Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1803-01-03
c. O N O. r E S S
OF THE UNITED STATES.
House. OF REPRESENTATIVE.
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 20, 1902.

Wnlcn ne Wltncu ~ uIdW lllCll dltSHiioi'
One in the following words !" When the
reading of paper is called for, and the
fame is objected to by any member, it ilail
be determined by vote of the houte. /"
This rule had yesterday been decided land
In his opinion correttly) TO apply only TO
papers ALREADY in fbs pa1s5Fou If The 6ou}e,
and NOT to lhoic which had never before
been heard. Bat, fir, laid Mr.. r. I find
another rule directing that all petitions,
memorials and other papers addreiled TO the
houle, ihall be prefented by the Speaker,
or by member in his place, and brief
itatement of the contents thereof iball be
verbally made by the introduces, &c.
And wherefore That the hoaie may not
be betrayed into the reading OF that which
IL might be indecorous in them TO hear.
Concsiying then that they hoald be guild
ed in tie Interpretation of their rules BY
the fame principle which governed conrts
of iuitice in the contribution OF a law
/" the adopting of hch an Interpretation
as would give meaning and efficacy ut
poaible) to every part of the infrument;
he had yeHerday been compelled, however
reluctantly, TO differ from an authority
eminently entitled TO his refpett. Since,
Whit he concurred in the contraction
given to the rule which he had hrl read,
could not perceive that the right Of fhe
houfe TO rsfzls to6s PIT mts 3oDal5en OF
improper matter was, thereby, at all at
feaed, Otherwiie the psoyidon contained
is the lecond rule was rendered altogether
nugatory.
But iince it had been adjufed that any
communication however ycluminous, any
petition however fr.solous any memo
rial however foreign to their jurlidittion;
any paper however it might iniult the dig
nisy, however it might derogate from the
honor of the hor.e mutt, if required by
single member, of necefity be read. tic
conceived it his duty 70 endeagour to re-
l:eve THE honfe from the embauaIlnent OF
being compelled to liaen to libel upon
itfelf. Torefuie which was, as he con-
ceiyed, a right inherent in every deiibera-
tive ai1embly. lie had drawn his pro-
pofed amendment 10 foch terms as TO leave
untouched the facred right Of petition,
A right which no one priced more dearly,
and no one was more difpofsd to cherilh
and defend than hinllelf. This important
privilege he believed would not be affected
BY the reiolu,ion which he was about to
offer. Since where redrefs OF grievances
was really fought, the petitioners had al
ways the choice of inofenhve terms IN
which TO expreis taemlelves, and nothing
was more eafly diioernable than petition
whole object was tie benefit Of thoie pre-
ferring if, and one which was made a CO.
yer 10 iniult thoie to whom it was prefer.
ed. lie concluded with moving the fol-
lowing amendment to the rules of the
shoaf 10 be inherited after that which he
habitat read.
! :" Thar ifany petition, memorial or o.
-tler paper, 70 prefented, ihall, in the OPT
MON OF any aliStiuCt3 SVisdiil A1ttci tt!Auii-
ins to the dignity or derogstory from the
hohor Of the houie, the reading of fnch
paper fhall, if objeaed to, be determined
by 4 vote of the honie.'
mr.. EuRis obferved, that by the Cecil
idn Ct ye9erday, it appeared that every
paISer pFeiented TO the houle matt be read.
Ii Abar deciiion was correct the hopie had
.tieA itielf down by It's own rules, and
fuhI;eaed itfelf to the neceiHty Of hearing
e9Sery paper offered, however long, or
however improper.
Mr.. Euais faid, it appeared to hin. ne
ceGary thar this evil thouli be remedied.
But he could not thirk il receGary to
conGne the power Of excluGon TO matter
derogatosy 20 the dignity Of The houle.
There was other good caules for exclu-
fon; the length Of a paper the maaner
of its being ofsnfve, or the matter. II
sa,znearei to him f RI r,r:nripIe thar eva