proprietor of the
Cincinnati "Commercial," who sat by my side, was constantly employed
in writing for his paper. When a new voice was heard he would put
his hand to his ear, listen awhile and then, turning impatiently
to his writing, would say to me: "Another dead cock in the pit."
This cynical suppression of a new Member rather alarmed me, but on
the 9th of January, as appears from the "Globe," I ventured to make
a few remarks. When I sat down I turned to Mr. Day and said:
"Another dead cock in the pit." He relieved me by saying: "Not
quite so bad as that." The first speech I made in the House
contained my political creed at the time. I here insert a paragraph
or two:

"I desire to say a few words; and I would preface them with the
remark, that I do not intend, while I have a seat in this House,
to occupy much of its time in speaking. But I wish to state now
why I have voted, and shall continue to vote, for Mr. Banks. I
care not whether he is a member of the American party or not. I
have been informed that he is, and I believe that he is. But I
repeat I care not to what party he belongs. I understood him to
take this position,--that the repeal of the Missouri Compromise
was an act of great dishonor, and that under no circumstances
whatever will he--if he have the power--allow the institution of
human slavery to derive any benefit from that repeal. That is my
position. I have been a Whig, but I will yield all party preferences,
and will act in concert with men of all parties and opinions who
will steadily aid in preserving our western territories for free
labor; and I say now, that I never will vote for a man for speaker
of this house, unless he convinces me, by his conduct and by his
voice, that he never will, if he has the power to prevent it, allow
the institution of slavery to derive any advantage from repealing
the compromise of 1820.

"I believe Mr. Banks will be true to that principle, and, therefore,
I vote for him without regard to his previous political associations,
or to his adherence to the American party. I vote for him simply
because he has had the manliness to say here, that, having the
power, he will resist the encroachments of slavery, even by opposing
the admission of any slave state that may be formed out of the
territory north and west of Missouri."

Notwithstanding the promise I made not to occupy much of the time
of the House in speaking, and the cynicism of my friend Day, I d