Arkansas true Democrat., 1860-02-22
WASHINGTON, D. C.. Feb. 4. 1860.

The contest for the spcakership has, after struggle of eight weeks, been brought to close by the election of Mir. Pennington, black republican of New Jersey. Previous to his election the black republicans, see ing it was impossible for them to elect IIeperte, and fearing if they kept their nominee, John sherman, loa~nr on the track he would be defeated withdrew him and nominated Pennington on last Monday. | This result was brought about by tho dem ocratS, for which they deserve the thanks of the country. and the fact that they had to withdraw Sherman whom some of them said they would vote for "until the crack of doom," or until hell froze from shore to shoro," q quote the exact language used ! by the black republicans was great nor tiication to the black republicans, and although they have elected one of their stripe Speaker, the withdrawal of Sherman takes away much of their qualification at their success.
 The election of Pennington was effected after several days balloting, by two know nothings, Briggs of New York, and Henry Winter Davis of Maryland, going over to the black republicans; however, 1t cannot be disguised that the country is in the main indebted to such humiliating spectacle to tho results of Stephen A. Douglas detect.on from the democratic party for his own selfish purposes, for without that de- lection the democratic party would this day be unit, with large majority in the House of Representatives. There were | co,,,o ba1f J0van man, bor. o1oo+oI tn +b. present House as democrats of the Douglas stripe with reference to the Lecompton question and his squatter sovereignty heresy, some of whom have steadily voted for the black republican nominee for speaker since the commencement of the session, and others did not do so, but refused to vote for democrat, and after the nomna ton of Pennington went to the black re- publcanS. There can now be no mistake as to their position, and it but shows that disorganizers to the democratic party finally become affiliated with the opposition.
 The black republicans nominated John W. Forney, of Pa., Douglasite, for clerk, and Hoffman of Mary land, for scrgeant-at- arms, voted for them in a body and elected them. The other officers of the House have not as yet been elected.
 As to the election of southern know nothing to the office of sergeanta arms of the House by the nomination and votes of the black republicans, it demonstrates to the southern people upon which party alone they can rely when their rights and honor are concerned. It may also be well to maintain, that his election was perhaps the result of bargain with Davis, the know nothing member from Maryland, who voted for and thus secured the election of n black republican speaker, as is now charged, with the express understanding between him and the black republicans. that his friend Hoffman was in considera- tion thereof to have their support, and also that as his. Davies seat, Is contested on account of the means used by the plue ugly clubs of Baltimore in returning him
 by preventing majority of the legal voters of the district from exercising the elective franchise, they were to secure him his seat Upon these points there are no doubts expressed here, and it tends to stamp fully the baseness and venality of the black republican party, which with the southern opposition party, has so vehe- mently charged upon the democracy cor ruption. No such bargains are, or can be charged, with any semblance of truth upon the democratic party. But the election of Forney by the black republicans and their allies brings to light more plainly the base and shameless bargain made and entered