Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1822-03-08


was entirely unwilling to put il in the power
OF any Joint committee To select from the or
ders of the day what subjects should he act
ed on. Experience had convinced him of the
expediency orrefusing 10 appoint any COM
miitce for that purpose, short of majority
Of the House. Ii was desirable that equa! JUS
tice should he done to all, and perfect i'm par
TALLY could not be expected ia the DISPOSE
ton of the business from any committee that
could Ice selected.
Nh. ROCHESTER, called for division ofthe
question, and the branch that related To the
appointment of Il joint committee to select
aod arrange the business necessary to DC done
was first in order.
Mr.. Wright said the House had not the
necessary facts before them which could au-
thnriZe them to fix limit to the session.
Three or four weeks hence it would be much
easier To act IN this resolution than now
Hitherto We have done almost nothing but
talk, and talking, too, at the rate of four hun
drtd dollars an hour. There was an evident
cacoethes ioquendi in the House, which, it was
to he hoped would he restrained. He (Mr.
W. came here as public servant Ia do bus-
ness, and ii was the duty of the House to act
ON the same principles in relation tn their
business, as Cour, of Justice would and he
was sorry that any time should be taken up in
discussing this question.
Mr.. SAWYER rose to inq iire whether, fsuch
acommlttee were raised, it could place upon
! the list such cases as were not referred to n
committee of the whole, hut to Standing or
Select Committees, and he adverted to bill
which he deemed of Importance, in relation
to the abolition OF snecuIe Offices in certain
collection districts, and which he thought
should be acted on at this session.
| Mr. NELSON, Of Virginia, was in favor oil Sc
Letting and arranging THE business that was
indispensably necessary to be acted on be-
fore Congress should adjourn. Ii WAS prac.
hce of long standing, and he thought an use
lul, 1t not a necessary one.
| Mr.. i. JOHNSON, under the impression that
the motion was premature, moved that il lie
on the table
| Nlr. RANDOLPH was unwilling that the
sessions of Congress should be prutracted to
such length that nobody Il; To represent
the people would be- abs to come here. He
referred to the situations Of the merchant, the
agrcuiurist, and the lawyer. IL shcw that
such persons could not afford Ia rerlair here
during long session for the paw theT rccciv
ed and he feared The consequence would he
| that Congress would he made up eli the refuse
and offal of NIL professions. not EXCEPTING Inc
clerical. What other great measure, he ask
cd. had been eahOratedby the committees ,.C
this House, except the Bankrupt bill ?-and
that had been previously citi and dried There
was no more pressing or important business
now than last year. when the session was lim-
ted to the 9Th of March, and there was perlans
more danger of doing, than of not doing, the
pulhic business. He thought he should tax
the liberty ofsayiDg No TO every proposition
that should he presented TO the house, before
he went away-nOt excepting the civil list
for he was not prepared To vote away anv
more OF the money ofthe people, until that
which had been previously voted was fully
accounted for, sc. sc.
| MT. BALDWIN was sorry that this prOposi-
ton should he brought forward at the present
period of the business cfthe House. Ii was
admitted on al hands that very little had been
done-and 1t we now go home and say we
have done nothing, and are inquired of for the
reason OF our abrupt eparture-what shall he
the answer? Can a satisfactory one be rem
dered What would any man say to an d.
gent 10 whom he had entrusted his private bu
siness that should render hrfeIo other excuse
IL there had been an unnecessary waste OF
| time, the way TO redeem it was--not to 90 a.
way and leave the business unfinished, bur 70
| make such waste of more. There was mpor-
tant business 10 be done in relation 10 the pnb-
| l'c iantis,aDd important claims on the govern
nent to he adjusted. But what are we told
Are we TO say No 10 every proposition tina,
shall be presented ? Or is it not orr cuty 20
listen and examine? Mr. b. would not saw
| there had been IN unnec. ssary waste of time al
thrpresent sessiOn-but ifthere had not. il was
| very certain that il took much time TO do little
business. The people and petitioners have
subjects before us that they expect will be
| acted upon-they expect that their claims will
he either allowed or rejected But il is said
1af ,l..
will be filled with the refuse and ofaIs of all
the professions. But, did the gentleman from
Virginia (NIr. Randolph) look to the history
OF Congress when he made the remark? The
FIRST Congress under the government sat al
| most the whole year, and Mr.. Il. adverted to
statement to shew that the period proposed
for tins session was shorter than had been
ever known for the first session of any Con.
grcss during the whole period of the govern
ment There was much business before the
house. The nation was extending in IFS no
pulation, in IFS territory, and in its interest,
and III all its relations. He would ask. then.
WHITTIER the members Of the house could feel
that they had done their duty, in going of
before the public business was accomplished ?
II believed that the apology of personal in
| convenience would not be accepted. Mr..
II. was not disposed TO abridge the freedom OF
| debate. He believed it was suited TO the
genius OF the government-but ii was gener-
| ally found that there was too much 0fit.at the
commencement of a session, and too little at
the close. With him th.re was bat one rule,
and that was TO do the public business--and
then adjourn.
Mr.. EDWARDS, Of N. G. was opposed TO the
motion. He was anxious to take measures to
assign some limit to- the session. By referring
| to the Journals, il would be seen that there
was usually as much business done in short