Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-02-01
wisaIHefSs sFws AND eessIr.

The BALLOT OF YKsrRIpAY As foretold by
the Star Mr. Winter Davis voted for the Helperite
party's candidate for a Speaker yesterday after
noon Of course alone of the representatives from
the slave-holding States. But for the veky unex-
pected refusal of Mr.. George Briggs, Of New
York, to do likewise, Mr.. Pennington would have
been elected on that ballot, wherein he lacked but
single vote Of a triumph. On the day before
Mr.. Briggs voted for Mr.. Pennington, but changed
his vote to another on ascertaining that bis vote
would not elect Mr. P. 1t is probable that yester-
day he withheld his vote from that gentleman only
under the mistaken impression that If given to
him II would not have secured his election. Last
evening the Republican party managers freely de-
cared themselves certain of the vote of Mr. BrigQ.
in their behalf, to-day and we see no reason to
doubt the correctness of their anticipation.
Personally our amiable friend Briggs Is a glori-
Gus fellow, whom erybody likes because he
deserves the kind regards of all. Politically,
however, he is getting, sage advances upon him,
quite weak in the knees. We know no one better
fortified by or with good resolves But if the
spirit is willing, the flesh Is weak So, az old
stager the political boards as he is we may not
he surprised finding that he at last falls an un-
willing victim to the arts Of HelperIsm by which
he has been beset from home for eight weeks past,
as never was representative before. Intending to
decide the contest eventually In favor Of Helper
ism, we regret that he did not do that thing YES
terday; for nothing was to be gained to the coun-
try by thus protracting it twentv-four hours
longer.
Mr.. McCLERNAND.-Already the South Ameri-
can lobby here are endeavoring to excuse their
rank and file in the House hall who refused to vote
yesterday for Mr. McClernand on the ground that
be was the representative Of squatter sovereignty
which, all know, nee would not touch per Sc with
forty-foot pole Now, all American-party or
Democratic party vote for him was no more a vote
for squatter sovereignty than the votes of the
Democracy and Anti-Leconptonites in favor of
Mr.. Smith, votes in favor Of Old-line Whigg.ry;
or those cast for Mr. Boteler by the sime PARTIES,
votes in favor Of Americana party political prin-
ciples-nO more. Mr. McClernand was nominated
in the hope Of detaching from Helperism Messrs.
Adrain, Reynolds and Riggs and in the confident
expectation that the South Americans would
prove, by voting for him in a body, that they were
actuated by the disposition to prevent the triumph
of helPerism in the Government, that induced the
Democrats to throw aside for the nonce their party
political preferences and vote for MI Smith, who
it will be remembered 1.-THE mistake of Mr. Hill of
Georgia in that connection to the contrary not
wlthstanding,) was the nominee of the South
Americans only-not after an expression of Demo-
cratic-Party preference for him. as Mr. Reagan
yesterday made plain.
AS for Mr.. McClernand, personally, there is no
more conservative, cool-headed. aud efficient
member in the hzA, as bis previous Congressional
record proves; and it being found impossible to
elect Speaker identified only with the Demo-
cratic party represented in the views on SQUAT
ter sovereignty of the great mass of the party he
was certainly the first man outside of that circle
for whom the Southern Democrats one and all,
should have voted. Ere the close of the session
We know well, those Of them who refused him
their support will be satisfied that they made
mistake in so doing; for however much he may
he compelled to represent the sentiment of his
constituents upon the idiosyncracy of Senator
Douglas, in all things else he will be found as
true as steel and at least effective in the Demo
cratic Party'S cause in nearly every point as anv
other gentleman to be named