Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1812-02-24
Legislature Of Massachusetts.
BOSTON, FEB IL.
UNPRECEDENTED PROCEEDINGS.


Unprecedented PROCEEDINGS.
On Friday last, ar event took place in The
| House of Representatives, which we ven
ture 10 say was never before witnessed in
that or any other deliberatiye assembly. 1t
being of importance that The public should
bave 8 tull account of the transaction we,
state
That few minutes after nine O'Clock.
Immediately after The House was called To
order) The Speaker observed, that memo.
rial, signed by him, ard IN which he consi,i-
cred himself interested was on the table ;
and LETT the Char, and took place on tire
floor, when the Clerk read the paper, (caIl-
ed memoria) as follows -
TO The Honorable House Of Representatives 81
the ConanorueaIfh Of Massachusetts.
Respectfully represents, Eleazer Vince
lock Ripley, that he has in his hands and
possession, sundry documents and denosi-
lions in relation to one If the Justices OF the
Supreme Judicial Court, which he wishes to
exhibit to Committee Of the Honorable
House he therefore prays that committee
may be appointed, 10 consist Of FIVE members,
with powers 10 send for persons and papers,
for the purposes aforesaid, and as in duy
bound shall ever rrry.
ELEAZER WHEELOCK RIPLEY.
Fe6 13'h, 1912.
The Gle put the question whether The
House would commit the Memorial, and de-
clsred It t. De vote to commit it; and hen
nominated a Committee, consisting Of Mr.
BaHgs Of Worcester. Shazg, of Boston, Nev
ers, # Mortified, Fay, of Cambridge, ard
Webb. of Weymouth. Mr. Bradbury, imme
dlaieiy moved a reconsideration Of The vote.
ind gave many important reasons IN support
ot A.; he was opposed at some length by
Mr. hloley, the Spe ker, Who had taken
sea- as # he were Il member Ofthe House -
|, was observed, that Gentlemen Of he
House both for and against the reconsidera
ton were altogether at a loss whom 70 I'd.
dress; some addressing " Mr.. Speaker"
Others M. Clerk, and theirs "Mr. Char.
man On seeing the Spe ker acting Is a
member on The flor, and tue Chair Vac nj,
}! was demanded whether the House were
m Committee Of tie whole, and If so who
was ChalI mon, and where was hel To
these questions negative answers were ri.
ven, b. members on The floor, and some said.
1.-the Geek PRESIDED" and this while the
SlS1hCi Was so liiS lOOE Vi lie House acting
a. member
Al ID. Duvis rose and addressed Mr..
-" "a " Mr. C.eft" or 4" Mr.. Chairman. =
and was proceeding in his observations on
the very peculiar and disorderly SITUATION IN
Which The House appeared, and suggest ed
the prOprety Ut committee Of The whole.
when the Rev Mr.. Foster, addressed Mr..
Davis across the floor, requested him TO
suspend iiIs observations, IS the CHI plAin
altende q, and had been their for some time.
aud expressed his wish that prayers might
be heard. UPON these suggestions, the de.
bate aubsided, and prayers were offered -
The Spe~kc haeIHy got into the CHAR, he
deba,6 on Tie question Of recOnsidei ing thc
Crmer vote proceeded, in which the 5, Jeak.
srs conduct, IN Leaving the Chair, was AMI.
madver ed upon with co.siderable severity.
The Speaker having offered his being inter
e'ted IN the memorial, A. The reason for lis
abdIcasion Of the Chair, took the sense of
he House "a the prapi iety Of has presiding
dur Hgte debate on this qu-si ion. The
FeduI alists aware OF The deucacy his sit
uaiIon, and VI b vie " 70 relieve him from
The embarrassment, TO which, of necessity,
nc must be exposed, by continuing IN the
Char, voted 10 relieve him, but his bglifi
ca fT:erlS overt uled them, aud thereby sub
Jected him 70 th~ severity OF emark which
such an ocsdrstnce nece- sariiy produced.
NORTHEASTERN ding the HOUSE were brought
into th,s unpleasant situation, The deba,e