, 1863-12-12
FROM WASHINGTON.

heads Observation-Disclosures Plays
his Hand md Ioses-1he Action OF
Efherfdge In uleGal-De1esAte From
Oaceta.
WAsunoroH, Dec. I, 1858.
TIE HOUSE oR6ANIzED-TnB CoPPKBmA0s
CuECKMATED.
The attempt Of Ethe1idge to organize the
House By the election OF Copperhead officers,
was made, but equally failed, to-day. As re-
ported in my last, the plan had been laid and
tic whole thing consummatcd. It failed,
however, because the Border State men would
not goin.w with the copperheads Of the North.
These men now complain that they would
have had everything their own way had the
Border State men gone with them. Mr.. Col
ton refused, and the Last card Of the Democra-
g has thus been played out. All honor to
the Border State men, who have stood by US
from one Of those political revolutions, which
would haEe convnlsed the Union
ETHERmGE PLAYS HIS HAND AND LOSES.
This morning the House met at u O'Clock.
Tho Clerk called the roll Of the following
States only: Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts,
Rhode Island, NcWYor New Jersey, Penp-
sylvnnia, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Louisiana
and Illinois. The several members answered
to their names.
The Clerk then stated there were Other
States, the members Of which had not Pre-
sented proper credentials, one Of which waa
Maryland. He, was asked to read the crcden,
tials Of the members Of that State, and did
so. They appeared to be full and properly
drawn.
:. Mr.. Dawes of Mass. moved TINT the names
Of members from Maryland be placed on the
roll. " :.
James Allen Of. Illinois moved to 1ay; the
resolution on the table.. On this motion the
vote stood: Ayes q, noes o. So the Ho15e
refused to lay the resolution on the table
Of the Illinois members, the ayes were:
James G; Allen, "; J; Allen (Josh), Harris,
Those no: Arnold, Farnsworth, Lovcjoy,
Norton and Washburne This shows it to Be
q strict party vote.
The announcement Of the vote was received
with cheers in tho galleries, which were
crowded to excess; =" ~ -.
The motion Of Air: Dawes was then put and
carried amid great cheering.
names. of the members from Missouri be
placed on the roll Of the: House, which was
carried. =: r." -.
On motion, the name of Henry Mcbride
was placed on the rolls. r.-..
Thaddeus Stevens then moved that the
stricken from the roll.
An Ohio Copperhead moved to lay the mo.
ton on tho table.
Finally Mr.. Stevens Withdrew his resolu-
tion until after the organization OF the House.
When the State Of West Firginin was called,
james c. Allen Of Illinois moved to lay the
upon Tie rol1) on The a table. - % On this motion ]
the vote stood: Ayes IS, noes 10l.
And on motion, the resolution Of Mr. Love-
The members from East Yirginia were not
admitted.
Mr. :Waslburne then nominated Schuyler
colfax Of Indiana for Speaker, election to be
Mr: Pendleton Of Ohio nominated a1r. Coz
Mcesrs. M sd Dawson, Of Pa, Mallory; Of Ky.,
stcbbins of New. York, and F. r. Blair, Of
Mo. were also nominated.
The vote stood: 8. Colfax, 10l; 8. s. Cox,
Y; J. l. Dawson, =; Mallory, 1o;. A: ".
choice, 81
The Clerk then appointed Messrs. Cox and
Dawson committee to escort Mr.. Colfax to
the chair, md he vas placed therein amid the
most enthusiastic cheers. Mr, Colfnx then
Of which Mr. Washburne, as the Oldest mena-
bcr Of the House, administered the oath Of
office to the Speaker
The first business being the swearing in of
the members, this was proceeded with, after
which tho House adjourned.
THE ACTION OF ETHEnID0E-Is IT LEGAL?
!. The action of Emerson. Etheridge in play
ing into the hands Of the copperheads Of the
House, is not only without precedent, bnt NJ.
together Illegal. The following is the act
upon which he bases his proceedings, in not
placing the names of certain members on the
roll Of the House. =. :
An ACT to regulate the duties OF the Clerk Of tho
House ot tRep.ceesentatiTes, in preparing for tho
organization Of the House.
<tnfafirss ei Is 1aiftd Siaies II 1meries n tn.
gTess assembled, That before tho first meeting Of
the next Congress, and Of every subsequent Con-
RepresentstTcs shai afe I'll d ths Rsprsse1. n.
tatiyes elect, and place thereon the names Of all
persona, and Of such peEsons only, whose ereden-
he & GET s1ss
1y, or the laws OF the United States.
Approved March 3, 1863
THIS act was never meant to disflanchise
any lawfully elected Union man; but on the
other hand, it WIS passed ut tho last session
In oFderto prevent secession members, who
were elected BY Z few votes in certain rebel
States, from taking their seats. NoT, Mr..
Etheridge proposes to turn what was intend
ed as q shield against frandulently elected
membeIs IN the rebel States, into weapon
with which to destroy legally elected Union
men. His action in this natter proves him
to be traitor, and that he has sold himself
to traitors-to the Copperheads led on bT
Fernando Wood & Co., and whose object il
to stop the war and acknowledge the seeded
States. There is NO doubt but that EtherIdge
entered into this conspiracy at the start, and
that 1t was part Of the plan By which Vallan-
dignam was to be elccted In Ohio, and
enough border State seccssionists elected In
Missouri, Maryland, Kentucky and other
States, In order to control Congress, for the
benefit Of the Confaderacy. Hitherto, from
the commencement Of the Government, Ill
tbs rolls have been made up by the clerk Of
the House Of Representatives, from those
who were known to be elected. and whose
seats were not contested, the object Of the
above act being simply to prevent persons
obtaining seats In Congress to which they
had not been legu1ly chosen Tic attempt Of
the copperheads to eonstrae It - excluding
Union men elected by overwhelming Totes,
is simply one Of those secession funds Of
which We have Ind SO much since the COM
mencement Of the war. :.
DELEGATE FROM DAcoTAu, -,
Ex-Gov. Jayne, delegate from Dacotah. is
hero with the certificate Of his election
Gen. Todd Deu1.) from that Territory, con-
tests the seat; but as tho Governor was duly
elected, see no chance for the Gcnoral The
only LnlnE A0Out tHe hALLcE ID LQAt governor
Jayne got more good rotes and bad votes,
both, than Gen. Todd. However, Ethcrldge,
true to the bargain he made with the Cop
perheads, threw ont Gov. Jayne and placed
the name Of Gsu. Todd upon the rolls.
.,-:., ZETA.
Shel1lng Charleston.
correspondent Of the Savannah Ntrs
writes from James Island:- a..
The enemy is NOW sha.ltug the ctr. hnf}1