The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register., 1825-02-10
|psaker,ayiss before the fIodse aLetse

]ject on the table had not prevailed. 1t wa,
VERY obvious that this was = question Of
great magnitude involving preliminary in
quiry whetheH II is proper for the House I'd
act on the subject at all. 1t comes upon us
suddenly, said he-it is new, and unexpected!
Under this sudden impression, by which the
House is excited, we are called upon to act
Mr.. Med. submitted to the House whether
it would not become its dignity to pause, I'M
til tomorrow, before it determined to take
upon itself the investigation and settlement
OF a personal controversy, commenced else
where, on principals of honor. He was not
certain that the House might not be proper
ly called upon to act OH the subject; but he
was opposed to deciding the question now,
and be was opposed to spreading the mat
ter on the journal, because doing so would
commit the House to go on with the consid-
GRAFTON. For his part, he could not say that
he was prepared to go into the consideration
of a subject, which if opened here might
take up the remainder OF the session.
Mr.. Lincoln of Maine, said, that, according to .
his understanding, there were no charges pre-
scented to the House, on this occasion, against
any one. Iftherc had been, he believed they
would not have been considered entitled toH
credit, by him or any one else, very few ex-
| cepted, in this House or in this nation. Hell
viewed the whole matter as an outdoor bu-
sincss. An anonymous letter had appearedR
in public print, and certain cards had pass
cd between individuals in relation to it: but /
| in these the house had no concern-neitherk
of these communications was before it. I1
indeed any thing had passed within thief
House disrespectful either to the person oil
character of the Speaker, such was his re- u
gard for the station, such his respect for theN
feelings, and such his admiration of thds
character ofthat officer, that, he should ceg7
tainly be one of the first to afford him the in
vestigation which he now requested, and
which would then be his undoubted right, t.
assert his rights or address his wrongs. But
as that was not the case, he thought any fur
Their prosecution ofthe business, would mere
4 ly be throwing a freband into the nation
that would kindle flame in almost eve
ny brest within it He hoped the House
would not proceed hastily on this subject
The nation was already much excited. II
looked towards this House with ajealous eyeN
1t needed no further cause OF excltement4
than the present juncture naturally present.
ed. And was it wise, in such a state Of
things, to make an anonymous newspaper
communication an affair of legislation and of
question here? The subject had come upon
the House suddenly, he believed, unexpect-
eddy. 1t addressed itself strongly to the fee
|, lings of gentlemen. For one, he would ac-
knowledge, it had powerfully affected his
own. He was not prepared now to- discuss
it,. but gentlemen could not but preceive
at a glance, that it embraced questions, too
important by far to be acted upon hastily.
His own view was, that the House ought not
to act upon it at all, especially mot at this
moment, ona sudden suggestion, when he
xl.,1 ,ka.,
did not even know What where the con-
tents of the publications referred to, and Of
the communication which related to them.
He hoped the House would take time to re-
fleet upon the course which, under all the
circumstances, the interest Of the nation re-
quired.
Mr.. Forsyth said, he had by no means
, desire unnecessarily to PRESS the consitlera-
ton of this subject But said he, what are
we conversing aboutf A communication
from the Speaker. Where is it, 1t is ver'
bally given to us. There must be some no
! tice taken of it. How! The Journal mus!
either state the words of the communication,
! or the Clerk must undertake to state the
! substance of it. Now, if this communication
i had been of the character OF other addresses
from the Speaker of this House, it would 50
. on the Journal, as a matter of course. lthas|
= been announced by the Chair, however that
i such was not the case, and motion had be-
come necessary to procure its insertion in the
Journal. When it is placed where it ought
. to be, he had not the slightest objection that
a decision upon the motion for the appoint.
ment OF Committee Oh the subject SHOULD!
= be deferred until tomorrow. We must 500
= ner or later said Mr.. f. determine whether
: it is proper that an investigation of this mat,
ter shall take place or not, / am mysei