Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1820-02-24

ment of the amendments |; IT would be OF
no utility, as the question now before the
committee would be first decided before the
amendments would be taken up and then
bill would have previously passed on the
same subject The subject of the amend
ments was legal one he admitted, but
the object of the connection was to coerce
this house, by operating on those members
particularly interested in the admission OF
Maine into the Union. This course he
thought was disapproved by the house, and
the proper way 10 shew it was by prompt
very prompt, rejection of the amendments.
| Such was the course taken by the House,
on former occasion, when an amendment
was inserted in an appropriation bill by the
Senate, providing for brevet pay, which
the house had previously stricken out Mr..
S. repeated that he was in favor of the COM
promise, but he would not give up the right
| of giving distinct and unshaCkled vote fer
the admission OF Maine.
Mr.. Simkins conceived it would be ex-
tremely wrong not to allow some time to
reflect on this subject. The amendments
were long and contained numerous provi-
sions, some of them of the highest impor-
lance how were they to be understood
from the single reading ofthem by the clerk?
He wished them to be printed, and time al
lowed to examine and consider them. He
trusted that the majority, because they had
the power, would not force members at once
I 10 decide on so important a matter without
knowing scarcely on what il was they were
to vote The Senate had deemed the two
subjects compatible, and had thought p!o-
per tojoin them it was not proper by any
means TO ascribe improper motives to the Sc
nate for so doing. Respect for the Senate
/! required that their amendments should not
be treated with SO much precipitation and
so little Difference. He was in favor Of the
commitment.
Mr.. Gross, of N, York, said, be was glad
OF an opportunity of stating, in his place,
what he thought OF the conduct of the Senate
in this affair and proceeded TO remark, that
he thought it did not deserve the respect OF
this house, but was stopped by the Speaker,
as such expressions here, applied to the o.
Their branch of the Legislature were out of
order. Mr.. G. then remarked, that, come
from where ii might. the amendment was
an attempt to coerce the members OF this
House, and he decidedly disapproved of it,
&c.
Mr.. Walker, of N. c.. made few re-
marks in favor Of commitment, which were
not at all heard.
Mr.. Mercer supported the right Of the
Senate to annex any amendment to bill
from this house, and that the house had no
right to know the motives OF the Senate,
merely from the prima facia evidence OF the
amendments it was not proper to allude 10
them in debate, much less to impute inn
proper ones to that body. The course "a
dopted by the Senate in this instance was
justified by the practice Of the British par"
lament, from which our rules of proceeding
are drawn instances of which Mr.. M. men,
toned. He could imagine very strong rea
sons, of the most honorable character, Tor
the amendments of the Senate but il was
not right that he should advert to them; and
he could not enter into the examination OF
views such as had been imputed by others.
If the proposition from the senate be, as was
believed, the olive branch OF peace on the
most nomentous question that had ever a
eitated the councils of this nation since the
foundation Of the government, was 1t pro-
per thus to treat it E? As to the case stated
by Mr.. Sorrs, the present one Fbore no sort
of analogy to it that was a question on the
right of the Senate to originate in money
bill clause making an appropriation, In
this case, if the proposition from the Senate
should happily put to rest the divisions in
the House and heal the wounds inflicted
throughout the nation by this question, they
would deserve immortal honor.
Mr.. Sergeant was against the commitment,
and in favor of an immediate decision on
these amendments. Without speaking or
acting improperly towards the Senate, re-
spect for themselves required the house to
act promptly. Mr.. S. opposed the amend