Omaha daily bee., 1909-12-11
Some Things You Want to Know
The American oongress-NOte speakership Fights.

manded from him a pledge that he would
constitute the committees on judiciary, ter
ritorles and the District of Columbia to
suit them. winthrop declined. Another
faction Of Insurgents" was led by Alex
ander H.. Stephens and Robert Toombs
Of Georgia, seeking to prevent the align
ment OF the wings and anti-slavery parties.
On the ~thirty-sixth ballot Winthrop de-
clined to permit the further use Of his
name. The democrats, believing Cobb
could not be elected. formed a coalition
with the free sellers to elect william
j. Brown of Indiana and on the fortieth
ballot Brown lacked but two votes Of
election. But is was exposed that Brown
had bartered the control of important com
mittees for the free soil support, the demo-
Gratis left him and pandemonium reigned.
The house was the scene OF the widest
disorder and there was fear of bloodshed.
After three weeks Of wrangling the house
adopted a resolution providing for a plural
ity selection and on the sixty-third ballot
How Cobb was elected.
In the next two congresses the demo-
Gratis had everything their own way, but
when the thirty-fourth congress met IN
December, 1855. the irrepressible conflict
had begun. The whig party was in ex-
tremis, the democrats were torn to pieces,
and there was an almost complete oblitera7
ton of party lines. There were northern
wings and northern democrats, southern
democrats and southern wings, free Solers,
know-nothIngs and a few rep~ublicans-the
first Of that mighty organization which has
had practically entire control OF the repub-
lie for the last fifty years. The anti
Nebraska men, composed Of free sellers,
republicans, know-nothings end anu-ad-
mlnistratien democrats. had a safe plu-
rality over the administration democrats,
but a third section made up OF wings and
southern know-n5things. held the balance
Of power. on the first ballot five candl-
dates appeared: william A. Richardson
of Illinois, democrat, "A votes; Lewis D..
Campbell Of Ohio. anti-Nebraska, So; Hum
phrey Marshall Of Kentucky, democrat and
know-nothins. s0; Nathaniel P. mi Of
Massachusetts, anti-NebraskA q; Henry
Fuller Of Pennsylvania, national know
nothing, n; and twenty-nine scattering
votes. The Immortal seventy-four Of the
administration minority was loyal TO Rich
ardson, but the majority was unable to
agree upon a candidate. For two months
the house was deadIocked. Men slept In
the chamber, the sectional strife began to
show its ugly featul es and the whole coun-
try was in al uproar. Finally the demo-
Gratis, In the belief that the southern wings
and Americans would rally TO their sur
port Of Aiken OF South Carolina, passed a
resolution providing for a plurality cleo
ton. The slip occurred betwixt cup and
lip and on the 1881 bNllot Banks received
100 votes. Aiken 100. with IL scattering.
Precedent required that a plurality cleo
ton be ratified by resolution. The clerk
Of the house, John W. Forney, feared that
another vote, such as would have TO be
taken on the resolution, would defeat the
question. so he resolved upon the heroic &C
uon Of declaring Banks elected. Governor
Aiken Immediately acquiesced and escorted
Mr.. Banks to the chair. thus ended the
two-months struggle, Its chief result was
not the election OF Banks, but the actuAl
organisation Of the republican party.
In the next congress the democrats again
had a clear majority and elected James L