Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1860-02-09
FROM WASHINGTON.

Especial Correspondence OF the Press x Tribune
WASHINGTON, Jan. %, 1860.
A Republican caucus was held yesterday after
noon for general consultation. 1t was the first one
since the session began. All who have supported
Sherman we're present. save four, detained by i'll
ness, or absence from the city. One hundred and
eleven answered to the roll call. The discussions
that followed were animated but not angry. few
were for sticking to Sherman and letting the Dem
ocrats elect Smith; but more than nine-tenths of
all present objected to pursuing that course Short
ly after the caucus called to order, Mr.. Sher
MAJ addressed his friends in manly patriotic and
feeling speech telling them that the time hid
nov come when his name could be of no further
Sc vice to them or the they all had at heart;
he therefore withdrew it and requested them to
concentrate upon some other name which would
secure the requisite strength to elect Speaker
Some of his supporters objected to his Withdrawing,
and indicated their intention to continue voting for
him; but he peremptorily refused to allow his
{, he further used in connection with the Speaker
ship. Ii was ascertained that Gov. Pennington
could secure the votes of Adrain, Riggs and Reyn-
olds, against Smith or any one else; and that if
Smith is withdrawn, Geo. Briggs and Winter Da-
Wis would then vote for Pennington. No formal
nomination was made bat the caucus broke up with
the understanding that the Sherman vote shall be
cast for Gov. Pennington. Hickman, Schartz and
IIaskin agreed to this programme, and believe
every Republican from the Northwestern States
agreed to support Pennington.
Since my last letter it has been ascertained that
Smith stands committed TO the passage of natu-
raization law extending the tiRe to ten years.
and if he should be elected lie will appoint the
committee on naturalization so to carry out that
pledge 10 his Know Nothing constituents. When
voting for him on Friday Northwestern Democrats
pretended that they believed him to be altogether
free from the ''leprosy OF Noihingism," as
/ John Cochran denoninated him; but since then
4 bov oil hp lffn n he
ten year naturalization law; and he dare not arise
in his place IN the presence of the House and deny
it. A cousin o. his, now in this city, has publicly
stated, Il an in '5rmcd,) that Smith regularly
initiated into Know Nothincista and took all the
oaths and degrees of the dark lantern order. 1t is
now denied that he is ain advocate of a slave code
for the Territories and it is admitted that he hates
: Douglas and squattcr sovereignty. And this is
the man, after he nominated by the Know Moth
ings in caucus, on Friday morning, whom the
Northwestern Douglas Democrats supported for
Speaker. and pledged themselves to again vote for.
SO confident were the Disunionists about O'Clock
on Friday, that Smith would be elected, that they
telegraplied to their friends Richmond, Charles
ton, Savannah, and even aS far South as New Or
leans that the Black Republicans were beaten by
Stakeholder who was "sound the goose
meaning that he stood on nther platform. The re-
port that Smith was elected reached Baltimore,
Philadelphia, New York and Boston, and spread
was i'm Philadelphia, and was making one of jo-
vial dinner party, when a servant rushed into the
room, and announced that there was a report OH
the street that the Democrats had just elected
"Sm;th" Speaker. Every nun sprang from the
festive board. Blair matic bce-line for the near
est Telegraph Office to inquire whether it was ok
tra BLY, of Virginia who was made Speaker. He
was informed that Mr. Smith Know Nothing, of
N. c., had been elec cd half an hour ago, but was
afterwards un elected. Blair said he breaIhesl
easier upon hearing that Information. He jumped
aboard the first train and never looked behind him
until he landed in Washington
Gov. Seward had sat down to dinner with num-
Der of friends when the report came that "Smth'
was elected The Governor is very cool and quite
deliberate in his motions, but he had no farthhcc
appetite for dinner An adjournment was carried,
unanimously, and the Governor cllartering the
nearest hack had the pleasure of entering the Hall
in time to witness the rage and defeat of the Fire
Eaters.
+ Il remarkable how swiftly The 'rumor of
Smiths election spread over the city. Men and
women aocked into the spacious galleries through
every door, and in an incr edible short time every
foot of sitting or standing space was packed. Hun
dreds Of persons managed to pass the door-keepers
and get upon the floor among the members. 90
As one doughface after another came forward
and changed his vote to Smith, the Fire-Eaters
would applaud, and then volley of clapIin and
in the enthusiastically from Southern clerks and
Federal Office holders. A little after fodr o'clock
= a loud whisper ran round the galleries, and came
ur from the south side of the hoor that ''Smith''
was elected! The Disunionists all over the Hall
were frantic with JOY, while the Republicans look
ed pale with despair. The next thirty or forty
minutes were very exciting As each of the Penn
sylvania members who had been caught in the trap
withdrew their complimentary votes from Smith,
and cast them for Sherman or Corwn, a storm of
applause would break forth from the Republicans
in the galleries mingled with hurricane of Kisses
from the Disunionists. Another doughface would
come forward and fill the gap. then renewed plaud-
its would break forth from the Southerners. Then
comes long. painful thrilling suspense. Three
Northern Democrats held out, and three votes
would elect Smith. Keitt, HindInan and Lamar
spoke against time. The Republican members
would shout, "Mr Clerk. announce the VOTE
Tellers announce the vote; announce the yote.'
But Keitt ravcd on. Republican members would
call him to order; the Clerk would preyaricate and
ldodge-decide one way this minute and another
the next. More cries of sOrdcr,' '.Sit down.
l.sDry up" The Fire Eaters would shoutto him. -
i"Go on.'"Kil time Hold your ground" "Give
him h--l.'' All this e.sorder was mingled with
cries of "Announce the vote.'' Cheers from, the
lDisunionists. Kisses from the Republicans, and in
cessant pounding on his desk by the Clerk. All
the members we're on their feet. Scores Of groups
were in earnest consultation in every part of the
hall, and in the adjoining cloak rooms.f Sherman
during all the excitement remained in his scat,
cain, and serene, quietly and coolly giving advice
or directions TO his friends, and closely examining
the tally tbeiore him. Meanwhile an excited,
importunate crowd of men had hold of Allen, Davis
and Holman, coaxing them to vote for Smith. The
latter two offered to do If the former would. If
SO 900 would hare bought his vote, he could have
got it. Any Office he might name was at his COM
mand, i: was kingdom for vote. But he