Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1825-02-10

10y tue speaker and Ilefk; all uf>t was neceSSa-
ry was tor the House 20 direct the address to be
entered on the Journal.
Mr. Liver,nore Of n ". observed that he did
not see how it was possible TO enter the Com.
munication of the 5 aker on the Journal, since
it was merely verbal; aud he moved to lay the
motion OF the gentleman from Georgia mir
Forsyth) on the table, until The House should
be in possession OF that communication in a
written form.
The Question on Mr. Liyermore's motion was
put and negatIyed
Mr. Foot of Conn, said there was q manifest
propriety ia the course proposed by the gem
tieman from Georgia. The Journal is at all
times under the revision OF the House. The
ent ~ u hiss address under the direction of the
House, Will oi course be made under the d.
~rection OF the Speaker, and it was not to be
supposed that it would not be properly stated.
There was besides a manifest improperly in the
Temporary Speaker receiving a letter from the
actual Spesker-it would be in fact Mr. Speak
err .layIng before the House a Letter from Mr.
Speaker.
MIR McDnfie of South Carolina, expressed
his regret that a motion to lay this subject on
the table had NOT prevailed 1t was very obvi
Gus that this was a question OF great magnitude,
involving a preliminary inquiry whether 1t ~
proper III the House TO act OIL the subject at all
IL comes upon us suddenly. said he IT is new
and unexpected. Under this sudden impress
SION, by which the House is fexcited, We are
called upon to act. Dir McD. submitted to the
House whether it would not become ITS dignity
TO pause until tomorrow, before it determined
to take upon Itself The investigation and settle
ment of a personal controversy, commenced
elsewhere, ON PRINCIPLES or HONOR. He was
not certain that the House might not be pro-
y narlr GaHal ,rxan IN o~t .~, H., L., l.,t -
was opposed to deciding that question now,
and he was opposed to spreading The matter on
The Journal, because doing so would commit
the House to go on with the investigation -
For has part, he could not say that he was pre-
| pared 10 30 into the consideration of q subject
which, II opened here, might take up the re-
mainder of the session.
Mr. Lincoln of Maine, said that, according to
his understanding, there were no charges
presented to the House on this occasion a.
gainst any one. lfthere had been he believ-
ed they would not have been considered emit.
tied to credit by him or any ore else, very few
excepted. in this House or to this nation. He
viewedthe whole matter as an out door business
lie thought any further prosecution of the bus''
ness would merely be throwing a 6rebrand IN
TO the nation, that would kindie a fame IN al
most every breast within it. He hoped the
II ouse would not proceed hastily on this sub
Ject. HIS W view was that the House ought
not 10 act upon it all. He hoped the House
would take time to reflect upon the course
winch, unoer all the circumstances, the interest
OF the nation required.
Mr. Forsyth said, he had by no means a de-
sire unnecessarily to press the consideration Of
this subject. We must sooner or later, said
Mr. F.. determine whether it is proper that an
investigation of this matter shall tax. place or
not. | am myself now ready TO decide that
question. but should not be sorry if the deci-
sion should be delayed. The only question now
before the House was whether the matter
should be entered on the Journal.
Mr. McLane of Delaware, observed that, if
the present question rested only on what had
passed out Of the House, he should acquiesce
in the opinion expressed by the gentleman
from South Carolina; but he thought that the
course which this affair had taken zciMan the
House had gone to vary, very materially, the
general character: and the House, perhaps,
would find itself bound, under these circum-
stances, to prosecute the inquiry. For his own
part the request being made by the Speaker
and reiterated on the other side, he was per-
feclty willing to ward the inves LEGATION asked
for.
Mr. IsackS of Tenn. said he rose to express
ms regret At the course this subject had taken
that the honorable Speaker had thought proper,
by an address to the House, to ask an inquiry
! into a transaction 10 which he felt himse,fdeeo-
ly implicated. The member from PeansyIvania.
alluded to in this address. had risen III lis
place and expressed an entire willingness ami
desire that this inquiry should be made. So
tar then as the two members were concerned.
1t wss certainly proper that the House should
adopt the course proposed. 1t is (said hey to
be sure, another question whether this House
will consider itself the PROPER ForRm in zvhica
these tsvo gentlemen should settle their diferencest
MIR Cook Of Illinois. said he took it tor grant
ed hat the Speaker had presented to the House
as specifically as he could, the nature of the
charges which he had asked the House to in
svestgate. 1t was not the address Of the Speak.
, er, but the letter which contained the charges
against him., that was to be the investigation
Let gentlemen turn to that letter, and they
would find that it contained charges as perm.
cious to the character of this House, and of the
nation generally, as to the Speaker.
Mr. Webster here interposed, he said, with
: great reluctance, to call his friend from Illinois
to order. He submit ted to him whether. on a
motion to refer the letter, &c. it was proper to
enter into an investigation of the nature Of the
charges contained in it, &c
Mr. Cook discIsimed any design to violate or
, der in his obsei vations, and desisted.
The question was loudly called for, and was
taken on ordering the address Of the Speaker
to be entered on the journal, and dccided in
the affirmative.
Dir Condict of n. J. then moved to postpone
| the inrtber consideration of the remaining pro.
position (for the appointment of a committee,
&C. until to morrow.
Which motion was agreed to, and the sub
: ject postponed until Tomorrow.
--MHn - @~
Gen. LAFAYETTE arrived at Harrisburg