Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-06-07
VIRGINIA. ARGUS.
s. MUCH Apo AaoUT HoTHISc.
RI en- NJ o Nd:
MONDAY. JuNE7, 1879

Tie ratio Of representation in Congress-
founded upons the third census, furnishes
about forty additional members 10 tie House
of Representatives. To account date these adj
ditional members an act was passed at the last
session apPropria;mg S 5000 for expences in
cdent TO alterations IN the Representative
Chamber These alterations were judic ionslv
executed under the Immediate directions OF
MIR. Claxton, the door keeper, who has been
principal dooT keeper for long lime, and who
as respectable and obiging man. II appears
that MIR. Ciaxton could not, consistently with
tie convenience ot members, appropriate situ-
atoms for more than four stenographers or,
rather, for more than one stcnographsr, and
three note takcrs-tor we believe that Mr.
GALES 10 the only regular and constantly Mt
tending slenographer of the House. The oc
cupying OF. these sitVaticns.as stenographers
has ways been matter OF courtesy, and the PR
viiege has been usually granted on application
TO the Speaker. At the COMMENCEMENT OF the
present session OF Congress Mn George Rich"
ards, acting IN the capacity OF stenogTapher,
or nete-tak, rs applied to the Speaker, Mir Clay,
tor the benefit of the privilege, which he had
enjoyed during the preceding session, before
the accession ofthe iorty additional members,
and, OF course, when t6erea was more room.
AS there-were but four places allotted, & there
being more than four applicants for the pryi-
ence, the old maxim of first come first seyUed
FMS rule excluded Mr.. Richards, who had
come after four others, to wit: Mr. Gales, a
note taker from Baltimore, and two from Alex
andria, one OF whom reports Congressional pro-
ceedings tor no very moderate federal Gazette.
Beng thus thrown out, MIR. Richards address.
ed the House by petition. AID he re 4 curious
reader might ask, far 'vhat did Mr.. r petition :
For restoration TO some right appe raining to
In a sort ,nlx
has any right to situation on the flo or of Con.
%ress, except ny courtesy. On the exclusion
oi Ar. Richards by the maxim cnforc cd b. ll6.
Speaker, any member in his place mi chit have
stated that exclusion and have appeal ID, in be.
hall OF the excluded party, from the peaker's
decisIons This open course, howevc was no;
adop ed; sly method was resorted to- where
by the House might be taken By surbyiss. Mr.
| Richards, through MIR. GrOsvenor, presented :
| petition, as If he had been dcspoic d some
right, and aresolutIon was framed upon he pc
| tltion, which presented, in appearance, a nipple
| question whether only four or more stenogra
pliers or note-tRkerS should be admitted int o the
| house! 1t has surprized US very much that the
| house should occupy itself either with the ne
| tition OF Richards or the resolution OF Mr. Gros
| venor. 1t soon became manifest what was the
real OBJECT OF the managers of the business-,l,s
mouse crept very vIsiby out of the meunta in
| '"S 't~'tl4ol was " I'FtCuit, III tllS Sl(G way
by enlisting the liberality of the majority in Tia,
scheme without their perceivng the motive, &
vote cf censurs ON MrSspeaker Clay. When the
affair was brought ,otiis point, the project fail
al. The house veryPrGperly supported the de-
| cisiOn OF the Speakers Frofa all the circumstan
| ces of the case, it isobvious that Mr. CLAY
acted with a greai deal of delicacy and
great reason. He adapted the principle OF
eldest h;le, a rule which is considered very
sound III more important things. He die
not deprive Mr.. Richards of any right, be.
cause the latter had no right to place OF
the floor of the House and he did not turr
Mr.. Richards our of the House he oni,
would not let him in. This distinction me
rits attention because, when Mr.. SedgwicE
was Speaker of the House of Represent a.
tives, he turned Mr.. Samuel Harrison
Smith, then Editor of the National Inteili
gencer, not only out of t.e House, but If VIZ
do not mistake, out OF the Gallery also.