New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-02-01
CONGRESS YESTERDAY.

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Agreeaby to our anticipatons, the Sham Democ'
racy did not continue their adhesion 10 their new
found South American friend yesterday, but went
off upon fresh candidate for Speaker, for whom
they were able to poll 81 votes. Nc. Pennington,
the Republican candidate, received ll6 votes and
came within one of an election. 1fthis rate of pro-
erosion holds good, Mr. Pennington will be chosen
to-day But not being able to penetrate the mo-
tyes of gentlemen who have been expected to sup
port him, but still withhold their votes, we feel dis
inclined to predict so speedy an election. If Mr.
Pennington should get Mr. RiggS's vote, or be able
to obtain that of Mr.. Briggs, we seem to be justi
fed in saying he will be elected; but the extraordi-
nary coyness which both of these gentlemen mani
fest leaves the question in doubt.
Mr.. Winter Davis, with an independence that lie
deserving of full recognition, came to the support
Mr.. Pennington yesterday, ard cast his vote amid
applause from one side and some expressions of
disapprobation from the other. Mr.. Davis is abun-
dainty able to take care of himself, both in the
House and out of it, He will certainly have to
look somewhere else than to the ranks of the Sham
Democracy of the House to find his equal.
Mr.. Etheridge of Tennessee characterized the
acts and appearance of the Sham Democracy in
voting for that Old Wing, Mr. Smith, in his usual
racy and entertaining manner He declared they
sweat great drops of blood in doing it, and that
painter could have found an original scene for his
pencil, had he been present on the extraordinary
occasion.
In the Senate, Mr.. Hunter spoke at length on
the Slavery question. His general views were ex-
tremelv radical but be made no threats of dissolu-
ton in case of the election of Republican Presl-
dent, contentDg himself with saying the South
would take care of herself in that event, If the Re-
publicans did not administer the Government in
constitutional maDner-whch statement no man
could object to. But the radicasm aud extraga-
eance of some of Mr. Hunters ideas are always In
striking contrast with his measured language and
moderation of manner. Thus he remarked yester-
day. that there was not a respectable form OF
civilization ever established that was not based on
Slavery. But his argument against the restriction
of Slavery was perhaps the most novel portion OF
his speech. He asserted that, as yet tree society
was an experiment, and that it was uncertain how
the experiment would result, while Slavery had
been found stable basis of society. TWAS in fact,
in the history of social problems the only fat &C.
compG. Thus he argued it was unreasonable to
exclude stable form of society from the Terrific
res and insist upon the introduction of one in
voyed in doubt. This argument reminds us OF the
pvsiti,-- of onotnr who cast his vote for highly
Objectionable candidate In preference to man OF
moderate qualities in every respect. He defended
himself on the ground that he always preferred to
vote for man of established character, to one of
none. and he knew the man he voted for to be
"a id rascal" Mr. Hunters argument seems
| TO us to run in similar grooves.
The Virginia Senator declares that the South ha'
never been the recipient of bounties from the Gov
eminent in the form of protective duties, except in
the case of the sugar. growers. But Mr.. Hunter
should not forget that the exception is most i'm
portant one The Louisiana planters cost the
American people not lessthan ten millions of dollar
annually, if we reckon after the usual free-trade
fashion, so much in favor with Mr.. Hunter.
All of Mr. Hunters argument that bears on the
existing phase of the Slavery question, contains
nothing new or striking. We have only the cid
points rehashed He asks, why agitate the Slavery
question We reply, who agtates the Slavery
question We know of nobody and no party that
does tenth part so much of it as tine Southern
men.
We must allude to one other novel suggestion of
Mr.. Hunter. He wears the palm of ingenuity,
among Southern orators at least He proposes, or
thinks we might have, the present Union supplanted
by "three or four Unions" and that such an
arrangement would be an Improvement on our
present form of Government. If any such plan
Unions made very small, say about the size of South
Carolina. If We could get Messrs. TOOmbs, JEFF
Davis, Brown, Clay, and few more such, to move
into that Union, we think. perhaps, one other would
suffice for the rest of the country.