Arkansas true Democrat., 1860-02-15

elected on this ballot, the gentleman, and those who refused to vote for McClernand will be responsible for Mir. Pennington's election.
 Mr. Skinner objected to the gentleman's proceeding.
 Mr. Barksdale said he was not violating any agreement in speaking. The vote had already been taken.
 The Clerk remarked that MT. Barksdale had obtained the floor by unanimous con- sent, to make his explanation.
 Mir. Barksdale concluded his remarks, saying that unless Mir. McClernand's vote was now increased, in the manner suggest ed Mir. Pennington would be elected, as one gentleman (Briggs) had declared he should, in certain contingency, vote for him.
 | Mr. Mallory asked whether he under stood Mr. Barksdae. to say that Mir. Me Clernand could be elected by combina- tion of the democratic and the South American vote.
 Mr. Barksdale-I say by such a union Mr. Pennington can be defeated
 Mir. Sherman made the point that all this discussion was out of order.
 Mr. Hill said that Mr. Kett had made favorable show of Mr. Pennington.
 MT. Barksdale said that if Mir. Penning- ton was elected, the representative of a | slave-holding constituency would be re- sponsible for 1t. But for the vote of Mr. Davis of fMaryland, Mr. Pennington could not be elected That gentleman, too, was member of the American party IT., M l.. to order.
 There was much confusion throughout these proceedings.
 MT. Moore, of Alabama, began to speak
 Mir. Sherman-Does the gentleman pro- pose to change his vote?
 Mr. Moore-Iou have no right to ask that question.
 Mir. Sherman-I enter my solemn pro- test against the gentleman's making speech.
 Mr. Moore-I don't acknowledge the right of the gentleman to interrupt me.
 MT. Sherman-I insist upon the point, will not withdraw my objection.
 Mir. Moore-The gentleman has no right to object.
 The Clerk said the gentleman had right to object.
 Mr. Cox-I ask my colleague to with draw his objection. It will facilitate the ballot
 Mir. Moore-I ask no favor. I will not be indebted to him.
 The Clerk said he (Moore) could assign reasons for changing his vote.
 Mr. Sherman-With that understanding 1 withdraw my objection.
 Mr. Moore denounced those who had act. ed with him, who had in any way contri- buted to the election of republican. If others would agree he would stay here until the 4th of March, 1861, before he would let a republican fill the Speaker chair, but he was sure that that could not be accom- pliShed. He had the highest personal re- spect for Mr. McClelnand, but differed from him on an important question. He there fore voted for Mir. Boyce
 Mir. Davis, of Miss, had not voted for the man, Mir. McClernand, but for the country.
 Mir. Florence had been governed by patri- otic motives in voting for Mr. McClernand
 Mir. Briggs, who was one of the tellers, said, just before the result of the vote was announced: lrise for the purpose of chang ing my vote 1t will be recolected that, a day or two since, made statement as to what l might do in a certain contingency. That contingency has now arrived, and 1t becomes me to state my reasons for the vote 1 am about to give. The time has come when my vote will elect Speaker. have said, on several occasions, that l could cast my vote for any conservative gentleman, like Mr Pennington or Mr. Corwin Gov Pennington has now l16 votes, and IT will elect him. give my vote to gentle man whom, l am assured, will act fairly and impartially to all sections ofthe coun- try. Aware of the responsibility which l assume in so doing, AIr Clerk, now with draw my vote from Mir. McClernand, of Ill.,, and cast it for Mir. Pennington, of N J. Prolonged applause.
 MT. Douglas stood at the desk, watching Mr. Briggs during the whole of his remarks
 Impatient cries of ''proclam the vote"
 The vote was then announced Whole number. 23333; necessary to a choice, Ill., Pennington, IT; McClernard, S5; Gilmer, 16; scattering, 15.
 The announcement of The result was fol- lowed by applause.
 The Clerk declared Mr. Pennington elect ed Speaker of the House.
 Mr. Hindman rose to call the attention of the country to some facts connected with the election, but there were loud and pro longed cries of |" ordcr''
 Mir. Grow, raising his voice to the high est pitch, said: A Speaker having been elected, nothing is in order till he has been conducted to the chair.
 Cries of "that's so.' "Let him take his place"
 The clerk sustained Mr. Crows sugges- tion, and appointed Messrs. Bocock and Sherman to conduct Mr. Pennington to the chair
 These gentlemen at once entered upon the performance of that duty, and escorted him to the chair.
 The Speaker, amid a quiet that strongly entrusted with the excited and disorderlv proceedings which previously prevailed, spoke as follows:
 PENNIGToN's SPEECH.
 Gentlemen of the House of Representa- tives: lreturn you my grateful acknow wledg- ments for the distinguished honor you have been pleased to confer upon me in eecting me Speaker of this House. Coming here for the first time at the present session, to be associated with you as a member, no event could have been more unlocked for, than that 1 should be called upon to preside over your deliberations, and my friends will do the justice to say that have not sought the position, as l certainly never desired it. 1 am nevertheless as conscious of the digni- ty and importance of this high office as any gentleman can be, but should have been far better pleased, could its duty have been entrusted to abler and more experienced hands. After witnessing the almost insur- mountable obstacles in the way of an or ganization of this House, I came to the con- clusion, that any gentleman of any party, who could command majority of the votes for Speaker, was bound in deference to pull lie exigencies, to accept the responsibility, as an act of patriotic duty, whether agreeable to his personal feelings or not As that choice has unexpectedly fallen on me, I