Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-01-04
BE1LIoosE ooNGREssmEN.
Memorable Scenes in the House Nearly
Thirty Years ARo.
Do ZONES Poora's Reeolleollons

AHh NtEle9 ANNith ANtNnlltNlNnhs
The scrimmage in the house of rep
resentauves early on Saturday morn
ing. February 9, 1855, was an exciting
STAR az seen from the reporters gal
lery. Ii was inaugurated 10y Keitt Of
South Carolina, who rushed belliger-
eutly at 9rOw OF Pennsylvania, when
he received-not from Grow, however
"a blow that Knocked him down. A
dozen Southern men al once left their
seats aud rus he'd to the
spot, while as many anti-LecOmp-
ton men came to the rescue. Foremost
came Mr. Potter OF Wisconsin, very
athletic, compact man, who bounded
into the center Of the excited group,
striking right and left with tremen-
dous vigor. Wsshburne Of Illinois
and his brother of Wisconsin also were
prominent, and for minute or two IL
seemed as though we were to have q
Kilkenny cat fight on magnificent
scale. Barksdale had hold OF Grow,
when Potter struck him severe blow,
surprising that he was hurting that
gentleman. Barksdale, turning around
and surprising II was Elihu Wash
burne who struck him, dropped Grow
and struck out at the gentleman from
Illinois.
Cadwallader Mashburn, seeing the
attack upon his brother, also made =
dash at Mr. BaTksdale and seized him
by the hair, apparently for the purpose
of drawing him Into chanceryn and
pummeling him 10 greater satisfac-
ton. Horrible TO relate, Mr.. Banks.
| dale's wig came Off in Cadwalladeris
left hand, and his right fist expended
itself with tremendous force againet
! the unreaisting air This ludicrous in.
cident Internationally did much
toward restoring good nature subse
quently, and its effect was heightened
not little by the fact that in the ex
element of the occasion Barksdale re
stored his wig wrong side foremost.
The speaker yelled and raped fol-
order, wi hout effect. The sergeant
alarms stalked tn the scenee OF battle
mace in hand, but his "AmtricaI
e4gls" had no more Of
feet than the speakers gave
Owen LOvejoy and Lamar, of Mlssis
sippi, were paving each other at on'
p int-each probably trying 10 per
suade the other 10 be still. Mr. Mott
the gray-haired Quaker representa-
tive from Ohio, was seen going here
and there in the crowd. Davis, o
Mississippi, gotta severe but Academia
blow from Mr., Grow and various gen
tlemeu sustained slight bruises anC
scratches. A Virginia representative
who thought Montgomery of Pennsyl
vania was about 10 pitch in, p laid hi
hand upon his arm TO restrain him
and was peremptorily ordered to de
sist or be knocked down. MIR COvod,
of Pennsylvania caught up a heavl
stOneware spittoon, with which h
threatened to "brainn whoever NIGH
seem 10 deserve 1t, but fortunately die
not get far enough into the excite
crowd to find an appropriate subjec
for his vengeance, and all over the hal
! everybody was excited for the time.
Fortunately IL did not last long ant
} no weapons were openly displayed
J When order was restored several gen
, tlemen were found TO present an ex
eessively tumbled and disordered ap
} ppaTa ce, ut there remained little els
to recall he excitem NJ Gentlemen G
opposite parties CROSSED over 10 Gael
| other TO explain their pacific dispos
! tions, and that they got into q figh
! where their only purpose was IN pre-
: vent Il fight Mutual explanation
and hearty lau4h at the iudicEou
: points OF the drama were followed b,
, a quiet return TO business.