Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-03
SpEAKERSHIP FIGHT IS FIFTH
IN BITTER CONGRESS SERIES
Republican Dissentions Today Like Those
of Wings. When John Quincy Adams
Broke Deadlock by Impassioned Speech.

Wing vote supplemented by that Of
John G. Calhoun and some OF his fol-
lowers.
Ten years later there was another
spirited contest which lasted nearly
three weeks. The House was made up
Of Democrats, Wings and Free Souers,
with the latter holding the balance OF
power, and the Democrats not unant-
nous in their support of Representative
Howell Cobb Of Georgia. Representa-
tive Winthrop of Massachusetts, was the
candidate of the Wings. On the first
ballot Cobb received 102 and winthrop
90 votes, the others being scattered be-
tween a dozen or more candidates. on
the eighth day Mr.. Winthrop's vote had
climbed to 102 and Cobb's had fallen
to So The next day Representative
william ]. Brown Of Indiana was
brought forward as the Democratic
On December IL Brown received l0J
votes and Mr.. Winthrop graciously
asked that his name be no longer con-
sidered II 1t stood in the way OF speedy
organization Of the House. The nrst
ballot the next day gave Mr.. Brown IL
votes, within two of an election-tnen
came the great sensation.
At the conclusion Of the ballot, one
Of the Wings charged that Mr.. Brown
had given written pledge 70 the free
Sellers that II elected Speaker ne would
construct the Committee on judiciary
and on the territories In a manner
satisfactory TO them in return for their
votes. Mr.. Brown denied the charge,
but the letters were produced, one OF
them being addressed TO David Mil
mot by Mr.. Brown, in which he
pledged himself not only to name salts
factory committees, but stated that he
favored the abolition Of slavery
wherever Congress had the power to
do so.
Lie Passed in Clash.
A series Of angry speeches followed.
In one Of these Mr.. Duer charged Mr..
Meade of Virginia with being dis
unionist and the lie was passed be-
tween them. Brown was at once
dropped by the Democrats. The strug-
ole continued until late on Saturday
night when Mr.. Stanton presented a
resolution providing that the House
should cast three more ballots for
Speaker and II at that time no one
had received a majority, the clerk
should again call the roll and the mem
Der having the highest number of
votes should be the Speaker. On the
fourth call Of the roll Mr.. Cobb re-
ceived l02 and Mr.. Winthrop 100, with
20 votes scattering-thus ended the his
toric struggle.
In the longest struggle on record for
the Speakership, Nathaniel P. Banks
of Massachusetts was elected after two
months Of wrangling. This contest be-
gan December 3. 1885, and ended on
February 2. Mr. Banks received 103
votes to 100 cast for Representative
Aiken OF South Carolina, only one vote
different from the decision in the Cobb
Winthrop case.
This was a great surprise to the
Democrats, who had supported the
plurality rule.
When that Congress assembled it was
Just at the breaking up Of old parties
and the forming Of new Attempts TO
introduce slavery into Kansas and Ne
| braska had caused political revolution
! in the North and members had been
elected to Congress as opponents OF
that question without regard TO politi-
cal party Affiliations. Among those SO
elected was Banks OF Massachusetts,
who had formerly been a Democrat
In the political parlance OF the DAY
| they were "Anti-NebraSk1 Men"
! The regular or administration Demo-
Gratis numbered IS, the "Anti-Nebraska
Men" 1903; the Know-Nothings, 49, and
there were some 8 or 10 Wings, who
were all from the South.
Candidate of Democrats.
william A. Richardson Of Illinois was
the candidate of the regular Democrats
The vote of the Anti-Eebraska Men was
divided between several candidates
After the twenty-third ballot the Anti
Nebraska Men concentrated in support
of Mr.. Banks. The struggle continued
for many days, with the debate at times
growing exceedingly violent, anc result
! ing in exciting incidents and scenes
On the thirty seventh ballot the vote
for Mr.. Banks jumped up TO lO7, WITH
/ il3 necessary for -e,ectjo7gs Many
! -~hc-7~- were NJ. g :.-lcn.