Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1884-12-11
A Biu Row in the House.

Ben: Perley Poore tells this story in his
"reminiscences Of Washington life: The
scrimmage in the House Of Representa-
tives early on Saturday morning, Febru-
airy 9, 1858, was an exciting affair as
seen from the reporters gallery. 1t was
inaugurated by Keitt, of South Carolina,
who rushed belligerently at Grow, OF
Pennsylvania, when hereceived-not from
Grow, however, blow that knocked him
down. A dozen Southern men at once
left their seats and hurried to the spot,
while as many anti-Lecompton men came
to the rescue. Foremost came Mr.. Pot
ter, of Wisconsin, a very athletic, com
pact man, who bounded into the centre
of the excited group, striking right and
left with tremendous vigor. Washburne.
Of illinois, and his brother, Of Wiscon
sin, also were prominent, and for q
minute or two it seemed as though we
were to have Kilkenny fight on mag
nifcent scale. Barksdale had hold Of
Grow, when Potter struck him severe
blow, supposing that he was hurting
that gentleman. Barksdale, turning
around and supposing it was Elihu Wash
burne who struck him, dropped Grow
and struck out at the gentleman from
Illinois. Cadwallader Washburn, per
ceiving the attack upon his brother, also
made dash at Mr.. Barksdale and seized
him BY the hair, apparently for the pur-
pose of drawing him into chanceryn
and pummeling him to greater salts
faction. Horrible to relate, Mr.. Barks
dale's wig came off in Cadwallader's
left hand, and his right fist expended
itself with tremendous force against the
unresisting air. This ludicrous incident
unquestionably did much toward restor-
ing good nature subsequently, and III
effect was heightened not little BY the
fact that in the excitement Of the occa
sion Barksdale restored his wig wrong
side foremost.
The speaker yelled and raped for
order, without effect. The sergeant-at-
arms stalked to the scene Of battle,
mace in hand, but his American eagle
had no more effect than the speakeri
gavel Owen Lovejoy, and Lamar, oi
Mississippi, were paving each other al
one point-each probably trying to per.
suade the other to be still. Mr.. Mott,
the gray haired Quaker representa-
tive from Ohio, was seen going here
and there in the crowd, Davis oi
Mississippi, got severe but academia.
blow from Mr.. Grow, and various gen.
tlemen sustained slight bruises and
scratches. A Virginia representative
who thought Montgomery, of PennsyL
vania, was about to pitch in,p laid
his hand upon his arm to restrain him,
and was peremptorily ordered to desisi
Or be knocked down. Mr.. Covode, Of
Pennsylvania, caught up a heavy stone
ware spittoon with which to "brain
whoever might seem to deserve it, but for
tunately did not get far enough into the
excited crowd to find an appropriate
subject for his vengeance, and all over
the hall everybody 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 disordered appearance, but
there remained little else to recall the
excitement. Gentlemen Of opposite par
ties crossed over to each other to explain
their pacific dispositions and that they
got into fight where their only pur-
pese was to prevent fight. Mutual
explanations and hearty laugh at the
ludicrous points Of the drama were fol-
lowed BY quiet and return 70 business