The Washington herald., 1909-03-28


cratic vote. a. while the rest Of the vote
was divided among several candidates, or
whom the principal were Lewis d. Camp
bell. OF Ohio Nebraska, 3;
Humphrey Marshall OF Kentucky. Dem
ocrat and Know Nothing" 80; Nathaniel
F. Banks. OF Massachusetts,, "anti-Ne-
braska. H and Henry 81. Fuller. of
Pennsylvania. Know Nothing, j.
Twenty nine votes we're scattered among
other candidates At the end of the
twenty-third ballot the only notable
charge was the practical concentration OF
the Know Nothing" strength on Fuller.
On the twenty-fourth ballot December
0 Campbell withdrew and the anti-Ne-
braska" vote was centered on Banks
There seems 70 have been some expecta-
tion that this move would attract sufd-
cient support from other political camps
e ensure an early termination OF the
contest
Started as a Democrat.
Banks had started out in public life as
a Demomcrat He had been elected 70
the present House as q Know Moth
in the formation Of the Republican
party IN Massachusetts. and had presid-
ed over its first State convention.
As far as the Democratic Representa-
tives were concerned. however. Banks
did not prove an attractive candidate.
known as "the immortal seventy-fOur"
Richardson's seventy-fOur supporters
stuck by him with the same dogged per
sistency day after DAY. until they became
known as the immortal seyenty-foUr. %
Nor did Banks attract enough Know
Nothing support 20 give him the re-
I'll
he came within six votes Of election All
sorts OF bargaining and coercing were
sttempted. FuIler-s friends sought Dem
Ocratic support, and made generous prom
ises OF committee places and preferences.
but without avail At length. a move was
made TO bring the question al issue more
definitely before the House by compelling
each candidate 10 make a public an
nouncement or the platform on which he
stood For that purpose II was agreed
that certain afternoon should be set
aside for A catechism Of the candidates as
10 their views on the passage Of the Kan
sas-Nebraska act ana slavery Their an
swers. as Rhodes points out. "typifed
pretty nearly the division Of sentiment in
the country. and prefgured the Presiden-
tiaI contest
Catechism Of Candidate.
Richardson planted himself squsrely on
/ the Douglas doctrine Of popular SOW
ereignty. Fuller took similar ground. and
/ his statement was taken as direct bid
/ FOR Southern support. But the Democrat
/ &c phalanx remained unbroken. On the
other hand. FuIiers supporters from
i North and South refused 10 combine on
/ Richardson. as the caucus which noni-
mated him had censured the Know
I Nothings Banks declared unequivocslly
/ for Congressional prohibition Of slavery
! in the Territories and the restoration OF
: the Missouri compromise.
After the I'D ballot on January ..
\ IS56. Richardson withdrew from the con-
/ test. But nothing vas gained by the
( change. for tire immortal seveuty-f0ur. %
Z instead of scattering. united on James L
I orr. OF South Carolina The expectation
that the naming Of a Southern man would
attract SOutllsrn Know Nothing" sup
port was not realized. On February [ a
resolution declaring that William Aiken
Of South Carolina. should be elected
/ Speaker was defeated by a vote Of 103
% 10. Il became known that on the fol-
lowing morning a resolution providing
that a plurality should elect would BE-
offered
A similar resolution. which had result
cd in CObb's election In 1S49 had many
times been introduced during the present
session. but had always been voted down.
But the limit OF endurance had apparent
/ ly been reached. and there was a general
feeling among all factions that the sue
Iceeding DAY would see a Speaker chosen.
President Pierce SO far believed that II
meant Democratic success that al a
White House reception on the night ot
February I. he actually congratulated
Aiken on his coming election
on the following morning. smith. a
/ Tennessee Democrat introduced the look
ed-fOr resolution. providing that after
three more ballots had been taken with
no result the plurality rule should 20
into effect BY the aid OF Republican
votes the resolution vas carried Amid
the utmost excitement the three votes
were taken. without result The House
then proceeded 20 the 153d ballot this
time under the plurality rule Rhodes
thus tells the dramatic story Of that me-
morable ballot.
Election OF Banks.
As the roll was called the anxiety wss
without bounds The AmericanS tKnoW
( iNotRingsl. who clung TO Fuller. were be-
sought 10 save the Union by voting for
Aiken. The votes were recorded: there
remained the announcement Of the re-
suit. The confusion was great All the
members were standing and trying vsinly
10 be heard in eNpostulation or appeal
One member shouted out a motion "a
adjourn. which was quickly declared out
OF order by the presiding officer John
w Forney. the Clerk Of the forme,
House a strong Democrat. until recently
one of the editors Of the Washington
Union (the administration organ, had
presided over the House during the try
ing situation of the past two month:
with impartiality and skin. The time
had come for prompt decision and EN-.
phatic statement The precedent was &c
have a resolution adopted stating that
the member who had the largest number
OF votes should be declared Speaker. Bui
Forney was AFRAID that another vote. in