Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-26
FIFTY YEARS AGO
In THE STAR

Political conditions were In a decided state
OF strain half century ago. as was en-
tirely natural, In view Of the
END OF the fact that the forces which
Session. later caused the war be-
tween the sections were then
at work. The chief issue of the day was
the attitude Of the federal government
toward the territory of Kansas. which had
been organised by the pro-slavery partisans.
Congress did not adjourn until the 18th of
August 1855, owing to deadlock between
the two houses over the army appropria-
ton bill. It was expected that the closing
scenes on Saturday night would be highly
exciting, but, as the following quotation
from The Star Of August Ii. 1856. attests.
ments were disappointed:
I'm fourteen years past we have never
seen such commendable decorum marking
the last night of the sessions Of the two
houses of Congress as throughout Satur-
day night last. OF course. in the House.
after each item Of business coming UP had
been disposed of, pandemonium seemed to
have broken loose until the Speaker an
nounced which of the thirty or forty hon.
orable gentlemen bawling his title into his
ears with stentorian lungs he chose to
harmony ofsthe occasion were but momen-
tary. The result Of this remarkable good
order was the transaction OF an immense
amount OF business in a business way. As
good nature Of the House got the better of
its judgment and caution, and more or less
bills were passed which had better been de-
feated, 80 far as the public interests were
concerned. Such legislation on such an
occasion is inevitable, however. and we are
highly gratifed in being able to write that
on Saturday night last much less Of 1t was
contaminated than we anticipated.
I'VE were more favorably impressed with
the qualities Of Speaker Banks as q pre-
siding officer on that night than ever be-
fore. His imperturbability Of temper served
him capital turn indeed. enabling him
speed. We had previously witnessed dis
play OF what we regarded as gross and I'M
pardonable partisanship in his rulings, for
which we were tempted to forgive him on
ergy did he then discharge the duties of
the speakership."
Conditions were ripe for serious out
burst Of partisanship on that occasion
Congress adjourned with
Extra Session out passing the army APP
Called. preparation bill, thus
threatening to precipitate
a situation unparalleled in the affairs of
the country. The cause Of this failure Of
legislation was the insistence of the re-
publican majority of the House upon
utilizing the army bill as means of
piedging the federal government to q
policy of non-interference in Kansas az.
fairs. The House by a party majority had
some time previously adopted a proxiso
TO the erect that no part of the military
force OF the United States should be util-
lied In aid Of the enforcement Of any
enactment Of the body claiming to be the
territorial legislature of Kansas con-
trolled by the pro-slavery faction. This
proviso was stricken out promptly by the
Senate and the bill was referred three
times to committees Of conference, the
House on each occasion refusing to with
draw from Its position. The last COM
mfttee OF conference on the army bill re-
ported to the Senate at 1880 o'clock Sat-
urday morning, and the Senate voted to
drop the proviso. When the matter was
brought up in the House a motion to IN
sist upon the provision was voted down
thirty minutes before the hour when the
session was to end. This left the bill, how
ever still short Of enactment, and from
that time on the House was the scene Of
succession OF roll calls as the filibus-
ters of the republican side endeavored to
prevent the final action of withdrawal
from the Kansas proviso. A motion to
prclong the session two hours was car
acted upon by the House, and promptly
on the hour named for adjournment by
the resolution previously adopted Speaker
Banks brought his gavel down with the
ed sine die. The House was even then in
the process of taking vote on the mo-
ton to prolong the session.
This left the government in a very pc
the adjournment President Pierce issued a
proclamation calling Congress together in
an extra session on Thursday, August 81,
for the purpose OF appropriating funds
for fh0 INT - %I,@
basing his action on the urgent necessity
precipitated by the hostile attitude of vari-
Gus Indian tribes on the remote frontiers.
The houses met on the day named. but
the deadlock was Immediately renewed
anew and was continued for some time
X
Although the scenes in the House itself
were not highly exciting, certain members
Of that body were aroused
a personal to an unusual pitch Of ex-
Encounter. element, and personal en-
counters occurred outside
the sacred precincts of the legislative cham
bers. In The Star Of August Is is very
brief account Of one Of these episodes.
This morning as an omnibus was wend-
ing its way to the Capitol, wherein were
Messrs. McMullin Of Virginia and Granger
of New York. members OF the HOUSE. and
other gentlemen, dispute arose between
the two gentlemen named about politics.
wherein the latter used improper language
to the former, and committed an assault on
him, which ended In fight. in which Mr..
Granger was worsted We are without
space WI erein to detail all the c:rcln .tances
Of the dispute and ARRAY as we learned
them from an eyewitness"
The affair. however, did not pass without
notice. but became subject Of sharp COM
ment at the Capitol. and later was investi-
gated by a select committee Of the HOUSE In
the extra session. In The Star Of August 20
appears the following paragraph relative to
the incident: