Evening Star, Washington, DC, January 17, 1856
In the House yesterday, after we went to press, other gentlemen explained the reasons actuating them in voting on Mr. Thorington’s resolution, viz : Messrs. Purviance, Sherman, Dunn, Fuller of Pa., Stanton, Thorington, Wade, and Washburn of Me.
Some debate took place between Messrs. Stephens, Zollicoffer, and Richardson, in the course of which the latter took occasion to say that while he believed that, according to the letter of the constitution, Congress had the power to exclude slavery from the territory of the United States, yet that it was unjust and wrong, and in violation of the spirit of that instrument, to do so, as the constitution was made for the purpose of securing equality among the States and to the people of the whole country.
Mr. Faulkner, of Virginia, gave notice of his intention to offer to-day a preamble and resolution setting forth the impracticability of electing a Speaker on any of the principles avowed, and proposing that on Monday next, if no choice be made, each member shall hand in his resignation, and let the people send a new set of Representative.
The result of the vote on Mr. Thorington’s resolution was then declared as follows — not adopted — yeas 50, nays 150.
The House then proceeded with the one hundred and fifteenth vote for a Speaker, with the following result, viz:
Whole number of votes cast, 195; necessary to a choice, 93.
Mr. Richardson received 65, Banks 88, Fuller of Pa, 29, Pennington 8, scattering 5.
So there was no choice.
During the call of the roll in this vote, explanations were made by Messrs. Boyce and McQueen, concerning the reasons inducing them of late not to vote for Mr. Richardson. Both declared that that gentleman’s explanation of the day had induced them again to vote for him; and that their colleague, Mr. Keitt, also regarded it as sufficient to justify him in again voting for Mr. R.
They adjourned at 4 1/2 p. m [Notice was given in the Hall that there would be a caucus of anti-Nebraska members that evening, at 7 p. m., in the Hall.]
Background: The 1856 Speaker Election
While we think of recent House Speaker elections as fractious and time-consuming, the 1856 election lasted two months and went 133 ballots before Massachusetts Congressman Nathanial Banks won enough votes (needed a plurality, not a majority) to be named Speaker. He served until December when the next Congressional session elected James Orr of South Carolina, outlasting McCarthy’s time as Speaker.