American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1826-04-25
Nineteenth Congress-1st Session.
IN SENATE.
SATURDAY, APRIL Is.

CGeueQ
rescind the two rules of the Senate which place the
,.ower Of appointing the Committees, and the su'
peryision of the Journal, with the Presiding ON
Ger.
A debate OF two hours duration took place on
this motion, in which Mr.. Randolph spoke repeat
edy in support OF the expedeDcy and constitution
al necessity Of the proposed change 10 the huies-
OF rather their restoration TO what they had oeen-
and in explanation of his views in regard to parlia-
men,ary forms--of the rights and duties OF presi'
ding officers and members of legislative bodies
esnrcially. of those of the Senate Of the United
States-and contending, amongst other positions,
tina. it is not the duty, the right, OF the Presl-
dent of the Senate to call member to order until
the call be made by member, and an appeal be
made to the Chair, &c.
Messrs. johnson, Of Ken. Holmes, Mills, Fan
Buren,, Eaton, and Hayne, entered, also, into the
debate, chiefly in explanation OF the considerations
that had led the Senate TO make the existing change
n its rules their experience of the effects oil the
change, and their views Of its propriey or lmpro.
priety-the comparative merits OF the two modes
of appointing Committees, &c. &c As the de,
bate at large cannot be Immediately published-it
i. proper to state here that all the gentlemen who
favored the present motion, as well as the one VINO
opposed it, disclaimed the remostes intention TO
mpue to the Vice President an improper exer-
else of the duties deyoved on him BY these rules
the change was supported on the score OF ITS ao-
stract proprety; and. that the conduct OF the Chair
might not be impugned by The procedure, Mr
Holmes took occasion to express his satisfaction
that the motion had proceeded from an intimate
personal friend Of the Vice President which itself
would contradict the presumption that any conduct
Of that officer had induced the proposition.
| division OF the question being demanded, il
was first put on taking the appointment OF Com
mittees from the hands Of the President Of the Sen
ate and restoring it to the Senate itself and was de
cidcd in the affirmative, BY yeas and nays, as
follows:
YEAS-Messrs Barton, Bell, Benton, Branch,
Chambers, Chandler, Chase, Clayton, Cobb, Dick
erson Edwards, Findlay Harrison, Harper, Hayne,
Hendricks, Holmes, Johnson Of Ken. Johson, Of
Lou. Kane, King, Lloyd, Macon Marks Mills,
Noble, Randolph, Reed, Robbins, Rowan, Sanford.
Seymour, Smith, Tazeweil, Thomas, Van Buren,,
White. Wiley, Williams, Woodbury.-4o.
NAYS--Messrs. Eaton, Rugges.-2
The question was then taken on the second branch
of the proposition viz. to take from the President
of the Senate the control over the Journal oil Pro
ceedings and was also carried by the following
vote:
YEAS-Messrs. Barton, Bell, Benton, Branch,
Chandler, Chase, Dickerson, Edwards, Findlay,
Harper, Harrison, Hayne, Hendricks, Holmes,
Johnson, Of Ken. Johnston OF Lou. Kane, King,
Lloyd, Macon, Marks, Mills, Noble, Randolph,
Robbins, Sanford, Seymour, Smith, Tazewell,
Thomas, Van Buren,, White, Wiley Williams,
Woodoury-S5.
NAYS-Messrs. Chambers, Clayton, Cobb, Ea-
ton, Rowan, Ruggles-6.
The Resolutions having been agreed to-
The Vice President rose and said, he trusted
that the Senate would indulge him in making few
observations before he resumed his seat, as the de.
bate on the subject just decided had relation ncces
sary to the duties Of the Chair.
No one, more than myself said the VICE PREsI
DENT, can be more deeply impressed with the
great truth, that the preservation OF rights depends
mainly, on their exercise. That nation deserved to
conquer the world, which called its army erercitus
and will the nation deserve that its liberty shall be
immortal which lays the foundation of its system oil
Government on the great principles that no power
ought to be delegated which be fairly exercised
by the constituent body and that none ought ever
to be delegated but to responsible agents. These
have been my maxims through the whole OF my
political life, and should be inconsistent with my
SELF if did not give my entire assent to the prin.
cimplcs which the rules IN question have been
recinded trust, said he, that it never will be the
ambition of him, whose lot it is occupy this
Chair, to enlarge its powers-My ambition, hope,
pursues different direction not to enlarge pow
ers, but to discharge, with industry, fidelity, and
hrmness the duties which may be imposed on
me. Thus feeling, shall witness, with pleasure,
the resumption Of all the powers which can be pro-
pery exercised by the Senate as they will be then
placed where alone they can be with perfect safety.
From the direction which the debate, in some
degree, took, as we'll as from what has been said
without these walls, it becomes, on this OCCASION
proper that should state, for the information Of
this body the construction that the Chair has put
the 9Th and 7th rules os the Senate. They are in
the following words:
"When member shall be called TO order, he
shall sit down, until the President shall have deter
mined whether he is in order or not and every
question OF order shall be decided by the President,
without debate but if there be doubt in his