Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1860-02-17

From the Boston Journal.
FOUR GREAT SPEAKER CONTESTS.
-Four memorable contests for the Speaker
ship Of the House of Representatives have oc-
CURED during the last twenty years, and there
happens curiously to be a connecting link be-
tween the first and the last When the House
Goth Congress met on the ID 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 elected by general ticke', and five
Wing members presented themselves with
their election certificates, duly bearing the
broad seal of New Jersey and the signature
OF its Governor, William Pennington. Five
Democratic contestants 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 disorderly
debate at once arose, followed by others, on
various specific motions-John Quincy Adj
ans, Henry A. Wise, Ogden Hoffman, and
Mr. Rhett Of South Carolina being the prin-
cipal speakors-until the 18th of December,
when the motion to admit the certified men,
bcrs from New Jersey was lost by a tie vote
The House then began to vote for Speaker on
the next day, but it was not till the 9th Of
December, on the eleventh ballot, that r. NJ.
7. Hunter, now one Of the Senators from Vir-
gina was chosen Speaker by three majority.
He was then acting with the Wings although
he was in favor of the Democratic sub-treas-
ury bill.
The next remarkable contest was at the
opening of the 3lst Congress, in 1910. The
frpppraI fivicfns, ,F bo IL a.
politics of the day. was. Democrats, I15:
Wings, 1855 Free Solors, o. Howell Cobb
of Georgia was the Democratic and Robert
C. Winthrop of Massachusetts the Whig can
didate for Speaker. The former was so OBJ
jectionablo to the Democrats Of Free Soil ten
denotes, that Mr.. Winthrop came very near
election, and would have succeeded but for the
detection Of Mr. Toombs, A. II. Stephens,
and three other Southern Wings, who refused
to 60 with their party without distinct com
initial of it against the Wilmot Proviso. On
the other hand, few anti-slavery men, elect
ed by Whig votes, stood aloof from Mr. Win
throp. After many ballotings, 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
bA Nh' HtAA Nbtts IlbNtll AOOU lUE, hOD-
ert c. Winthrop 100, and there were 20 scat
tering. 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 saith Congress,
in 1855. The strength of parties in the House
was then estimated as follows Administra-
ton Democrats, 10; Anti-Nebraska men,
INb,,ra l.
ings began on the I'd of December standing
on the first count as f,llows; VIM. A. Rich
lrdson lDem.), "A; l.. ID. Campbell ANTI |
Nebraska), SO Humphrey Marshall *. NJ,
30; n. p. Banks (Anti-Nebraska), 81 Hen
y NJ. Fuller X. NJ, II; A. C. NJ. Penning-
.on Anti-Nebraska), I; with % votes scat
cred upon fifteen others. No great change
vas made until, on the twenty-fourth ballot,
Mr.. Campbell withdrew, and the Anti-Ne- |
'raska men generally settled upon Mr. Banks
whose highest vote went up on the thirty (
eventh ballot to l07-ll3 being necessary
o a choice. Richardson's vote continued (
bout as it began, until he withdrew, after the |
nc hundred and twenty-frst ballot, and Col. I
Orr took his place. The latter did not run
quite so well. Explanations took place all
ound, which resulted in making the subse-
luent Anti-Nebraska force at about lOS ; the
Democratic, IS the X. N, 40 with half a
lozen floating. On the first of February, Mr..
1obb tried TO elect Mr.. Aiken of South Car
lima, by resolution which attempt failed and
o encouraged the Democrats that they deter
ninod to try the plurality rule, which the
Inti-Nebraska men had for some time been
ndeavoring to get. Finally the one hundred
nd thirty-th third ballot was taken under the
lurality rule, on the second of February. and
lsplted in the election Of Nathaniel r. Banks,
C having 1903 votes to 100 for Aiken.
With the progress Of the contest just closed
y the election of the same William Penning-
IN whose official signature was not properly
acognized, as we have seen, by the 26th Con-
ress, our readers now familiar. 1t began
n the 5th Of December, when the first ballot
howod that John sherman of Ohio had 66
otes, Thomas S. Boooek Of Virginia Sc, g.
Grow of Pennsylvania 43, A. II. Botelor |
Virginia l4-the remainder scattering. At !
re next balloting on the 7th, the Republi- .
ms concentrated upon Mr.. Sherman, who
ad l07 votes Mr.. Bocoek received tho full
administration strength, SO votes and Mr..
liner, the South American support, having
? votes. For long time the ballotings
lowod nearly tho same division, oxcept that
y the aid Of Anti-Lceompton Democrats Mr..
herman finally attained to within three votes {
an election, which seemed to be perma- I
INT ultmatum. Under this view, the Re i
Ibicans, who had carefully abstaned from t
neral debate, made every effort TO obtain Q
e plurality rule, which had decided the two I
-eyious contests. but without avail. It was G