The Van Buren press., 1860-02-17

After six weeks of fruitless ballo,ings.
the House of Representative, is still unor-
ganiZed. When the contest is to end OF
how, canno. be foretold. have been moro
and more impressed with the belief that il
the twenty three southern Oppositionists
would abandon their isolation, and vote III
solid column with us, the Democratic can
didatc would be elected. Only two votes
would then be lacking. Those two votes
are held by the anti-Lecompton members.
Mr.. Clarke, of New York, and Mr.. Adrian
of New Jersey, both of whom it is beiev
ed. would vote for Democrat in that con
tingency. If this course is not taken, | ,y.-
ticipae the adoption of the plurality rule.
and the election of the Republican candi
date though in no case whatever will
either of those events be brought about by
my vote or>agency. Believing the plurali
~ rule to beyunconstitutiopal and regard
ing Black Hepublicanisn as the very, en-
bodiment q ee}rcsscn, ! shail op pose the ons
and resist the other, " at al hazards and to
the last extremity"
The prolonged contest for the Speaker
ship has greatly embarrassed the Govern
ment in all its departments, especially in
that of the Post Office. Should it be much
further protracted, it is probable that tho
entire postal system of the Union will be
paralyzed, the mail routes abandoned. the
Post Offices closed. For those conscquenc.
cs Black Republicanisin will be chiefly re
sponsible. In addition to its own reprchen-
sible doctrines, it has presented a candidate
for Speaker who stands convicted by his
endorsement Of the infamous book of Hell
per, of counseling and inciting incendia-
ryism, treason, servile war, murder and
bloodshed. Even to save the Government
! from embarrassment, and to relieve our con-
stitucnts Of the onerous Inconvenience
which opprcss them, we cannot cease to OPP
| pose the election of Sherman.
This course with me and with other Dem
ocratS is a conscientious discharge OF duty.
| should feel myself derelict, undeserving
confidence or respect, if an instant'S hcsita-
ton shook my resolve.
| The responsibility thus assumed is al
ready very great and its proportions arc
daily charging From the northern hives
Of ianaticsm, and from the nests Of disaf
lection in the South, equal abuse and de-
ANNEXATION are heapcd on the Democratic
members. Thus denounced and abused.
! there is bat one source from which we can
expect aid, or hope for encouragement that
source is our democratic constituency. Ii
that hope fails us--if our onstitGents turn
against us, and strike us down because ot
oar too unyielding adherence to their cause
than the Black Republican, enemies OF the
South from without, and traitors to tho
! South from within, will raise their victory
shouts over our downfall and it will bi
proclaimed everywhere by our foes. anA
bluShingly admitted by our friends, htat he
southern Democracy hare repadiated TIE men
ecJto opposed lie election Of Sherman. Dem
ocrats Of the first district Shall that be sail
of you? This question, also, | leave with
you for decision in the convention st
Dover.
Should the House be organized. ] shall
give prompt attention to the various inter
ests which are wholly or in part entrusted
to me- 1t will be as much pleasure as a
duty to labor for their promotion. The
short space to which limit myself in this
address prcclules me now from instancinc
them in detail, bat to one subject, in defer
cncc to the frequent suggestions made to
me in relation to it, | will briefly refer. 1t
is the Encouragement of the postal service
Of the district, in such mole as to provide
every community, in every county, with
adequate mail facilities | have SO often
traversed every part Of tho district, AMI am
SO thoroughly acquainted with its gcogra
ply and population, as to feel compcte!t
to suggest an outline Of improvements
which would meet the wishes Of the peo.
| pie, without exceeding the III ,asure Of their
rights. Lines of fourh3rSc poSt-coaches
ought to be established from Batesvilc
| through Fulton, Ward, Marion, Carroll
and Madison counties, to Fayetteville
from Jacksonport through White, Conway
and Pope counties. to ClarkSvillc from
Helena through St. Francis, Poinsett.
Craiyhead and Greene counties, to the Iron
Mountain, or some point in Missouri on tho
Mississippi river. and the service on the
routes from Des Arc and Little Rock to
/ Van Buren, and Fort Smith ought to be il
creased to daily trips. These leading i'm
provements, with suitablc side lines to con
| meet them with each other. (and tn, su5di-
vision Of the State into four mail districts.
with energetic and reliable agents for each,
would at once place the remo;est localities
in certain and quick communication with
every portion of the Union. 10 these ad-
vantages, and to 6thers scarcely less i'm.
portant, l consider my constituents fairly
entitled, and shalr labor zcaloasly to obtain
them. To succeed, l will need their en-
IL
serve them. Nothing would add mo:c to
the strength of my humble influence here
than to be re nominated AMI reelected -
| Nothing would 50 much detract from my
ability to be useful as the success of my en-
emies in attempting to crush M.
| Submitting the whole matter tc you,
ask at your hands that which would be my
right if was present among you, and to
whlch-as an abesent public servant--l am
now especially entitlei-itis a ayair trial an!
Just Judgment. This request viii reach tho
hearts of the voting masses OF the party.
and each one OF them vii be ready to gran,
it. But the crafty politicians who have con
spired against me are differently inclined =
They will resort to any and every subtel
fuge and strategem to effect my defeat. In
1888 they attempted 10 prevent my nomina
tion by holding meetinss sudlcnly, with
out any sair notice to the people, and ALLOW
ing disorganizers and Know Nothings an
equal voice with Democrats. The same
and other frauds may be perpctratei in this