Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1812-01-24
MIR. QUINCY'S
SPEECH


the unfinished business of Saturday last.
viz. MIR. Nelson's amendment to the rules
and orders OF the house" That Svhen the
previous question is ordered TO be taken, up
on the man question being PIT, every mem-
Der, Who has nor already spoken, shall have
liberty TO spsak oaee."
Mr. QuINcy-Mr. Speaker, I do no,
regard this question in the light, in which
some OF Its advocates, as well as of its CD.
ponents, have considered it; as a mere
contest for power between the majority and
the minority. it's of an higher character.
1t affects the essential principles of civil Ii.
berty, and saps its hopes at its very founda.
ton. | rejoice that the gentleman from
Virginia (Mr. Nelson) has limited his pro-
position, so as to preclude any mistake con-
corning the object of it. We are not now
advocating an unressrained privilege of de-
bate. The inquiry is--shaHa main cues
tion, in this aeAbera,ive badly ever Be taken
until everg member, suho has nor already
spoken, shall have had an obporfunify, ifhe
uUishes TO avail hintseyefH to speak at least
once npon the question. The ground taken
by those who oppose the proposition, is
that Of necessity and convenience. These
are the very points, which, in free coun.
try, ought most vigilsntly to be guarded
For tits, here, that the spirit of despotism
always lies in ambush. Under the cover
OF necessity or convenience, it steals upon
the liberties of a people, and never fails,
sooner or later to make them its prev.
1t is not to be denied, that the subject is
10 some respects difficult to manage, with
any hope Of convincing. There is a state
of feeling, both within this house and out
of it, very unpropitious to an impartial de-
bate. In this house it is argued as ques.
ton concerning-who shall have the power,
majority or minority. And as it is a.
greed on all hands, that in the exercise of
the power, abuse may happen, the prcsen,
majority, like all other majorities, have a
prevailing inclination to reserve in their own
hands, the exclusive privilege Of abuse
And without doors the subject is of no less
difficulty. For, of late years, the popular
ear has been so vexed with speech upon
speech--wind upon wind-the public pa
thence has been SO exhausted in hunting up
the solitary grain of sense, hidden in the
bushels of cha9, that it is ready to submit
to any limitation of privilege which sub.
jects it to so irksome labor. ;, The people
are almost ready to exclaim, edo what you
will with the liberty of speech, provided
you will save US from that fresh Of words,
with which we are periodically inundated.
Now this is the very state of the public
mind, Ia which the corruption of essential
principles commences. Through apparent
necessity or temporary conve nienct, or
disgust at abuse, the popular sentiment is
made to acquiesce in the introduction of
doctrines. vitality inconsistent. with the per-
petuity of liberty.
ask the house TO consider what 10 that
principle of civil liberty, which is amalga.
mated and identified with the very existence
OF legislative body. In what does it con.
sist! And what is its character? II con.
sists in the right Of celebration. And its
character is, that 1t belongs, not to the bo-
dy, but to the individual members consti-
tutiug the body. The body has the power
10 controul and regulate its exercise. Bot
it has not the power to take away that right
altogether, by the operation of any general
principle. An individual member NAV
render himself unworthy of the privilege.
He may be sch down. He may be denied
the right, because he has abused it. But
when legislative body assumes to itself
the power ofstopping, at its will, an debate,
at any stage of deliberation, it assumes
power wholly inconsistent with the essen
tisl right OF deliberation, and totally des.
tructive of that principle of civil liberty
which exists, and is identified with the ex.
ercise of that right.
he right of every individual me mber is,
IN fact, the right of his constituents. He
is but their representative. 1t is in their
majesty, that he appears. Its their light
that he reflects. The right of being heard