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。 Lean？why； bless me！and tough？ Ah； he was very
tough！ You could not imagine ityou could never imagine anything like
it。〃
〃Do you mean to tell me that〃
〃Do not interrupt me； please。 After breakfast we elected a man by the
name of Walker； from Detroit； for supper。 He was very good。 I wrote his
wife so afterward。 He was worthy of all praise。 I shall always remember
Walker。 He was a little rare； but very good。 And then the next morning
we had Morgan of Alabama for breakfast。 He was one of the finest men I
ever sat down to handsome； educated； refined； spoke several languages
fluently a perfect gentleman he was a perfect gentleman； and singularly
juicy。 For supper we had that Oregon patriarch； and he was a fraud；
there is no question about itold； scraggy； tough； nobody can picture
the reality。 I finally said； gentlemen； you can do as you like； but I
will wait for another election。 And Grimes of Illinois said； 'Gentlemen；
I will wait also。 When you elect a man that has something to recommend
him； I shall be glad to join you again。' It soon became evident that
there was general dissatisfaction with Davis of Oregon； and so； to
preserve the good will that had prevailed so pleasantly since we had had
Harris； an election was called； and the result of it was that Baker of
Georgia was chosen。 He was splendid！ Well； wellafter that we had
Doolittle； and Hawkins； and McElroy （there was some complaint about
McElroy； because he was uncommonly short and thin）； and Penrod； and two
Smiths； and Bailey （Bailey had a wooden leg； which was clear loss； but he
was otherwise good）； and an Indian boy； and an organ…grinder； and a
gentleman by the name of Buckminstera poor stick of a vagabond that
wasn't any good for company and no account for breakfast。 We were glad
we got him elected before relief came。〃
〃And so the blessed relief did come at last？〃
〃Yes； it came one bright； sunny morning； just after election。 John
Murphy was the choice； and there never was a better； I am willing to
te