The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-02-14

liac SIsqneh inn, hriese camp,.ny be iel-r
.ci, wt.eh MS doLe. Mt.srs.,s-as, Marion
Dana. Rowland and y II. Smith we're ap
pointed
MIR. Deere presented a petition from Bris
to', Massachusetts. which was referred. \
The Iimse resolved itself into commit
tee on the uriinisaed bux.ues,. Mr.. Soaa.
Mir. Cook and Mr.. Lyon spekc. after which
the question on the amendment 10 strike out
from the resolution the words Letters OF
Marque and Rspi1sal against Great-Britain
and France. &c" was idken and carried
Ayes S7-Nves SO.
Ihc committee then rose, and obtained
leave to SIT again.
.And at about a quarter before 4, the House
adjourned.
"WEDNESDAY, Feb. S.
Agreeably to The order of the House yester-
day, they proceeded, in conjunction with the
senate, TO an examination of the electoral
votes for President and V~ice-Presidcnt of the
u. States.
Previously TO the entry of the Senate, Mr.
Il nd0lph wished 90 know who was TO pre-
side during the meeting of the two houses ?
Whether the president of the Senate or spea-
Eer ofthis house ? He never could Consent to
surrender the right Of the House by having
the chairgiyen up, merely because the Senate
were 10 attend here to witness the counting OF
the votes.
The words of the Constitution on the sub
liect are as follow :-"Thc president Of the
Senate shall, in the presence Of the senate
and house Of Representatives, open all the
certificates, and the votes shall then be coun
ted"
After some conversation on the subject,
Mr.. Nicholas moved that Il message be sent to
the senate to inform them that this house is
now ready TO attend them in opening the GER
.ltihcates. and counting the votes for president
and vice-presidcst OF the L. States in pursu-
ance of the resolutions of the two houses of
Congress on the 9TH inst. and that the clerk
! of the honse do go with the said message.
Mr.. DaOcnhort was in favor of the mott
on.
/ Mr.. Pqndoihh observed that some sort of
courtesy was due to the senate by the house.
but he was not willing to make it at the sa :
%criGce Of the rights of this House. To- some
gentle men it might appear unimportant.
but it was not so in his view of the subject.
lie wished it not to be entered on the iolr-
nal of the senate as a right which they DOS
aessed. In every thing that relates to the
privileges OF the house, he would sickle for
the ninth part OF hair. 1t was we'll known
that Entertainments, inch by inch. had been
made OIL legislative privileges in Great Bri
tam, intli they became nearly extir CT
These irnperceptib!c entertainments NAV.
one by one, eventually deprive the house OF
Its rights and dignity because power be.
gets power as money begcrs money. AS one
body ~relaXeS, so the othermav and does FIRE
Cuently encroach. The president Of the Sc
nate is TO count the votes but it is not thence
impl ed, necessarily, that he is to preside at
the sitting ofthe two houses In this hall. Ifbe
comes into this house, he shall come here on
courtesy he shall not assume your chair as
a matter OF right, but he may be invited tn
it as a mater Of favor. A committee ought
to be appointed to announce to him as a matter
OF conrtesy, (f he is 70 prcsidc) that it is
the will of this house to invite him to pre-
side. He would squabble forever before he
would yield an inch of the privileges of the
representatives of the people.
Mr.. Smile remarked. that as the two
houses would be in convention. and as the
constitution assigned the duty of counting the
votes to the President of the senate. il was
20 be presumed that that officer was EXPECT
ed to preside and The Speaker of this house
cenid be considered in no other grade during
inc counting than any other member of the
house.
Mr.. Macon observed that he had under
stood that Mr.. Adams, when Vice president.
presided at counting of the votes previous
to his election to the Presidential chair. He
never knew before that there was a doubt as
to It's propriety.
Mr.. Lyon wanted to know what was to be
done ii there should be a proposition to make
by any member of this house could that
proposition be made to a gentleman who was
not its speaker? If this house were to 90 to
the senate on sueh an occasion. they would
go as spectators and. consequently, the per-
son who usually presided in the house where
they convened ought to preside in such a
case. He thought tbs speaker the most
suitable character to preside in this case.
The question being taken ON Mr.. NTcho.
lass motion, there were 90 in the alirma-
tive.
MIR. Ran6ohA now moved that the Sc
nate be informed of the above resolution
also, that the House are ready to rec, i've
them, and that the President of the Senate
Will please to take the Speakers seat for
the purpose of counting the votes for Presi-
dent and Nice-Presijent. This resolution
was carried, and it was ordered that the
clerk OF the House go with the said mes
sage.
On the proposition. of Mr.. Van DIXIE. it
determined tina, on the e.l,,y of the Sc
nate, the members would receive that body
standlrg and uncovered,<