sketches new and old-第61章

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a　sign　of　awful　importthe　foreshadowing　of　a　something　that　was　vaguely
shaping　itself　in　every　hearta　something　which　no　tongue　dared　yet　to
frame　into　words。

〃The　sixth　day　passedthe　seventh　dawned　upon　as　gaunt　and　haggard　and
hopeless　a　company　of　men　as　ever　stood　in　the　shadow　of　death。　　It　must
out　now！　　That　thing　which　had　been　growing　up　in　every　heart　was　ready
to　leap　from　every　lip　at　last！　　Nature　had　been　taxed　to　the　utmostshe
must　yield。　　RICHARD　H。　GASTON　of　Minnesota；　tall；　cadaverous；　and　pale；
rose　up。　　All　knew　what　was　coming。　　All　preparedevery　emotion；　every
semblance　of　excitementwas　smotheredonly　a　calm；　thoughtful
seriousness　appeared　in　the　eyes　that　were　lately　so　wild。

〃'Gentlemen：　It　cannot　be　delayed　longer！　　The　time　is　at　hand！　　We　must
determine　which　of　us　shall　die　to　furnish　food　for　the　rest！'

〃MR。　JOHN　J。　WILLIAMS　of　Illinois　rose　and　said：　'　GentlemenI　nominate
the　Rev。　James　Sawyer　of　Tennessee。'

〃MR。　Wm。　R。　ADAMS　of　Indiana　said：　'I　nominate　Mr。　Daniel　Slote　of　New
York。'

〃MR。　CHARLES　J。　LANGDON：　'I　nominate　Mr。　Samuel　A。　　Bowen　of　St。　Louis。'

〃MR。　SLOTE：　'GentlemenI　desire　to　decline　in　favor　of　Mr。　John　A。　Van
Nostrand；　Jun。；　of　New　Jersey。'

〃MR。　GASTON：　'If　there　be　no　objection；　the　gentleman's　desire　will　be
acceded　to。'

〃MR。　VAN　NOSTRAND　objecting；　the　resignation　of　Mr。　Slote　was　rejected。
The　resignations　of　Messrs。　Sawyer　and　Bowen　were　also　offered；　and
refused　upon　the　same　grounds。

〃MR。　A。　L。　BASCOM　of　Ohio：　'I　move　that　the　nominations　now　close；　and
that　the　House　proceed　to　an　election　by　ballot。'

〃MR。　SAWYER：　'GentlemenI　protest　earnestly　against　these　proceedings。
They　are；　in　every　way；　irregular　and　unbecoming。　　I　must　beg　to　move
that　they　be　dropped　at　once；　and　that　we　elect　a　chairman　of　the　meeting
and　proper　officers　to　assist　him；　and　then　we　can　go　on　with　the
business　before　us　understandingly。'

〃MR。　BELL　of　Iowa：　'GentlemenI　object。　　This　is　no　time　to　stand　upon
forms　and　ceremonious　observances。　　For　more　than　seven　days　we　have　been
without　food。　　Every　moment　we　lose　in　idle　discussion　increases　our
distress。　　I　am　satisfied　with　the　nominations　that　have　been　madeevery
gentleman　present　is；　I　believeand　I；　for　one；　do　not　see　why　we　should
not　proceed　at　once　to　elect　one　or　more　of　them。　　I　wish　to　offer　a
resolution'

〃MR。　GASTON：　'It　would　be　objected　to；　and　have　to　lie　over　one　day　under
the　rules；　thus　bringing　about　the　very　delay　you　wish　to　avoid。　　The
gentleman　from　New　Jersey'

〃MR。　VAN　NOSTRAND：　'GentlemenI　am　a　stranger　among　you；　I　have　not
sought　the　distinction　that　has　been　conferred　upon　me；　and　I　feel　a
delicacy'

〃MR。　MORGAN　Of　Alabama　（interrupting）：　'I　move　the　previous　question。'

〃The　motion　was　carried；　and　further　debate　shut　off；　of　course。　　The
motion　to　elect　officers　was　passed；　and　under　it　Mr。　Gaston　was　chosen
chairman；　Mr。　Blake；　secretary；　Messrs。　　Holcomb；　Dyer；　and　Baldwin　a
committee　on　nominations；　and　Mr。　R。　M。　Howland；　purveyor；　to　assist　the
committee　in　making　selections。

〃A　recess　of　half　an　hour　was　then　taken；　and　some　little　caucusing
followed。　　At　the　sound　of　the　gavel　the　meeting　reassembled；　and　the
committee　reported　in　favor　of　Messrs。　George　Ferguson　of　Kentucky；
Lucien　Herrman　of　Louisiana；　and　W。　Messick　of　Colorado　as　candidates。
The　report　was　accepted。

〃MR。　ROGERS　of　Missouri：　'Mr。　President　The　report　being　properly　before
the　House　now；　I　move　to　amend　it　by　substituting　for　the　name　of　Mr。
Herrman　that　of　Mr。　Lucius　Harris　of　St。　　Louis；　who　is　well　and
honorably　known　to　us　all。　　I　do　not　wish　to　be　understood　as　casting　the
least　reflection　upon　the　high　character　and　standing　of　the　gentleman
from　Louisiana　far　from　it。　　I　respect　and　esteem　him　as　much　as　any
gentleman　here　present　possibly　can；　but　none　of　us　can　be　blind　to　the
fact　that　he　has　lost　more　flesh　during　the　week　that　we　have　lain　here
than　any　among　usnone　of　us　can　be　blind　to　the　fact　that　the　committee
has　been　derelict　in　its　duty；　either　through　negligence　or　a　graver
fault；　in　thus　offering　for　our　suffrages　a　gentleman　who；　however　pure
his　own　motives　may　be；　has　really　less　nutriment　in　him'

〃THE　CHAIR：　'The　gentleman　from　Missouri　will　take　his　seat。　　The　Chair
cannot　allow　the　integrity　of　the　committee　to　be　questioned　save　by　the
regular　course；　under　the　rules。　　What　action　will　the　House　take　upon
the　gentleman's　motion？'

〃MR。　HALLIDAY　of　Virginia：　'I　move　to　further　amend　the　report　by
substituting　Mr。　Harvey　Davis　of　Oregon　for　Mr。　Messick。　　It　may　be　urged
by　gentlemen　that　the　hardships　and　privations　of　a　frontier　life　have
rendered　Mr。　　Davis　tough；　but；　gentlemen；　is　this　a　time　to　cavil　at
toughness？　　Is　this　a　time　to　be　fastidious　concerning　trifles？　　Is　this
a　time　to　dispute　about　matters　of　paltry　significance？　　No；　gentlemen；
bulk　is　what　we　desiresubstance；　weight；　bulkthese　are　the　supreme
requisites　nownot　talent；　not　genius；　not　education。　　I　insist　upon　my
motion。'

〃MR。　MORGAN　（excitedly）：　'Mr。　　ChairmanI　do　most　strenuously　object　to
this　amendment。　　The　gentleman　from　Oregon　is　old；　and　furthermore　is
bulky　only　in　bonenot　in　flesh。　　I　ask　the　gentleman　from　Virginia　if
it　is　soup　we　want　instead　of　solid　sustenance？　if　he　would　delude　us
with　shadows？　　if　he　would　mock　our　suffering　with　an　Oregonian　specter？
I　ask　him　if　he　can　look　upon　the　anxious　faces　around　him；　if　he　can
gaze　into　our　sad　eyes；　if　he　can　listen　to　the　beating　of　our　expectant
hearts；　and　still　thrust　this　famine…stricken　fraud　upon　us？　　I　ask　him
if　he　can　think　of　our　desolate　state；　of　our　past　sorrows；　of　our　dark
future；　and　still　unpityingly　foist　upon　us　this　wreck；　this　ruin；　this
tottering　swindle；　this　gnarled　and　blighted　and　sapless　vagabond　from
Oregon's　hospitable　shores？　　Never！'　＇Applause。＇

〃The　amendment　was　put　to　vote；　after　a　fiery　debate；　and　lost。　　Mr。
Harris　was　substituted　on　the　first　amendment。　　The　balloting　then　began。
Five　ballots　were　held　without　a　choice。　　On　the　sixth；　Mr。　　Harris　was
elected；　all　voting　for　him　but　himself。　　It　was　then　moved　that　his
election　should　be　ratified　by　acclamation；　which　was　lost；　in
consequence　of　his　again　voting　against　himself。

〃MR。　RADWAY　moved　that　the　House　now　take　up　the　remaining　candidates；
and　go　into　an　election　for　breakfast。　　This　was　carried。

〃On　the　first　ballotthere　was　a　tie；　half　the　members　favoring　one
candidate　on　account　of　his　youth；　and　half　favoring　the　other　on　account
of　his　superior　size。　　The　President　gave　the　casting　vote　for　the
latter；　Mr。　Messick。　　This　decision　created　considerable　dissatisfaction
among　the　friends　of　Mr。　Ferguson；　the　defeated　candidate；　and　there　was
some　talk　of　demanding　a　new　ballot；　but　in　the　midst　of　it　a　motion　to
adjourn　was　carried；　and　the　meeting　broke　up　at　once。

〃The　preparations　for　supper　diverted　the　attention　of　the　Ferguson
faction　from　the　discussion　of　their　grievance　for　a　long　time；　and　then；
when　they　would　have　taken　it　up　again；　the　happy　announcement　that　Mr。
Harris　was　ready　drove　all　thought　of　it　to　the　winds。

〃We　improvised　tables　by　propping　up　the　backs　of　car…seats；　and　sat　down
with　hearts　full　of　gratitude　to　the　finest　supper　that　had　blessed　our
vision　for　seven　torturing　days。　　How　changed　we　were　from　what　we　had
been　a　few　short　hours　before！　　Hopeless；　sad…eyed　misery；　hunger；
feverish　anxiety；　desperation；　then；　thankfulness；　serenity；　joy　too　deep
for　utterance　now。　　That　I　know　was　the　cheeriest　hour　of　my　eventful
life。　　The　winds　howled；　and　blew　the　snow　wildly　about　our　prison　house；
but　they　were　powerless　to　distress　us　any　more。　　I　liked　Harris。　　He
might　have　been　better　done；　perhaps；　but　I　am　free　to　say　that　no　man
ever　agreed　with　me　better　than　Harris；　or　afforded　me　so　large　a　degree
of　satisfaction。　　Messick　was　very　well；　though　rather　high…flavored；
but　for　genuine　nutritiousness　and　delicacy　of　fiber；　give　me　Harris。
Messick　had　his　good　pointsI　will　not　attempt　to　deny　it；　nor　do　I　wish
to　do　it　but　he　was　no　more　fitted　for　breakfast　than　a　mummy　would　be；
sirnot　a　bit。