Evening journal., 1912-10-14
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
A Striking Political Pre-
diCtiOn That Came True
BY Holland.


Il think that a political prediction
which was made in 1888 fOrecasting
the election of Governor William PEN
nington of New Jersey as Speaker of
the House OF Representatives at
Washington is without parallel in our
political history" said the late Judge
Ashbel Green of New Jersey to me
at a time when he was speaking to
me Of some of the great political
forces which had been so influential
in the political and material life of
New Jersey. For many years before
his death in 1908, Judge Green was
one of ths great leaders of the
American Bar and a walking encyclo-
pedia of political history. especially
of the relation of New Jersey TO ma
tional politics.
William Pennington was governor
of the State in 1899" continued Judge
Green. I'm the election OF that year
New Jersey had choice of six repre-
sentatives in Congress. There was
some dispute about the validity of the
election do not remember now
what it was. On the face of the re-
turns five Whig representatives and
one Democratic representative were
elected. No question was raised about
the validity of the election of the
Democratic representative, but it was
announced that in case the Wings re-
ceived their commission from the
Governor, their seats would be CON
tested in Congress.
Governor Pennington decided that,
as governor, he could not go behind
the official returns. He was therefore
compelled, as he believed, to certify
TO the election of his five Whig can
didates, and TO that certificate he at
tached the broad seal of the State OF
New Jersey.
Strangely enough, this action of
the Governor was the cause of long
continued and very exciting debate
when Congress met John Quincy
Adams, the eX-president, was at that
time a member Of the lower House
of Congress. He took the ground chat
Congress could not 90 behind the
broad seal of a sovereign state. Prob
ably there would have been no excite
ment If it had not been discovered
when Congress met that these five
New Jersey votes would control the
organization of the House and the
election Of the speaker. II these men
were seated the Wings would be tri-
umphant If they were not seated,
then the Democrats would capture
the Speakership and the House or
ganization
after a prolonged debate the
House. by majority of only three,
decided not to permit the Whig re
resentatives from New Jersey to be
seated The contest was, instead 10
be taken 10 the committee on cleo
tions. That resulted in the election
of r. NJ T. Hunter of Virginia as
speaker He was a Democratic lead
er of greas influence in the South and
many Southern men supported him
for the presidency of the Confeder-
acy in opposition to the candidacy Of
Governor Davis.
After Mr. Hunter was elected
speaker Ex-PreSident Adams turned
to member Of Congress from Penn
lsylvania whose seat was near his
own and said;
Sir I predict, I foresee, that as
a result of the refusal of this House
to recognize the broad seal of the
state Of New Jersey, given under the
hands OF William Pennington, gov
ernor, the day will come when Will
liam Pennington himself will Be
elected speaker of this house
1T seemed, of course, like a fool
ish prediction, and II probably was
made at haphazard, but there was
an amazing vindication Of H. Twen-
ty years later. when the Congress, to
which William Pennington had been
elected a member from New Jersey
met, it was found that any one nomi-
mated for speaker by the Republi-
cans might be defeated through a
coalition OF free soil Democrats, reg
ular Democrats and Know-Nothine
Republicans. For that reason the
Republican caucus found II impossi-
Bile to fix upon any one who would
surely command the entire Republic
can support
'The contest over the spea'Sarshir
lasted about two months. "a last one
OF the congressman in a. brief speech
called attention 10 the fact that twen.
~ years earlier the Whig candidate
for speaker had been defeated he
cause the five Whie members elected
in New Jersey had not been allowed
10 take their seats. These members
brought with them TO Washington
their commission, the congressman
said, under the hand of William Pen
nington' Governor the broad seal OF
New Jersey attached Then he went
on 10 urge that the wrong long age
committed could now be righted by
the nomination Of Governor Penning-
ton as Speaker.
insplntly the Republican caucu:
accepted Governor Pennington, nomi
mated him as the party's candidat,
for Sneaker and elected him although
that Was his first term in Congress
so IN ithis extraordinary manner, th'
randoh prediction made by JohI
quincy Adams a score Of years earli
er was justified"
tCopyfight. 1912. by J. Edwards
All Rights Reserved)
tomorrow Mr. Edwards will tell o
lhe lheident That Shaped Two No
table Careers"