Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-02-08
WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENCE.
WAsH1Nsron CITY. Feb. 3. 1860.

achieved by the vote of Henry Winter Davis, of
Maryland, who is supposed to represent Southern
constituency in the q. s. Congress. This great
head of know nothing ism-this unblushng advocate
OF the bloody creed OF a prOscrptive party-this
unwavering friend and supporter of John A. Gilmer,
of n. c. is the first representative south of Mason
& Dixons line who has dared to affiliate with abol-
tonism, and lend himself willing instrument to
cure the election of a republican Speaker. Mr..
Briggs, of N. Y, although elected by the repub
cans OF his district, never would have given his
vote to black republican had not Davis by voting
for Pennington, forced upon him the responsibility
of terminating the contest.
The election of the most conservative man in the
republican party is to be deplored; but the South
can congratulate itself on having forced these Hell
perites to abandon their ground and elect who
in reality is as obnoxious to the fanatca portion Of
that party as he is to the democracy. Many such
victories would DO more disastrous than open defeat
The magnanmity displayed by the democrats
throughout this contest receives the warmeSt praise
from friend and foe What shall be said of the So
called conservative @ South Americans? When
they presented the name of Mr.. Smith, of n. c.,
the straight-out democrats voted for him to a man;
not a question was askeG-no conditions imposed
no pledges demanded. They voted f r him in a
solid column until all hope of clectng him vanished.
Then Mr. McClernand of ILL.,, was nominated, and
1t confidently expected that the South Ameri-
cans would come to his support with as unbroken
front as the democrats presented when rallying
der the banner of Mr.. Smith But in this they
were deceived. | had intended commenting at some
length upon this action Of the know nothings, but
as one of their own party organization Mr.. Vance,
of n. c. denounced their failure to support Mr..
McClernand in better terms than can, will quote
an extract from his speech delivered just before cast
ing his vote. Here it is:
81 do not insist upon every democrat in this
House voting for the gentleman from Illinois as q
condition precedent before can vote for him my
self The gentleman from Illinois, Mr.. McCler-
nand, when my honorable colleague Mr.. Smith
put in nomination, differing from him as much
as differ from the gentleman from Illinois,
forward with a magnanimity, generosity, and with
patriotism | have rarely equallcd, without
making any inquiries or asking questions, and cast
his vote for my colleague. Now, sir, shall not ],
reciprocating the honor conferred on my State be
magnanimous enough to do the same thing? Some
of my South American friends have said that,
consequence of the peculiar doctrines in relation TO
the government Of the Territories, that the north
western democrats are supposed TO entertain they
cannot make such sacrifice of principle as to come
TO this gentlemans support. SIR when we have
ourselves seen these northwestern democrats come
up to the support of southern opposition man,
though differing widely from themselves to organize
the House, and have seen, on the other hand
southern STAKEHOLDER, representative from great
southern city, Mr.. Davis, of Maryland, deliberate
ly supporting the candidate Of the black republican
their conservatism to deny them support. Great
applause in the galleries
do not consider myself as indorsing anything by
this vote, save and except alone ny opposition
to black rcpublicaniSm. consider it evidence of
the degcneracy of the times that gentlemen here
cannot sacrifice small and insignificant thing
their party prejudiceS for the common good when
men may be sometimes called upon, as fathers
were in times past to sacrifice their lives, their for
tunes, and their hearts best blood to the of
their country. And | to-day feel ashamed that
have nothing better to offer my country than the
sacrifice of my poor political prejudces. feel
ashamed, as did prophet of DID, who refused to ac
| cept present of the oxen with which to make a
sacrifice saying that he would not offer a sacrifice
| to God of that which cost him nothing. By this
sir, | mean to cast no sort of imputaton upon the
! patriotism of those of my political friends who see
proper to differ with me, or to impugn the validity
of their reason for not voting as do. | only mean
to say that numbers of the democracy refusing to
| vote for their own man, forms sufficient reason
| why should not meet the gentleman from Illinois
| on the high and conservative ground which he has
| occupied throughout this contest, and return the
compliment which he has paid my colleague, and,
! through him, my State. Therefore sir | have to
say without hesitation, equivocation mental reServa-
tion secret evasion of mind in me whatever,
straight a,ong and straight out will vote for John
A. McClcrnand, of Illinois" Applause
These remarks of Mr. Vance were not at all pala-
| table to his American friends some of whom were
inclined to take offence at the line of conduct Mr..
| V. felt called on to pursue.
1t is understood that Forney, of the Phila-
delphia Press will nc the republican nominee for
| the ClerkShip, and Hoffman, of Maryland, their
choice for Sergeant at Arms. The democrats will
support Mr. Allen, the present incumbent. No one
has as yet been selected to fill the doOr-keepers
place; there are hosts of needy applicants bcseIgng
the capitol and the "wdhunt after office is brisk
| " kent I'D by hungry politicians
| Francis j. Grund whose nomination. some two
weeks since as Consul to Havre not confirmed
by the Senate has at last succeeded in obtaining the
coveted senatorial endorsement, aid will leave at ar
early day for his official post.
The President has vetoed the bill making an ap-
preparation of $4,000 for deepening the channel Of
the st. Clair flats in Michigan
! 1t is believed that the new Speaker will appoint
| either Sherman COrwin Chairman of the Com
mittee of Ways and Means. This was the position
that Z. Joy Morris indirectly sought of Mr.. Smith,
! of y. c., and when this gentleman very properly
refused to commit himself in any way, the selfish
traitor abandoned him and went over to the abOli
tionists.
Now that this question of the Speakership is
| settled the wire-wOrkers arc becoming busy in
scheming for their various friends who aspire to
presidential nomination at the hands of the Charles
ton Convention The Douglas men at this point are
sanguine of success. They expect to go into the
convention with the whole strength of New England
the northwest Missouri, Tennessee, and eren North
Carolina Mr.. Douglas is to be their choice fol
President, and North Carolinian for Eice-Presi
dent Failing to carry out this programme, the
Douglasites are then to unite upon Andrew Johnson
of Tennessee, or A. II. Stephens, of Georgia. fol
President, with some nothern man for Vice-Presi
dent Whether these sanguine gentlemen can sue
cessfully accomplish their purposes remains to be
seeen.
On Tuesday last witnessed the election from the
A. e Il Nlar,f he
notorious Chevalier Wyckoff who is one of the cor
respondents of the New York Herald. Mr.. Pryor
of Virginia. at whose instance the Chevaier was LED
out, approached the doorkeeper and informed him