta-
ken on The plurality rule; prevent its adoption;
and TO prevent the election of Speaker under
it. Il was made by minority III the House,
who, by these anti-constitufional methods, pro-
posed to prevent the majority from adopting
such rules as would rescue sbe House from its
condition of embarrassment. 1t was an attempt
of minority to coerce the House into their
line os policy; to introduce force ihto our syS-
tem--the last de sperate resort of those beus
on running if no longer permitted to rule.
Let me say that aH the ADMINISTRATORS
did not enter into this conspiracy. Several, 1t
was staiel, refused to do ii; and it was further
stated, that 4 Northwestern Democrathadsign-
ed it. have DO doubt this is true. More
might have been said--that 40 Northern DEM
ocrat had taken this bold step. But do not
recollect single occasion, after it became known
that this factious and revolutionary combina-
ton existed, on which any of the Northern De-
mocracd refused to vote under the leadership of
the very gentlemen who admitted the existence
Of the compact, and were III the aot of fulfill
ing it.
II must not bo understood that the Admins
tration party refused to permit any votes for
Speaker to be taken. They were too sagacious
for that When it was known to De safe, they
were willing to amuse themselves, fiatter each
other with cheap compliments, and, above all,
satisfy the country, as the phrase goes. During
the irst week, they allowed three votes 10 be
taken; during the second, seven; during the
third, when there were hopes of an Admlnlstra.
ton combination with other parties, eleven; du-i
ring the fourth, when these hopes had disap-
peared, three; during the 6fth, five; during the
sixth, Eve; during the seventh, none; during the
eighth, five: and during the ninth, i've; IN all,
fourty four votes in forty days of nctnal session.
Ia 1855, there we're over one hundred aud thiT-
ty votes taken in the same period.
OF course, only factious means could have
produced suck results When the contest was
in It's earlier stages, aud before the worse steps
were taken, the gentleman from Alabama lr.
CoRB,l admitted that the prevention of votes,
raising frivolous points Of order, making dila-