The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-28
REUNION OF oLD-r. 4E rErusLrcASs
To Commemorate the Election of General
Banks Speaker.

To Commemorate the Election of General
Banks Speaker.
Washington Special
On Wednesday and Thursday of next week
there will be a reunion in Washington of the
surviving members of the House of Representa-
tives of the Thirty fourth Congress who voted
for n. p Banks, The Republican candidate for
Speaker, TO commemorate the thirty-second an
niversary of that event. Ex-senator Cragin. of
New Hampshire, who is taking active part in
the matter, said to-day that SO far as he has
been able to ascertain some twenry-six Repre-
sentatives who supported General Banks for the
speaksrship yet living. and he hopes that at
least twenty of them will be present to partci-
pate in the reunion. In conversation with
Tribune correspondent to-day Mr.. Cragin said:
1--WE had been engaged for nine weeks in
frutless efforts to elect Speaker, and l29 viva
voce 70 ;es had been AIKEN when Mr. Aiken, of
South Carolina. received l03 votes. That was
Feb. l, 1885, and it convinced General Bankss
leading supporters that the Democrats would
agree on the following day to adopt the plurali-
tv rule. For il had become evident that no can
didate could obtain majority and the high
water mark touched by Aiken made his support
hopeful of success under this rule. The Re
publicans held long conference that night.
Is exciting time, for we knsw that the
long struggle would come TO end the next
day. Would it be victory defeat for usl Some
of our men wanted to drop Banks and take mp
one of the other candidates. who we're receiving
a few votes each. About twenty of US protest
ed. however. that we could not and would not
leave Banks. The conference held very late.
Horace Greeley and Thurlow Weed were in
adjoining room, and their advice was sought
Finally it was decided TO adhere TO Banks"
Mr.. Aiken did not hold his forces together.
and on the next day the fourtlfvote under the
plurality rule, which had been adopted as the
Republicans eknscted resulted io3 TOT Banks
and 100 for Aiken. Thus ended, with the
hundred and thirty-third viva voce vote, the
memorable contest which is to be celebrated
next week.
charge OF ex-senator Cragin, with whom are as
sociated ex-Sp Speaker ,Isalnsha a Grow, of Penn
syivania, aud ex- Representative Will Cumback,
of Indiana. Mr. Cragin is not certain that he has
obtained the names and addresses of all the
survivors, aud he expresses the hone that all
whose names are not on his list will communi-
cate With him. lnsfs y two eases i taay D. ss
1haJ the names OF nAsn recently deceased are IN
cluded in the list
In Maine, John j. Perry, of Portland. rs the
sole survivor New Hampshire has Messrs.
Cragin and James Pike. Vermont gave Banks
three votes and Justin S. Morrill, is the sole sur
vivor. He and John Sherman are the only men
now in Congress Who voted for General Banks
for Speaker. In Massachusetts, besides General
Banks, there are Messrst Linus B. Comins
Chauncey l.. Knapp, Calvin c. Chaffee, Mark
Trofton and Timothy Davis. Mr.. Davis. it is
said, is an inmate of retreat for the insane
the only survivor in Connecticut Is Sidney
Dean. New York contributed twenty-three
votes toward Banks's election. The names of
those who are known or believed to be yet liv
ing ara John NJ Parker, ex- United States Treas
urer F. e. Spinner. Russell Sage, erasmus B.
Matteson, James Guy, r. Pelton. Abram Wake
man and Thomas T. FlaRler OF the sixteen
Pennsylvania Representatives who voted for
Banks the following remain: James H. Camp
bell John r. EdIe, Gausha A. Grow, John j.
Pearce and Lemuel Todd. In Ohio the surviv-
ors are Richard Mott John Sherman and John
A Bingham. In Indiana the only survivor is
Will CumbAck.