The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-12-20

49, W coulo Judge the Prince
w OF Wales is popular also.
6 Al cUIiou l saw the young German
emperor at this gardea
party lie shows no signs OF insanity in his ap-
peaFance. lie is hne-looking fellow, and
seems TO have many socable qualities Ha
chatted and laughed as he moved about among
the people of the garden party, and he enjoyed
himself as much SIS any man there. was much
impressed with Lord Salisbury, whom consider
one OF the most able men in Great Britain, and
met Labouchere, who reminded ME of the late
Sunset Cox He is full OF witty remarks, aud hs
sees the funny side the first thing.
The House of Representatives has not
yet gotten over discussing the late speak
ership contest. There is considerable dis
satisfaction over the prospective arrange
ment OF committees, and the friends of
Crisp and Mills are not working together
IN the most harmonious manner. Speak
ing of the speakership contest, | had a
talk with Senator Sherman last night
about his famous speakershIp fight in
1883, when the House of Representatives
spent nine weeks in balloting, and when
Sherman during the whole time had a
plurality vote, and once or twice came
within two or three of an election. This
was thirty-two years ago. Sherman's hair
was black; he had full black beard, and
he was tall, wiry, angular man of 50.
lie was the youngest man in congress
when he was elected TO the House, and he
had made reputation as one of the COM
mlttee sent out to Kansas to investigate
the troubles there. He was the speaker
ship candidate of the Northern Republic
ans, and opposed to him were all the ele.
ments of the South. On the first ballot
Galnsha 4. Grow had nearly as many
votes as Sherman, but on the second bal.
lot he dropped out and all his votes went
to Sherman. Senator Sherman tells me
the true inwardness of this movement.
and his story of the contest has never been
published. Said he:
Mr.. Grow and / had private arrangements
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 got lO7
votes From that time on until the close of the
contest my friends stood by me- Thaddeus
Stevens said be would vote for me till the crack
of doom, and my friends stuck to me until
saw there WAS danger of combination between
the old Wings of the South and the Democrats
and threw my vote to Pennington of New Jer-
sey, and he was elected on the forty fourth bal
lot The contest was, i think, the longest
speakership contest in our history. 1t lasted
from the 5th OF December till the LIST
of February, and the House was in an uproar a
great part of the time. There were many
funny incidents during the contest, and a mum
Der OF times 1t looked as though we would have
a general fight in the House. The Democrats
were on one side of the House and the RepuD-
licans on the other, much as they now, and
| remember that we tried 20 keep the parties
separated and the aisles between them clear.
Potter, n Republican from Wisconsin, and very
large and powerful man, got into fuss with
Barksdale, of Mississippi. They sat across the
aisle from one another, and BRrksdale said
something that made Potter very angry. lie
Jumped Tor him and grabbed him by the hair
intending to jerk him up from his seat and
pound his face. but 10 and behold, Bark sdale's
whole head seemed 70 rise up in Potters hands,
and the House found ont for the first time that
Barksdale wore "a wig, and his pate, bald "a
billiard ball, shone out under the gaslirht
while the House roared. That same
night keitt, of South Carolina, and Gsli-
sha A. Grow came near having a fight.
Keitt called Grow ''black Republican
puppy" and Grow retorted by saying that
kett was "a NEGRO driver" and that he should
not crack his whip over bin. ! sat at this time
very near Mr.. Coyode, of Pennsylvania and he
thinking the fight was going to be general
one, picked up one of the big iron spitt0ons
which the House then used, aud held IL above
his head ready To use il SIS q weapon. Unfor-
tunately Tor him, however, the spittoon
halt-fu.l, and the tobacco juice dropped down
aud soiled his clothes. During the whole con
test We were on the verge of physical combat
Many OF the members we're armed aud the bit
terest of political feeling prevailed. The hght
against me was very bitter, but after all had.
to- "A considerable extent, the victory, for / was
able 10 eject the speaker, ana MAeu MT. Zen
DiBgtou made out his list OF committees ne took
the ones which had arranged when supposed
that would be elected, ana he made me chair
man al the WAYS and means committee, thus
giving me the position OF leader OF the House.
W ito the clerk OF that house, Sir. SHEER
man.
The clerk was John ". Forney, aud he was
elected by one vote. funny incident occurred
during the contest In regard 70 him. We
anxious, YOU know, 10 get the votes OF the so
called south American members, and we were
81 gssf
would give as these votes and majority for
II was privately understood that my
friends would vote Tor Forney, but didn't
want 10 acknowledge any such understanding,
nOr 10 have IL anything else than private one
OF the Pennsylvania congressman was John
schwartz q big FeunsyiyauiA butehfnan who
wa fully bfuad rs he Was long. was III ny
rooms al Wizards hotel with a crowd of meEs-
hers about me when Schwartz waddled "a and
held out his hand aud said ia a loud tone.
How DO you DO, shon sherman. think We
understand each other. votes Tor you and you
votes Tor Fnruey7
ayes. YES, said l. ~ am glad to see you but
We will settle the clerkship alter we have fixed
the speskersnip.
.4es, yes. dot's all right" replied schwartz.
"But I votes for >hon sherman, and shon shsr-
man votes for Foruey. SOyt
By tins time fha crowd IN the room vas laugh
lug and had al ] could DO - get schwartz 20
let fne OF without pos tive pledge then and
there that myself and my friends would vote for
foruey for CLERK We dad intend % yote for him,
but We did mol intend 10 say publicly. TIE
whole contest, however rNlt tt queer ttifi-
dents sharp tain-s were said on both sides,
au4 the Democrats were not Tao kward la saF-
ing that they intended to- ruin the kepuo-
iicsE ead far possible. clark Of VI U.s.
sour. was one % my chief Cypaneuts, ana 70
Ia,Iaher at the close u the ias- ballot wueu
Pennington was elected, be told a story "a
which ne told II hunter - he was out turkey
shooting. The hunter BAD shut a. a Dtrd Au1
had broken It's wing. aud though he failed 10
ger ti= Shot BE ssId u did nDt xii you, bot
have the satisfaction to know thAt you viii r =
considerably over for t6e rect Of yJur liie' "a
Glars said this be pointed a. m", AMI d0u .
NOT that he thought ttal WIS cHectuaily
ru.ne! bv fay defeat. 81 Has tiafK HhG raise
inc ft-s about tue helper book and charged 10
Wit. Fs.iuly the Trend of the negro. watch VS.
one OF the leading Issues OF ffs contest
SENATOR BgIcE's sEAr.
Senator sherman says that any question
IS 10 the seat Of Senat0r Erice must come
frofn the legislature Of Ohio. and that the
senate wiil have 10 take action upon it If
the legislature makes the point lie says
that the senate is always non-partlsan n
such matters, and that Senator Brice's
title will be impartiaily passed upon-
Questions Of this kind. he says, have come
before the Senate before, and IA Two nota-
| bic cases senators have lost their seaas