The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-01-14

nounced Harris in unmeasured terms,
and denied that he had any right or
authority whatever to preside over
the House. He ended his speech by
Nominating ]. H. Caldwell, Of Troup,
10 preside over the House until an or
ganization was perfected. The mo-
ton was put and carried by hard
votes, and Bryant, advancing with
Caldwell, conducted the latter to the
Chair. Harris refused to vacate his
seat, and the excitement beginning to
increase again. Caldwell grew fri ght-
ened and declined to serve.
AS soon as Caldwell backed down,
Dunlap Scott, of Floyd, obtained the
floor and nominated Bryant Speaker
pro tenn of the House, and the motion
was again carried.
"On motion of Scott, Bryant then
appointed a committee of three to
wait on Gen. Terry, and find out from
him whether Harris had any authori-
ty to organize the House, and read
Farrow's opinion on the eligibility OF
members. Bryant appointed as this
committee, Dunlap, Scott, Frank Hol-
den and C. X. Osgood,
whilst this committee was gone
there was pause to see what weuld
be its report, but Harris still refused
to give up his place. He remained
seated i'm the Speakers Chair, whilst
Bryant sat upon the top of a table and
presided over the House.
.In short time-the committee re-
turned and announced that Gen. Ter
~ decided Harris had the power to
organize the House, but had no right
10 have Farrow's opinion read. Bry-
ant at once yielded his post, and the
call of the members proceeded. When
the roll was half finished the House
adjourned until 10 o'clock tomorrow.
1t has transpired here to. day that
Bullock and COnley had arranged a
plan for the arrest of a Senator OH the
floor of the Senate for taking the oath
improperly, but the Democrats an
nnounced their determination to re-
sist the attempt, and Bullock and
Conley, afraid to carry things too far,
backed down from their scheme.
al. Z. Bryant, w. F. Holden, of
Taliaferro, c. Il. OsgOod, of Chatham.
j. Madison Rice, of Columbia, and
others of the Radical party, will as
sist the Democrats in fighting the
Bullockites to the bitter end.
at has been seen that both in the
Senate and the House of Representa-
tives negro members were selected to
enter protests against Senators and
Representatives taking theirs seats.
This was another trick dictated by the
cowardice of the white Bullockites.
These latter were afraid that should
attempt anything of the sort they
would be arrested and prosecuted
under the provisions of their own re-
construction bill, which prohibits any
one from preventing a member from
laking his seat. The negroes did not
fully understand this law, and the
Bullockites put them forward as their
scapegoats.
The Atlanta Constitution says the
row in the House was very exciting
scene. 1t showed clearly the wicked
venom of the Radicals and their rev.
oluticnary purposes. So outrageous
was their unredeemed usurpation of
power, and wanton violence, that the
moderate members of the party re-
coiled from the wrong. And tie at
tempt by two young men with pis-
tolls to arrest Bryant, Radical Re-
publican. who didn't happen to run
in the rut of extreme Radicalism,
shows the fury with which the party
lash is being cracked. Credit is due
10 Bryant for the nerve with which
he braved down the brutal piece of
tyranny.