Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-20
A LONG, HARD FIGHT,
in Which Senator Sherman Came
Near Being Elected Speaker.
A VIE PREVENTS A FIST FIGHT.
Holman Says the Present Congress u - b
Q Five-Cent One.
THE TELEGRAPH METHODS OF EuEePs
rccEHEsroNpENUR OF THE p1srAzcH.l

CORRESPONDENTS OF rHD DfsrAToH.1
WASHINGTON, Dea 19.-The House Of
Representatives has not yet gotten over
discussing the late speakership contest
And speaking of the speakership contest, I
had talk with Senator Sherman last night
about his famous speakership fight of 1859,
when the House of Representatives spent
nine weeks in balloting and when Sherman
during the whole time had plurality vote
and once or twice came within two or
three of an election.
This was 80 years ago. Sherman's hair
was black He had full, black beard, and
he was a tall, wiry, angular man Of 36 He
was the youngest man in Congress when he
was elected to the House, and he had made
a reputation as one of the committee sent
out to Kansas to investigate the troubles
there He was the speakership candidate
of the Northern Republicans, and opposed.
to him were all the elements of the South
On the first ballot Galusha A. GROW had
nearly as many votes as Sherman, but on
the second ballot he dropped out, and all
his votes went to Sherman.
A Story Mover. Before Published.
Senator Sherman tells me the true in
wardness of this movement, and his story
of the contest has never been published.
Said he:
''Mr. Grow and had private arrange
ment that the one who received the most
votes on the first ballot should have the
votes of the other thereafter. The result
was that he threw his votes to me and on
the second ballot 1 got 107 votes. From
that time on until the close of the contest
nv friends stood by me. Thaddeus Stevens
said he would vote for me until the crack
of doom and my friends stuck to me until
saw there was danger of q combination be-
tween the old Wings Of the South and the
Democrats, and threw my vote to Penning-
ton, of New Jersey, and he was elected on
the forty-fourth ballot.
"The contest was, think, the longest
contest in our history 1t lasted
from December till February 1, and the
House was in an uproar great part of the
time. There were many funny incidents
during the contest, and a number of times it
looked as though we would have a general
fight in the House. The Democrats were
on one side of the House and the Repub-
Leans on the other, much as they are now,
and 1 remember that we tried to keep the
parties separated and the aisle between
hem clear. Potter, a Republican from
very large and powerful man,
got into fuss with Barksdale, of Missis-
'ippi
Exposed Potter's False Hair.
"Thev sat across the aisle from one
mother, and Barksdale said something that
made Potter very angry. He jumped for
lin and grabbed him by the hair, intending
o jerk him from his seat and pound his
ace, but 10 and behold, Barksdale's whole
read seemed to rise up in Potter's hands,
md the House found out for the first time
hat Barksdale wore wig, and his pate, as
,ald as billiard ball, shone out under tho
,aslight while the House rosred.
''That same night Keitt, of South Caro-
ina, and Galusha A. Grow came near hav-
ng a fight. Keitt called Grow Black Re-
aving that Keitt was a Negro driver
nd that he should not crack his whip over
lin. I sat at this time very near Mr.. |
Jovode, of Pennsylvania, and he, thinking
he fight was going to be a general one,
,icked up one of the big iron spittoons |
which the House then used, and held it |
bove his head ready to use it as q weapon.
for him, however, tho spit |
DON was half full, and the tobacco juice
ripped down and soiled his clothes.
"During the whole contest We were on
he verge of physical combat. Many of the
members were armed, and the bitterest of
political feeling prevailed. The fight |
.gainst me was very bitter. but, after ali,
lad to considerable extent the victory, for
was
Able to Elect the Speaker,
md when Mr.. Pennington made out his list |
6 l.& 49, l. h. IL \ IL
when supposed would be |
lected, and he made me Chairman Of the |
Ways and Means Committee, thus giving |
ne the position of leader of the House"
"Who was the clerk Of that House, Mr.. |
,herman?" said I.
'The Clerk was John W. Forney," re- |
lied Senator Sherman, "and he was elected |
" one vote. We were anxious, YOU know,
o get the votes of the so-called South |
American members, and we were making
ny combinations that We thought would |
i've us these votes and a ma jority for me.
t was privately understood that my friends
Tould vote for Forney, but we didn't want
o acknowledge any such understanding,
or to have it anything else than private.
)ne of the Pennsylvania Congressman was
ufly as broad as te was long. I was in my
ooms at Willard's Hotel with crowd of
MEMBERS about me when Schwartz waddled
u, and held out his hand and said in q loud
one:
Giving the Snap Away.
"'How do you d. Shon Sherman. tink
re understand each other. I votes for you,
nd you votes for Forney?'
"fYes, yes, said /. 4 am glad to sec You,
ut we will settle the clerkship after we
ave fixed the speakership.'
"sYes, yes, dots all right replied
schwartz. But votes for Shon Sherman.
nd Shon Sherman votes for Forney. Sop
"By this time, the crowd in the room was
aughing and I had all I could do to get
chwartz to let me of without positive
riends would vote for Forney for clerk
We did intend to vote for him but We did
OF intend to say so publicly.
'The whole contest, however, was full
f queer incidents. Sharp things were said
n both sides and the Democrats were not
ackward in saying that they intended to
uin the Republican leaders as far as possi-
lie. Clark, of Missouri, was one of nv
hief opponents, and I remember that at
he close of the last ballot when Penning-
On was elected he told story in which he
poke of hunter who was out turkey
aooting.
Story of a Wounded Turkey.
"The hunter had shot at a bird and had
roken its wing and though he failed to get
is shot, he said, L did not kill you but 1
ave the satisfaction to know that YOU will
Y considerably lower for the rest of Your
fe' AS Clark said this he pointed at me
nd I doubt not that ne thought that was
fec.ually rnined by my defeat. 1t was
lark who raised the fuss about the helper
I 4 |