Anecdotes of public men; by John W. Forney.

378 ANECDOTES OF PUBLIC MEN.
and as soon as the point of order was raised. I anticipated
something of this early in the session; and when I spoke of
going for the plurality rule,;the question was frequently put to
me by gentlemen upon the other side, whether, if that rule was
adopted, I would then vote for such a resolution as was adopted
in 1849. I replied that I regarded no such resolution as necessary, because the previous resolution was sufficient-that it was
the act of a majority of the House. That was the opinion I
then entertained, and hold the same opinion now. The resolution declares that the person who receives the highest number
of votes shall be Speaker. The tellers merely announce who
has that vote, and I entertain the opinion that the gentleman
from Massachusetts can take his seat under the resolution; that
was and is now my opinion. But I saw that if the plurality
rule were resorted to, whether or not you could pass a resolution declaring the gentleman who received the highest number
of votes for Speaker would depend upon its phraseology. I say
now to the gentleman from Ohio, and to others, that if a resolution shall be offered declaring that the gentleman from Massachusetts has been elected Speaker by virtue of that plurality
resolution, if they think it necessary, I will vote for-it."
MR. COBB, of Georgia. "Allusion has been made to what
occurred here at the time that I was elected Speaker of this
House; and as I differ with some of my friends with reference
to their construction of what was done then, and what is necessary to be done now, and as I may be called upon to vote upon
some resolution connected with this matter, I desire to place
myself right before the House, and to give the reasons for the
vote which I shall give. In I849, when it was determined to
adopt the plurality rule, it was assailed as violative of the Constitution. In order to avoid any difficulty upon that subject it
was, by general consent among those who were in favor of it,
agreed that a resolution should be offered affirming the election,
and that was done. At the time, occupying the position that I