egan to arm
themselves with revolvers. One of the weapons dropped from the pocket of
a member from New York and he was accused of attempting to draw it for
use against an opponent.

The sergeant at arms was summoned and pandemonium broke loose. For a
moment it seemed that a pitched battle before the dais of the Speaker
was inevitable.

John Sherman rose and made a remarkable statement--remarkable in showing
how the mob mind will inevitably destroy the mind of the individual
until its unity is undisputed. He spoke in tones of reconciliation.

"When I came here I did not believe that the Slavery question would come
up; and but for the unfortunate affair of Brown's at Harper's Ferry I
do not believe that there would have been any feeling on the subject.
Northern members came here with kindly feelings, no man approving of the
deed of John Brown, and every man willing to say so, every man willing
to admit it an act of lawless violence."

It was true. And yet before that mad session closed they were Brown's
disciples and he had become their martyr here. The mob mind devours
individuality, and reduces all to the common denominator of the archaic
impulse.

In the fierce conflict for Speaker four years before, when Banks had
been chosen, Slavery was then the issue. Good humor, courtesy and reason
ruled the contest which lasted three days longer than the fight over
Sherman. Instead of courtesy and reason--hatred, passion, defiance,
assertion were now the order of the day. Four years before a threat of
disunion was made on the floor. The House received it with shouts of
derision and laughter. Keitt's dramatic threat had thrown the House into
an uproar which had to be quelled by the sergeant at arms. Envy, hate,
jealousy, spite, passion were supreme. The favorite epithets hurled
across the Chamber were:

"Slave driver!"

"Nigger thief!"

The newspapers no longer reported speeches as delivered. They were
revised and raised to greater powers of vituperation and abuse. Instead
of a convincing, logical speech, their champion hurled a "torrent of
scathing denunciation," "withering sarcasm," and "crushing invective!"

At this historic session appeared the first suit of Confederate Gray,
worn by Roger A. Pryor, the brilliant young member from Virginia.

Immediately a Northern member leaped to his feet. He had caught the
significance of the Southern emblem. He gave a moment's silent survey
to the gray suit and opened his addre