The thirty-eight colored men were all Republicans.

It will thus be seen that, while in the composition of the Republican caucus there were ten more colored than white members, yet of the total membership of the House there were thirty-nine more white than colored members.

But in the organization of the House, the contest was not between white and colored, but between Democrats and Republicans.

No one had been elected,--at least on the Republican side,--because he was a white man or because he was a colored man, but because he was a Republican.

After a preliminary canvass the fact was developed that the writer was not only the choice of the colored members for Speaker of the House, but of a large majority of the white Republican members as well.
They believed,--and voted in accordance with that belief both in the party caucus and in the House,--that the writer was the best-equipped man for that responsible position.