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

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
Ashhel 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 1903 Judge Green was
one of tn great leaders Of the
American Bar and walking elcyclo-
pedia of political history, especially
Of the relation Of New Jersey to ma
tional politics.
William Pennington was governor
Of the STATE in 1897 continued Judge
Green. I'm the election Of that year
New Jersey had choice Of six repre-
sentatiyes in Congress. There was
some dispute about the validity of the
election-I do not remember now
what it was. On the face of the re-
turns hye Whig representatives and
one Democratic representative were
elected. No question was raised about
the validity OF the ELECTION of the
Democratic representative, but 1t was
announced that in case the Wings re-
ceYed their commission from the
Governor their seats would be con-
tested IN Congress.
Governor Bennington 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 Wing 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 aud 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 that
Congress could not go 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 aud the
election Of the speaker. If 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 a majority of only three,
decided not to permit the Whig re
resentatives from New Jersey to be
/ seated The contest was, instead 10
. f.I - 81,
tions. That resulted in the election
of r, M, r. Hunter of Virginia as
speaker He was a Democratic lead
er Of grea' influence in the South and
many Southern. men supported him
for the presldaPcy Of the Confeder-
acy IN opnositian 70 the candidacy Of
Governor Davis
After Mr., Hunter was elected
speaker Ex-President Adams turned
to a member of Congress from Penn
sylYania whose seat was near his
P own and said;
"'sir, / predict, ! 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 VIII
liam Pennington himself will be
elected speaker OF this house
"iIt seemed, of course, like a fool
ish prediction, and il probably was
made at haphazard, but there was
an amazing Vindieatien Of il, Twen-
ty years later, when the Congress, tC
which William Pennington had been
elected a member from New Jersey
met, Il was found that any one nomi.
mated for speaker by the Republi.
cans might be defeated through q
coalition of free soil Democrats, reg.
ular Democrats and Know-Nothine
Republicans. For that reason the
Republican caucus found it impossi.
BILE 10 fix upon any one who would
surely command the entire Repuhli-
can support,
"The contest over the speakershiI
lasted about two months AT last one
of the congressman in a brief speech
called attention to the fact that TWEEN
ty years earlier the Whig candidate
for speaker had been defeated be-
cause the FIVE Whig members elected
In New Jersey had not been allowed
TO 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 Oi
New Jersey attached. Then he weni
on to urge that the wrong long age
committed could now be righted by
the nomination Of Governor Penning
ton as Speaker,
Instantly the Republican caucul
accepted Governor Pennington, nomi
mated him as the party's candidate
for Speaker and elected him although
that was his first term in Congress
So in this extraordinary manner, tn
random prediction made by Johl
Quincy Adams a score OF years earli
er was justified"
Copyright, 1912. by ]. Edwards
All Rights Reseryed.l
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will tell O
"The Incident That Shaped Two No
table Careers +"