New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-01-25
FROM WASHINGTON.
THE STRUGGLE FOR THE sPEAKERsHIP.

From Our Own Correspondent. 80
WASHINGTON, JAN %, 1860.
Seven weeks have passed without effecting an Or
panization, and all the signs point to struggle
quite as protracted as that which attended the
election of Mr.. Banks, and perhaps more so. The
column supporting Mr.. Sherman has stood up gal
lantly, bearing the brunt Of heavy and constant
fire without sign of waveriDg. They are mostly
new troops, but veterans could not have behaved
better or answered every call of duty with more
promptitude and efficiency. And they are likey.to
stand unawed by the clamOr or the misrepresenta-
tons of the enemy on the one hand, and unmoVed
by the timd counsels of few weak friends on the
other. Mr.. Sherman has distinctly said to the
House that he is willing to retire at any moment,
and will not permit his name to be an impeachment
70 success whenever an election can be made by
adopting another candidate. That notice was
given deliberately and frankly TO meet the sugges-
tons which have been insidiOuSy thrown out that
a change would be followed by success.
1t may be true-though the fact has never yet
been demonstrated to the public satisfaction, or
by any practical test-that one or more gentlemen
who have been named might command two or three
additional votes. But the fact is well ascertained
also that the various interests now supporting MIR.
Sherman could not be transferred solid TO another
candidate. Mr.. Hickman, Mr.. Schwartz, and Mr..
Haskin are not Republicans and therefore would
not be bound by any action that party might posi-
bly, take in bringing forward new name. AS
things now stand, they have expressed determine
tion TO adhere to Mr.. Sherman. If the whole
Republican vote, therefore, could be gwen Tor any
of the candidates suggested, and these three should
refuse to unite, the present predicament would only
be repeated in different FORM Three gains and
three losses would offset each other without adyanc
ing toward the object at all, while the experiment
of change of front in face of the enemy might be
disastrous.
Great Injustice has been done to Mr.. Sherman
and the body of true men who have sustained him
SO CALAMITY by the statement that there Is any pur
pose of obstinate adhesion to him. against the wish
of the great majority, or in disregard OF the I'M
pOrtant object of success il the organization. de
has been anxious, all along, to submit this very
question to n conference, and was restrained by the
almost unanimous desire that he should retain his
position. very small and pragmatical interest
only has urged q different course without finding
either response or encouragement. Outsiders, who
are seeking office and jobs have grown FESTIVE I'M
der this announcement delay and are willing TO cur
culate false impressions, in the hope OF precipi-
tating a result in some form, not caring much how
it may be prOdnced.
line Only ODlecIOn pTtSStu dSdllHl EoHCihuu
from the other side was met by his manly and tell
ing speech on Friday when he challenged the with
drawal of Clarks offensive resolutions, in order to
express his sentiments upon the extracts from
Helpers book on which they protested to be pred-
Gated The request was pontedly refused, as 1t
had been on former occasion, thus demonstrating
that this subject had been introduced for the express
| purpose of preventing an organization. II the
| menace of which Mr.. Sherman complained had
| been temp, rarily removed, he would at once have
| disposed of this miserable pretext They feared
his explanation and believed 1t would be followed
| by an election. Hence the refusal. Yet, ln the
face of these facts Mr.. Briggs and others who nave
| taken exception to Mr.. Sherman, only upon the
false allegation concerning the Helper book, with
hold their support now, and partially enlist under
the banner of the Disunionists. They might just as
| well vote with Barksdae, Pugh, Reuben DAVIS, ana
as the initiative step toward dissolution of the
| Union: as to cooperate with them in the manner
But for the factious course of forty odd Southern
| Democrats, in entering into written pledge TO
resist the plurality rule, and the aid and comfort
which they have received from Northern aud west
| ern Democrats the House might be organized any
day. If the atter had united with the general OPP
| position in adopting this mode of extricatiOn, the
deadlock would long since have been terminated.
They had every reason to do so, because the plu-
rality is a Democratic invention, and was intro
duced by Democrats on the two occasions when the
precedent was established. In l849, the Wings
and Democrats exchanged views as TO mode of
| organization, by Committees of Conference, at
which it was agreed TO resort to the plurality. Mr.
Stanton Of Tenn, who was Chairman of the Demo
cratic Committee reported this understanding to
bis party caucus, when exception was taken
| by some of the abstractionists, who then
as now, opposed it as unconstitutional
He subsequently offered it in the House, and Mr.
Cobb, the present Secretary of the Treasury, was
elected Speaker The Democracy never protested
against the Legality Of his acts, or questioned their
binding obligation In 1856 Mr. sam. Smith, the
present Commissioner of the Land Office, and then
o Democratic Member from Tennessee, proposed
the plurality again, and Mr.. Banks was elected,
somewhat to the surprise of the mover. 1t is
therefore made apparent that this mode Of election
originated in the South, where il now encounters
the most hostile and factious opposition. They
brand their own offspring as Legitimate, thus pre-
serving that consistency of action which is regulated
BY sefinterest only. Ii Mr. Bocock could CON-
mard the vote Mr. Sherman does, the plurality
would be applauded as Constitutional, expedient
aud wise. The same men now denounee il as uu,
just and tyrannica