Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-07-10

lrecorded vote of the latter gentleman on the
journals of the house, affirming the Speaker
| to have decided contrary to BORDER. But what
reasonable man will, for moment, attachany
blame to the Speaker, for ignorance OF the
6 discretancy' which existed between Or.
Bibb's and his own decision, when he appears
conscious of his sdiscrepancy" with himself.
That he should forget his own repeated decl.
sions. on former occasions,is notso muchto be
wondered at, as that he should appear lnsen-
sible to the manifest fact that twice within
the space of an hour he should have reversed
his own opinions Yet such unquestlonably
was the case.
On the subject of those, former decisions
/ will refermembers of the house to the debate In
concIaye on the embargo bill, when at very
late hour, Mr.. Stanford and Mr.. Randolph
were both sustained by the chair IN the same
right against the lmpatence OF the house; and
| would call the generl recollection to the case
| of Mr. RS motion to amend Mr.. Macon's pro-
/ position to afford relief to the people OF Car
raccas. In this case, the Speaker himself in
terrupted Mr.. Randolph, but as soon as he
understood he was about to make motions
withdrew his objection-and sustained Mr..
Randolph's right to the floor against repeated
| calls to order from different quarters OF the
House. After delivering his sentiments on
| the motion which he contemplated to make,
| Mr.. r. concluded by submitting 1t to the
| House.
It behoves me to admit that when present
ed NV motion under the compulsion OF the
House"-the Speaker did reply "that 1t de-
pended upon my own pleasure to Withhold, or
offer it - which reply is not stated, 1t seems
in the " fragment" and appears to constitute
one of the omissions, on my part, OF which
Mr.. Clay complains. Reader! was not
unconscious of the omission at the time, but
had no disposition to inform the world that
mockery was added to the injustice with which
I had been treated nor can comprehend
the interest which Mr.. Clay can feel IN max
ing the fact public.
There was no compulsion, mark you f" 1t
depended entirely upon my own pleasure to
offer the motion or to withhold it, and take
mn seat in silence. In like manner, there was
no conpulsion used upon those unhappy peo-
pie of old, whe obstinately and perversely ina
ciped themselves to be exiled from Rome.
They were only interdicted the use offrc and
of quater so long as they should remain there.
No compulsion, at all, in the case " 1t de-
pended entirely upon their own pleasure, whe-
Their they would go or. stay''---and yet these
hayward objects of the tender regard OF the
majority for their rights, fancied themselves
under compulsion and vented their party
spleen by leaving their homes in disgust
When the decision was given IN favor OF
Mr.. Calhoun's appeal to the chair, and the mo-
lion was submitted in writing, Mr.. Randolph
asked if he was at liberty to proceed The
Sneaker decided that he was. Mr. r. did &C
cordingly proceed for about minute when
he was again called to order, and the Speaker
declaring that he had given hasty OPINION,
reversed his decision. From this an appeal
| was taken by Mr. Randolph but Withdrawn
| ont Of respect TO his friend Mr.. Macon--who
| said that he had no doubt the decision to re-
| duce the motion to writing and submit 1t "a
oair,st which he had v@ted) was wrong, but the
| House having established" Mr.. R IN
| terrupted him. and said that out OF respect
| 70 his friend he would withdraw his appeal
/ This he did under mistaken idea that Mr.
| Macon would support, by his vote, the subse-
| onent decision of the chair. He regretted
very much the Withdrawal ofthe appeal, when
| he afterwards discovered that he had mlsap-
| pretended the vote, which that gentleman
was about to have given.
1t will not escape attention, that the facts
stated in the " frag ment of Mr.. Randolph's
speech are few and scarcely accompanied by
| comment Let me recapitulate them:
The call to order by Mr. Wright; whereup-
on the Speaker decided that Mr.. K was at IL
berty TO proceed, and accordingly he did pro
! coed, " at least one hour, by Mr.. Clay own
/ statement.
2. The repetition of the call to order' BY
Mr.. Calhoun, when Mr.. R. was again sup
! ported in his right to the floor, by DR.. BIB
5. MIR. Calhoun's second call to order =
" whercupon the Speaker reversed his own
and DR.. Bibb's decision.
! 80 III. C.AAl-nn.c declaration that 1t was