Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-03-25


sress, December g.. 1866. and continued
uninterruptedly at the EXPENSE Of all
public business. FOR two moG;hs.
A majority was necessary to elect.
and while the anti Nebraska nen," now
coming to be known as republicans,
could always muster plurality over
the adherents Of the democratic admin
istration. owing to the obstinate OBJ
structive tactics Of compact group Of
forty or more representatives, elected on
the American, or Know Nothing" plat
form. they were helpless to bring the
&C ntest to an earlier end. On the first
ballot. William A. Richardson Of Illinois.
the democratic caucus nominee, received
the full straight democratic vote. seven
ty-four. while the rest of tho vote was
divided among several candidates. of
whom the principal were Lewis d.
Campbell OF Ohio. anti Nebrask
ffty-three; Humphrey Marshall of Ken
trcky. democrat and Know Nothing"
thirty: Nathaniel J.. Banks OF Mass
achusetts. "antNebraska. twenty-one.
and Henry NJ. Fuller Of Pennsylvania.
Know Nothing seventeen. Twenty
nine votes were scattered among other
candidates. At the end OF tho twenty
third ballot the only notable change
was the practical concentration of tho
Know Nothing strength on Fuller
on tho twenty-fourth ballot December
- Campbell withdrew and tho anti
Nebraska" vote was centred on Banks.
There seems to have been some expect
q ton that this move would attract
/ sufficient support from other political
camps to ensure an early termination
OF the contest. Banks had started out
| in public life ass democrat He had
been elected to the present House ar a
know Nothing" but had subsequently
| participated in the formation Of the
Republican party IN Massachusetts and
! had presided over It's a-st state conven-
| ton.
As far as the democratic representa-
tives were concerned, however Banks
| did not prove an attractive candidate.
| Richardson's sevcntyfour supporters
| stuck by him with the same dogged
persistency day after day. until they
became known as the immortal seven
ty-four." Nor did Banks attract enough
Know Nothing" support to give him
the required majority. although on one
ballot he came within six votes of cleo
ton All sorts of bargaining and CO.
ercing were attempted. Fullers friends
sought democratic support and made
generous promises of committee places
/ and preferences, but without avail. At
length. n move was made to bring the
+ question at Issue more definitely before
the House by compelling each candidate
to make a public announcement of the
platform on which he stood. For that
%hot ~,
afternoon should be set aside for a cat
echism of the candidates as to their
views on the passage OF the KANSAS
Nebraska act and slavery. Their an
swers, as Rhodes points out, "tvpifed
pretty nearly the division of sentiment
in the country. and prehgured the presi-
dental contest"
CATECHISM OF CANDIDATES.
Richardson planted himself squarely on
the Douglas doctrine of popular SOW
ereignty Fuller took similar ground.
and his statement was taken as a direct
| hid for southern support. But the denl-
ocratic phalanx remained unbroken. On
the other hand. Fullers supporters from
North and South refused TO combine on
Richardson. as the caucus which non,in-
ated him had censured the Know
Nothings." Ranks declared unequivocal-
~ for congressional prohibition Of slav-
cry In the territories and the restora-
ton OF the Missouri compromise.
After the one hundred and twenty
, second ballot. on January %. 1856, Rich
ardson withdrew from the contest. But
nothing was gained by the change. rof
the Immortal seventy-four." instead OF
nrv -
South Carolina. The expectation that
the naming Of a southern man would
attract southern Know Nothing" sup
port was not realized. On February /,
q resolution declaring that William ak
| Ell OF South Carolina should be elected
speaker was defeated by a vote of l03
to 10. 1t became known that on The
| following morning n resolution provid-
ms that a plurality should elect would
be offered. A similar resolution. which
rad resulted in Cobb's election in 1919,
had many times been introduced during
the present session. but had always been
voted down. But the limit Of endurance
had apparently been reached. and there
vas a general feeling among all factions
that the succeeding day would see a
sneaker chosen. President Pierce so
far believed that It meant democrats
success that, at a White House rccep-
ton on the night OF February l, he ac-
italy congratulated Aiken on his COM
ins election.
On the following morning. Smith. a
Tennessee democrat. introduced the
looked-for resolution. providing mat
efter three more ballots had been taken
with no result the plurality rule should
70 into effect. BY the aid OF republi-
can votes the resolution was carried.
Amid the utmost excitement the three
votes were taken. without result. The
House then proceeded to the one hun
dred and thlrty-third ballot, this timc
under the plurality rule. Rhodes thus
tells the dramatic story of that memoir
able ballot:
ELECTION OF RANKS.
"As the roll was called the anxiety
was without bounds. The Americans
(Know Nothings) who chung to Fuller,
we're besought to save tie Union by
voting for Aiken. The votes were re-
corded: there remained the announce
ment OF the result. Tho confusion was
great All the members were standing
and trying vainly to be heard in eX-
postulation or appeal. ono member
shouted out n motion to adjourn. which
was quickly declared on, OF order by
the presiding officer. John W. Forney.
the clerk of the former House. strong
democrat, until recently one Of tho edi-
tors of the Washington Union the ad-