way qualified to discharge the duties of the office. He was very popular, and it seemed at first, that under his administration the business of the House would go forward smoothly until a regular Speaker could be chosen. But the whole affair was really a shrewd device on the part of the Democrats to secure the election. With Mr. Orr once in the Chair, they hoped to secure votes enough from the Know Nothings to keep him there, and that their hope was well founded, is shown by the fact, that nearly all of that party went over to the Democrats at the final vote for Speaker.

Some debate followed the offering of the resolution, and a motion to lay it on the table was lost by a vote of 88 yeas to 108 nays.

As soon as this vote was announced, Mr. Colfax, who had detected the whole scheme of the Democrats, rose, whereupon the following debate ensued:

“Mr. Colfax.—I regret, Mr. Clerk, that at this most important move of the Session

"Mr. Clingman.-I rise to a question of order. The previous question has been moved upon the resolution before the House, and no debate is in order.

"Mr. Colfax.--I think I have the floor.

"Mr. Clingman.-I must insist upon my question of order.

"Mr. Colfax.-Other gentlemen have spoken since the previous question was called, and I claim the right to be heard also.

"The Clerk.-The recollection of the Clerk is, that the previous question was moved, but he had forgotten it at the time he recognized the gentleman from In

diana. The Clerk thinks, however, that the previous question has been moved, and the journal bears him out in his recollection. No debate, therefore, is in order.

"Mr. Campbell, of Ohio.-I made the motion for the previous question, but understanding that the honorable gentleman from Indiana desires to make some observations upon the resolution, I will withdraw the motion for the purpose, if he will renew it.

"Mr. Colfax.-I will renew it. Mr. Clerk, I regret that, at this most important move of this protracted struggle, which has attracted not only the attention of the House but of the whole country, I am compelled by conscientious convictions to vote against the motion of the distinguished gentleman from Ohio, with whom it has been my pleasure generally to act upon this floor. Sir, I am not a lawyer; but I have often heard it stated by lawyers, that possession is nine points in the law. It is well known that the distinguished gentleman from South Carolina, whose name appears in this resolution, has been spoken of as the one likely to be settled on as the compromise; and I am unwilling, considering the magnitude of the issues involved, to give him the advantage which he would derive from the temporary occupancy of the chair. I am willing, however, to act as magnanimously as gentlemen on the other side could reasonably claim. I am willing that the clerk, belonging, as he does, to the Administration party, should continue to preside over our deliberations until a permanent organization has been effected; and I will go further; I am willing to place the two minorities here

DEBATE UPON MR. CAMPBELL'S RESOLUTION.

27

the Democracy and the American party, upon equal footing with the very large plurality-I might almost say majority, of members who are Republicans; for I believe it is very well understood that the members voting for Mr. Banks are, if the scattering votes are not counted, a majority over those voting for both Mr. Richardson and Mr. Fuller. I am willing that the three parties in the House shall occupy an exactly equal position in this temporary organization. I propose, therefore, to amend the resolution offered by the gentleman from Ohio, by striking out all after the word 'Resolved,' and to insert the following:

"That the three parties in this House, represented by the one hundred and five votes for Mr. Banks, the seventy-five votes for Mr. Richardson, and the forty votes for Mr. Fuller, shall each elect a Speaker pro tempore, who shall preside over the deliberations of the House alternately, as they shall mutually agree among themselves, until a Speaker is elected.'

"Mr. Campbell.—I have but a word to say in reply to the gentleman from Indiana.

"The Clerk.-The Clerk would suggest that inasmuch as the call for the previous question was pending and withdrawn temporarily in order to allow the gentleman from Indiana to address some remarks to the House, the proposition which he has submitted is not in order.

"Mr. Colfax.-I rise to a question of order. The gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Campbell] withdrew his call for the previous question, and yielded the floor to While occupying the floor then I was invested

me.

with all the rights that can be exercised by any mem ber upon this floor. The call for the previous question has not been seconded. I am willing to renew the call for the previous question; but I maintain that my proposition is now before the House as an amendment to the resolution of the gentleman from Ohio, and preceding the motion for the previous question.

"Mr. Sage. If my memory serves me, the call for the previous question was not seconded. The call was made, but the main question was not ordered to be put.

"The Clerk.-The Clerk, on reflection, thinks that the proposition of the gentleman from Indiana [Mr. Colfax] is in order. The floor was yielded to the gentleman from Indiana on condition that before he took his seat he should renew the call for the previous question, which had been withdrawn by the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Campbell]. Before resuming his seat, and previous to his renewal of the call for the previous question, the gentleman from Indiana presented his amendment. The Clerk thinks that it is in order.

"Mr. Colfax.-I submitted my amendment before I renewed the call for the previous question. The gentleman from Ohio desires to reply to what I have said, and I therefore withdraw the call for the previous question, and give up the floor to him for that purpose.

"Mr. Campbell.-Mr. Clerk, the proposition which I made is a simple one; and I had no idea that there would be any stir or excitement about it. Nor did I suppose that I was about to separate myself from my

propose

very highly esteemed friend from Indiana, or any body else on this side of the Hall. What is it? Does it propose to give in to the Opposition? And let me say to the gentleman, that when it comes to war with that Opposition on the Nebraska question, I will be found one of the last men to yield the point. Does it to give any advantage to the Opposition? [A Voice. It gives them the Malakoff]. It gives them the Malakoff, does it? If I understand the position of the Clerk on the principles of the Nebraska bill, he goes to the furthest extreme proposed by the gentleman from South Carolina [Mr. Orr]. Then we yield nothing in simply proposing that the Clerk, who has the duties of the clerkship devolved on him, shall be relieved from the charge of presiding, and it shall be placed in the hands of one who, it is acknowledged on all hands, understands the parliamentary law, and will be impartial in administering it. Will the gentleman from Indiana then tell me what point of principle in the great contest I have waived by the proposition?

"Mr. Colfax.-I will answer my friend from Ohio with great pleasure. I can see, notwithstanding I am "no prophet, nor the son of a prophet," in the vista of the future that after we have spent another three weeks in balloting for a Speaker, a proposition may be sprung on the House-worried out, weary with dissensions and discussion, something like this: that the gentleman from South Carolina [Mr. Orr], who will be in the chair, who will have doubtless administered its parliamentary duties impartially and acceptably, shall, inasmuch as we cannot elect any body else, be de