Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-11-30
ROW IN THE HOUSE.

How the Statesmen Behaved in 1853.
The scrimmage in the House of Repre-
sentatives early on Saturday morning,
Feb. o, 1853. says Ben: Perley POere, was
an exciting affair as seer from the report
er's gallery. 1t was inaugurated by
Keitt. u South Carolina, who rushed bel
] igerently at Grow, Of Pennsylvania,
when he received-nOt from Grow, how
eYer-a blow that knocked him down. A
dozen Southern men at nee left their
seats and rushed to the spot, while as
many anti-LacomptOn men came to the
rescue. Foremost came Mr.. Potter, of
Wisconsin, a very athletic, compact man,
who bounded into the centre of the ex-
cited group. striking right and left with
tremendous vigOr. Washburne, OF Hi
nOis, and his brother, Of Wisconsin, also
were prominent, and for a minute or two
il seemed as though we were to have a
Kilkenny fight on a magnificent scale.
B~arksdale had mold OF Grow, when Pot
ter struck him a severe blow, suppOsing
that he was hurting hat gentleman.
BaFksdale, turning around and suppOsing
il was Elihu Washburne who struck him,
dropped Grow and struck out at the gen.
tleman from Illinois. Cadwallader
Washburne, perceiying the attack upon
his brother, also made a dash at Mr..
B~arksdale and seized him by the hair, ap-
parently for the purpose Of drawing him
'.intO chancery" and pummelling him to
greater satisfaction. Horrible to relate,
Mr.. Barksdale's wig came of in Cadwal-
lader's left hand, and his right fist ex-
pended itself with tremendous force
against the unresisting air. The ludic-
rOus incident unquestiOnably did much
towards restoring good nature subse-
Quently. and its effect was heightened not
a little by the fact that in the excitement
of the occasion Barksdale restored his wig
wrong side foremost.
The Speaker yelled and raped for or
der, without effect. The ~Sergeant-at-
Arms stalked 10 the scene of battle, mace
in hand. but his American eagle" had no
more effect than the Speakers gavel.
Owen, LOvejOy and Lamar, of Mississip-
pi, were paving each other at n point
each probably trying to persuade the 9th
er to be still. Mr.. Mott, the gray-haired
Quaker Representative from Ohio, vas
seen going here and there in the crowd.
Davis. of Mississippi. got a severe but ac-
cidental blow from Mr.. Glow, and various
gentlemen sustained slight bruises and
scratches. a Virginia Representative,
who thought Montgomery, of Pennsylva-
MIA, was about to ''pltch in," laid his
hand upon his arm to restrain him, and
was peTemptOrily ordered TO desist or te
knocked down. Mr.. COvOde, of Pennsyl-
vania, caught up a heavy stOne-ware
spittOOn, with which to ''brain" whoever
might seem to deserve il, but fortunately
did not get far enough into the excited
crcwd TO ind an appropriate subject for
his vengeance: anu all oYerthe hall every
body was excited for the time.
Fortunately, it did not last long, and no
weapons were openly displayed. When
order was restored, several gentlemen
were found to present an excessively
tumbled and dis0rdered appearance, but
there remained little else to recall the eX-
citement. Gentlemen of opposite parties
crossed over to each other to explain their
pacific dispositions, and that they got into
a fight where their only purpose vas to
prevent a fight. Mutual explanations and
a hearty laugh at the ludicrOus points Of
the drama, were followed by quiet and a
return 10 business.