The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-10-28


From the Washington Star.
II is more than probable the populists
will hold the balance of power in the next
House of Representatives, and if they do
another long struggle over the election of
sneaker may result. The House has had
four such struggles, all of which have be-
come historical. The first was in 1889. The
democrats really had a small majority in
the House over the wings. but there were
dfssensions in the party. There were five
holly contested election cases from New
Jersey, five democrats claiming the seats
n which five wings held the certificates.
The clerk of the House was a democrat,
and on reaching New Jersey he stated the
fact Of there being a contest and that he
did not feel called upon to decide the ques-
ZION. so he would not call the names OF any
of the members from that state. This gave
rise to a very bitter debate but the clerk
stubbornly refused to recede from his po-
sition. and declined to put to vote any mo-
ton or resolution requiring him to pro-
coed with the call. This continued from
the first until the fifth day of the session,
the House being in a continuous uproar.
on the fifth day of the session when the
clerk began calling the roll it was noticed
that the venerable John Quincy Adams
was watching the process with more than
his usual interest When New Jersey was
reached the clerk began his usual form
uIa when Mr.. Adams sprang to his feet,
with the ejaculation: Il rise to interrupt
the clerk" Immediately cries for silence,
and Hear him Hear what John Quincy
Adams has to say!" resounded from all
parts of the House. At once a hush fell
upon the House. and every eye was riv-
tied upon the venerable statesman. He
paused for a moment casting a whitening
look upon the clerk, and then turned to
the vast audience and poured forth an i'm
FASHIONED address.
He pictured the humiliating and degrad-
ing position the House was occupying in
the eyes of the world, because the clerk
mere creature of the House, its servant,
whom the House could make and unmake,
chose to set the authority of the House at
defiance. and declaring it was in the power
Of the House to compel him to call the
roll if he would not do it voluntarily. Here
he was interrupted by member who
stated he was authorized to say that COM
pusion would not reach the clerk, as the
clerk would resign rather than call the
state of New Jersey. To this Mr.. Adams
replied:
well, sir; then let him resign, and we
may possibly find some way by which
we can get along without the aid of his
all-powerful talents, learning and genius.
If we cannot organize in any other way
if this clerk of yours will not consent to
our discharging the trusts confieded to
US by our constituents, then let us initiate
the example of the Virginia house of bur
gesses, which, when the colonial Gov.
n Dinwiddie ordered it to dispense, refused
to obey the imperious and insulting man
date, and like men" Here the voice of
81 the indignant old man was lost in uni
VeTSal shout of ann1anSe ho1 nd
the man had come to pave the way for
the house to proceed with its legislative
duties. Having thus awakened the house
to sense of the shame attached to the
wranglng, he presented motion requir-
n ing the clerk to call New Jersey. He was
Immediately assaiIed by many voices ask
ing now the question should be put. The
81 voice Of Mr.. Adams was heard high above
81 the tumult, as he declared: II intend to
put the question myself"
At that Mr.. Rhett of South Carolina
Jumped upon one of the desks, waved his
hand and shouted: st move that the Hon
John Quincy Adams take the chair of the
speaker of this house, and offcate as pre-
siding officer till the house be organized
by the election of its constitutional Off
GERS. AS many as are agreed TO this will
j say aye" He never completed the SEN
4 tence, for one tremendous shout of ave
went up from the hall, and Mr.. Adams
was conducted to the chair, and presided
until Mr.. Hunter of Virginia was elected
speaker, he receiving the whig vote and
that of Mr.. Calhoun and some of his fol-
lowers.
The next contest came ten years later
and lasted until the close of the third
week or the session. The house was made
up OF democrats, wings and free soilers
Inc latter held the balance of power, and
10 confuse matters, the democrats were
not unanimous. Howell Cobb of Georgia
their candidate 1yhf hot 81 10
M wings was Mr.. Winthrop of Massachu-
M Setts. The first ballot gave Mr.. Cobb 1O2
ana Mr.. Winthrop SO votes, the others be-
ing scattered between a dozen or more
candidates. On the eighth day of the
81 session Mr. Winthrop's vote had reached
w. and that of Mr.. Cobb had dwindled
70 %. The next day Mr.. William j. Brown
ol indiana was brought forward as the
democratic candidate, Mr.. Cobb's name
oelng withdrawn. On Dec. II Mr.. Brown
received lO9 votes, and Mr.. Winthrop
asked that his name should no longer be
considered if it stood in the way of a
speedy organization of the house. The
nrst ballot next morning resulted in CIV
Ils MT Brown 112 votes, within two of an
eiecuon, and then came the great sensa-
uoh OF the session.
AT the conclusion of the ballot one of
me wings charged that Mr.. Brown had
gwen written pledge to the free sellers
nat II elected speaker he would construct
.ue committees on the judiciary and on
LIlllorles in a manner satisfactory to
mem IN return for their votes Mr.
pIo"n denied the charge, but the letters
we're produced, one of them being adj
dressed to David Wilmot by Mr. Brown
III which he not only pledged himself to
lame satisfactory committees, but stated
mal ne favored the abolition of slavery
mHerever congress has the power to do
~ ms sensation brought forth some
n very ugly speeches, in one of which Mr.
pueF charged Mr.. Meade of Virginia with
oehg disunionist, and the lie was
ssassed between them. Brown was at once
n mopped by the democrats. The struggle
uJHtlhued until late on Saturday night
SSneh Mr.. Stanton presented a resolution
.ec!arlng that the house should proceed
axe three ballots more for speaker
anu II at that time no one had received
majority of all the votes, the clerk
SHould again call ]he roll, and the mem
osI having the highest number of votes
mould be the speaker. This was adopted
-"u on the fourth call of the roll Mr. Cobb
eoelVed lO2 and Mr.. Winthrop 100, with
MI "enty votes scattering This audad tba