Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-01-03


object, he said answered, by obtaining the
communication from the Navy Department. and
having it laid before the Senate Another reason
which had induced him not to come to any deter
mination the subject, was th,she had seen that,
when similar motion was made, IN the other
House, it was stated there was other information
connected with the case, which he believed had
been ordered TO be furnished; aud wishing to know
what that might contain, he had determined 10
proceed MIR. L. concluded, by observing, that he
thought the respect due to the Senate. and to him
self, had required that this explanation should be
made.
The motion of Mr. Hayne prevailed, and the do
cuments were referred accordingly.
The Senate then spent some time in the considera-
ton of Executive Business,
And then adjourned
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
On motion of Mr.. l;olconbe, of New Jersey, il
Resolped, That the Committee on Naval Affairs
be instructed to inquire into the expedency OF re-
organizing AID increasing the Marine Corps, that
the objects of it's establishment may be more eifec-
tually secured
Election of President and Pee President.
Mr.. Cook of Illinois, offered the following:
RESOLVED, That, for the purpose of electins the
President and Vice President of the u. States the
Constitution ought to be so amended that uniform
system OF voting by districts shall be established
in all the states, and that the qualified uoters Of
each district shall uote directly for the atore
said officers. A nd that the Constitution ought to
be further amended in such manner will prevent
the election Of the aforesaid officers from dew Giving
upon the respective Houses of Congress; and that
the eventual choice shall be from the too highest
on the list that may have been previously u:
for, and shall be made by states.
Mr.. Cook observed, on offering this resolution,
that the subject had been in part anticipated by the
resolution offered at the commencement OF the ses
sion, by honorable member from South CaroliH !;
and it was his wish that the present resolu ion
should be called up by being novel as an amend
ment, at the time when that considered. He
had drawn il with the int enton of presenting to the
House at once the distinct question on which they
woud have to pass
Mr.. McDuiie observed, that il was very Jesira-
BILE that when the subject of the proposed alteration
IN the Constitution up for discussion 1t should
be presented to the House in form little embar-
| raised as possible. The resolution he had some
days since laid on the table purposely so franz
ed as 10 present the subject in general form, "a
vodng all difficulties which might grow out of the
details. He wished that the House should FIRST
press its judgment on the fundamental principle Of
the alteration If this should be approve ed, it would
then be The proper time TO take up the details of the
subject. He hoped, therefore, that the gentleman
sould moi press his motion for referring his reso-
luton to the committee of the whole on the state
of the Union with that which he (Mr. McD.) had
offered; but would consent, that, for the present,
il lie on the table, from whence il might be called
up INN ediaely after the other had been passed up
on
Mr.. Cook assented to this arrangement, and the
| resolution was laid upon the table accordingly.
THE REPRESENTATIVES HAZEL.
Mr.. McDufie, from the Select Comnritee on al
tIa IIaI rI,,.
in part, recommending the following resolutions:
LIST. Reso,ued, That, for the purpose of experi-
ment, it is expelient that temporary floor be con-
sructed IN this Hail. on a horizontal Plane at the
elevation of the bottom of the pillars.
I'd. Resoiped, That, for the like purpose, it is
expedient that temporary seat be erected Tor the
Speaker, Immediately in front OF the present en-
trance, leaving sufficient space in the for the
members to enter; and that the seats of tine members
be arranged in lines fronting the Speaker.
3d. Resolced, That, for the like purpose, II Is
eYpedient that partition be erected Immediately in
the rear OF the line OF columns near the Spe ker S
chair, and raised TO the elevation OF twelve feet.
4th. Resolved That the expense Of these expe-
rments be betrayed from the contingent fund of this
House.
Mr.. McDuffe, on presenting the report and reso-
utons to the House, said that, as it was evidently
important that, if any thing done in this mat
ter, it should be done Immediately, moved that the
resolutions be taken up and considered.
The motion carried, Ayes "a, Noes o.
and, the resolutions having been again read
Mr. McDufie explained the views of the Com
mittee in proposing them. He said that, from their
| own observation, as well as that Of all Others
whom they had consulted, the Committee were in
clined TO believe that the principal why gen.
tlemen, speaking from the front seats, not
heard by those in the back Seats was, that those
seats depressed; they led 10 this conclu-
sion from the fact that the voice of the Clerk, tho
coming from greater distance, could be heard with
perfect distinctness and that when he occasionally
pronounced in much lower tone than used by
the gentlemen when speaking; and yet the latter
could not be heard all by those who were in the
back seats. An elevation of the floor would remedy
this defect-and this was the first experiment pro-
posed The next was change in the position Of
the Speakers chair-by which il was believed that
the voice OF those who adore ssed the chsir would
be better heard. The last measure was the erection
OF partition behind the columns in the
| rear Of the Chair, OF such height TO meet the
lower edge OF The curtains which now hang there.
This, it was .hO.ed, would arrest the voice, and
conine il from escaping into the space behind hese
columns and if it were found to have this effect,
permanent screen of glass might be sdbs,i'uied,
which would have the same effect, and yet admit
he ligh, from The South windows The whole
plan was offered merely as an experiment, and he
submitted IL to gentlemen whether the importance
Of the end % be attained was not worth the expe-
rimenl. One thing was certain, it could not make
the Hall worse, and it might perhaps greatly i'm
prove 1t. The cost would be trifling, amounting
As he had been assured by the Architect, to less
than $500, and the whole would be done in the
space between Friday aud Tuesday.
Mr.. Bartlett, of ". H. observed, that the sub
Ject matter o. the resolution proposed by the Com
mitee, was new 10 every gentleman but the men,
bers OF that committee, and demanded some con-