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


regular or administration democrats num-
oered 70, the anti-Neraska men los, know
Mornings 40, and some eight or ten wings.
me wings were all from the south. VIII
liam A. Richardson of Illinois was the
candidate Of the regular democrats. the
vote OF the anti-Nebraska men being
divided between a number of candidates.
AIter the twenty-third ballot the anti
Nebraska vote was concentrated upon
MI Banks, and the struggle continued
LOT many days, the debate sometimes be-
coming very violent. accompanied by many
eNclung scenes. On the thirty-seventh
nalIot the vote of Mr.. Banks went I'D to
w. rs being necessary to e choice. Many
schemes TO promote the settlement of the
struggle were proposed, but none of them
received the sanction of the house.
On Jan q, after the 122d ballot. the
name or Mr., Richardson was withdrawn,
ana the regular democrats united upon
Col. James L. Orr of South Carolina. On
req. l Mr.. Cobb offered what he termed
an olive branch of peace" in the shape
OF resolution declaring William Aiken
OF South Carolina speaker Mr.. Wash
nurhe promptly moved to lay the olive
branch on the table" The resolution re-
celved JOB votes as against 10 in opposi-
lon. This encouraged the democrats very
much, as most of the know nothings voted
LOT It. They thought they saw the begin
nlns OF the end, and that the end would
De IN their favor At the reassemblins of
the Rouse the next morning Mr.. Smith
democrat of Tennessee, offered a resolu-
uon providing that the House should
proceed at once to take three ballots for
speaker, and if al the end of the third
no one should have a majority of all the
votes the roll Should be called. and the
member having the highest vote should be
the speaker. This was adopted, and the
baLoting proceeded amid the most in
tense eXCiten1ant he
suited in giving Mr.. Banks 102 votes. Mr..
aiken 49, Mr.. Fuller IA, and six votes
scattering. The two succeeding ballots
We're the same, and then the plurality
rule opearted. AS the roll call progressed
the hopes of the democrats grew, as sew
reraI OF the know nothings voted for Mr.
aiken, but when the last name was called
and the tootings announced it was found
that Mr.. Banks had the highest vote.
MI Spinner, who was afterward treas
urer of the United States, had been elected
as an administration democrat, but voted
for Mr.. Banks. William A. Wheeler after
ward vice president under Hayes. voted
for Aiken. John Scott Harrison. father
OF the ex-President, voted for Lewis D.
Campbell, but Mr.. Campbell himself voted
for Mr.. Banks.
The winter of 1s59-6O witnessed another
memorable struggle. The balance of
power was held by the know nothings and
81
to vote for republican. The republican
candidate was John Sherman, who several
times came within three votes of an cleo
ton, but could not get the other three.
The contest lasted until the Sd of Feb
ruary, 1860. More violent speeches were
made during its continuance than ever
before, and each days session was a
scene of turbulence, which often threat
enee to end in bloodshed. Each side was
persistent, and up to the last moment
there was hardly a prospect of a peace
able solution. The opposition vote divided
up, and new names were frequently
brought forward, but the republicans
stuck steadfastly by Mr.. Sherman.
Threats of disunion were freely made and
motion after motion was made to adjourn
and go home but the balloting went on
with but little change. until the name of
William Pennington of New JERSEY was
brought forward. Mr.. Pennington was a
conservative, and was serving his first
term in congress. He was a republican
but had never been identified with the
radical or stalwart element of the party.
When it was seen that the republicans
could be rallied to his support, Mr. Briggs
or New York announced to some of his
friends that Whenever the time came that
his vote would elect a conservative man
speaker he would cast his vote for that
purpose. On the Sd of February the roll
was called for the last time. When the
name OF Mr.. Briggs was reached with
a few words of explanation, he voted for
Mr.. Pennington, but still one vote was
needed. Henry Winter Davis of Maryland
could end the struggle and the question
was would he do it. All eyes were turned
to him but he gave no sign. He was
slowly pacing back and forth in the lobby
in the rear of the seats. When his name
was called he did not reply. Again the
clerk called him, but he remained silent,
until the last name on the roll had been
called. Then, before the clerk could an
nounce the result of the vote, he said:
Mr.. Clerk call my name" Once more
the name of Mr.. Davis was called by the
clerk, and in a loud, clear voice he cast
his vote for Mr.. Pennington, thus ending
the long struggle. W. n. Smith.