Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-05-30
A HISTORIC FIGHT.
Its Memory Revived by a Re-
union at Washington.
ELECTION OF BANKS AS SPEAKER

Nine Weeks of Angry Debate which
Came Near Being a Riot-Passage by
the Senate of the Original Packages
Bnl-Over 90, 600, 900 Appropriated by
the House for Public Buildings-The
Senate Financiers Get to Work on the
Tariff.
WASHINGTON CITY, May 3O-A reunion
of survivors of the 103 members of the
Thirty-fourth congress who voted for, and
at last succeeded in electing, Nathaniel p.
Banks speaker of the house of representa-
tives, rendered him banquet last night at
the Arlington hotel in this city. There
We're present ex-Speaker Banks, Senators
Sherman, Morrill,, and Dawes, ex -Senator
Cragin, and ex-Representatives Cumback
and Dodd. The contest began Dec. 8, 1855,
and continued until Feb. following.
Thomas t. Flagler, of Lockport, N. Y,
who was one of the 103, relates the story of
the struggle as follows:
"This great contest" said he, "was one of
the four links of prominent events which
brought about the war The repeal of the
prohibition of slavery in Kansas and Ne
y
third congress This had so disrupted the
parties that not one of the many candi-
dates for speaker was able to secure a ma
jority in his favor.
How the Fight Was Won.
AFTER nine weeks of fruitless effort, on
Feb. 2, 1856. resolution was adopted by
| a majority vote Of lib to 103 that plural
| ity should constitute an election. I'm
/ 1..y RI ha
last ballot was taken. The result was
Nathaniel p. Banks, of Massachusetts,
| 1903; William Aiken, of South Carolina,
| 100; Henry NJ Fuller, of Pennsylvania,
s; Lewis o. Campbell, of Ohio, 4; Daniel
Wells, of Wisconsin, l. A resolution was
then passed by majority vote declaring
Mr.. Banks duly elected by plurality
| vote, and at O'Clock p. M, after an ex-
| citing and boisterous session of seven
/ hours. he was escorted to his seat by
Messrs. Aiken and Fuller.
| Pistols and Revoivers Drawn.
| Il never passed through so exciting a
| time. / have seen the DAYS when pistols
and revolvers were drawn, and many a
| time during those nine weeks did | take
my seat expecting to see some one killed
before the days session ended. The
| southerneTs were unusually bitter, and
| the speeches. filibustering and fiorid
speechmaking which they INDUCED in but
made the northerners more determined TO
carry their point. Political differences
were set aside. Wing and Democrat from
the north were arranged against the south
and southwest
Some of the Men in the Contest.
"The house was crowded daily, and the
press teemed with pictures of the scene en-
acted there, written by some of the ablest
journalists of our country. The last ses-
sion, at which the l34th ballot was taken,
lasted seven hours, and we virtually elect
ed Banks twice to the chair before we dare
make the move to place him there. The
personnel OF our number includes John
NJ. Perry, of Maine; Aaron Cragin and
James Pike, of New Hampshire; Nathan
iel p Banks, l.. l.. Collins, G.. l.. Knapp
&c. G. Chafee, Mark Traftin. of Massachu
sets; Sidness Dean, of Rhode Island
Russell Sage, Guy X. Peyton, J. S. t
Stranahan, X. King. and Francis f. Spin
ner, of New York; William Cumback, oi
Indiana: John Sherman, John K. Bing
ham, p. Bliss, of Ohio; G. A. Grow, Joseph
A. Campbell, l.. Todd, and J. Pierce, Of
Pennsylvania; j. 5. Morrill, of Vermont
and myself.
"Of the above John Sherman and ]. S
Morrill, have been senators and ex
speakers. Banks is now member of the
house. The others are not in public life
Morrill, is now the oldest senator in con
gress"