Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-01-29
CONGRESS.

CONGRESS.
From, tIe National Inteligencer.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,, THURSDAY, JAN. %
STENOGRAPHERS.
Mr.. WEEMS moved for the consideration OF
the following resolution, which he had present
ed some days since:
Resolred That the l4th Rule of the House be amend.
ed, BY adding thereto the following:
so long as they conduct themselves with decorum
and respect the members, in the discharge OF their
official duties and do abuse the privilege hereby
authorized 70 be extended to chem, and no longer.
The question of consideration being put, II
was decided in the afhrmative-syes 81, noes 81.
MIR. WEEMS rose, and said, that, in offering
the amendment now under consideration, 10 the
18th Rule Of this House, he wished TO be dis
,inclly understood, that he was not asking tor
any thing that was 10 have retrospective, or
erpost facto operation, any where: Tor, it he knew
himself, he was one of the last men in the ma
ton who would wish 10 see line drawn be-
tween the liberty and the hcentiousness OF the
press: but tina, ne would read publication
that appeared in one of the newspapers OF this
District; that he believed one OF the Editors OF
that Press holds station on this floor, assigned
him under the provisions Of the aforesaid rule
Of the House; that he would read it, solely Tor
the purpose Of explaining to the House why 1t
came into his mind TO offer the amendment; that
when he had done SO, il would be Tor the
House to determine how far il had become ne
cessary to adopt the amendment offered. He
would also take the liberty here to observe, that,
when he was about to offer it, he endeavored,
In ,ugh Intellectually, TO obtain from the Speak
er MS construction Of the rule, as it now stands;
an had he succeeded in that attempt, so far as
20 have learnt from the Speaker, that he consi-
dered himself as possessing right TO remove
such stenographers, as, in his Judgment, had
abused the privilege granted them, it would
have superseded the necessity, in his mind, oil
off ring the amendment, He would now read
the publication alluded to. l. was as follows:
"It is thought By some, that the House Of Repre-
se,tatives refusing TO consider the resolution offer
ed on Saturday last by Mr. WEsMs, of Maryland touch.
ing the transportation of free Negroes to the Coast Of
Africa was influenced rather by an indispOstiOn to
h.ar the gentlemans speech, than by any hostility to
the measure proposed. At proper time, and brought
forward by prper person, different result IS CONN.,
IDENTITY anticipated by the friends of the Colonization
system"
To the first sentence, Mr.. w. said he had no
objection to make, but he felt himself justified
in Offering his protest to the last; whereby, it
ed to entertain feelings towards a member,
which he fiattsred himself would not be found
to exist With the House, he should therefore
leave it.
Mr. FORSYTH said, he was opposed to the
resolution of the gentleman from Maryland
The paragraph which the gentleman had read,
anl which he professed to be the occasion of
Offering the resolution, appeared to him to re-
II. ~,la Dt the hap he
privileges. Of this Hall The question before
conduct of the Speaker Of the House, but related
simply to one Of the rules Of the House, and to
the practice which had grown up, perhaps un-
avoidably, under it. The rule Of the House,
strictly considered, did not admit any person
who was not "Stenographer Now, if he was
correctly informed, there was but one person,
Of those now admitted under the rule, who was
literally Stenographer, that is, who wrote
short hand, and was thereby enabled to take
down, verbatim, the debates Of the House. To
cos6ne the House to persons Of this description,
would be, however, practically to destroy the
effect Of the rule; and the practice had conse
'quently been, to ADM, persons who took notes
of what was said, and afterwards published
from these notes, accounts Of the debates and
proceedings VI tuS IlouSC. nc Was dOlc, person.
alv, 10 bear testimony 10 the fidelity s care with
w,ch this was performed But this relaxation of
the rule had been followed by other relaxations
He was sensible that it was difficult TO dis,in-
guish those who came here for this purpose
BONA fds, and those who professed to do so, but
in reality came for other objects He believed
he was correct, in saying, that some persons
were admi,.e1 under the rule, who do not re-
port at all, nor give even an analysis Of any one
Of the debates; but, who used their Seats in the
Hall as lounsing place to spend their mornings
or IS post from which, to abuse the members
OF the House, under the character OF eye wit
nesses, by which their representations obtained
the more credit with the public. He believed
there were but four persons who attended in the
House, who performed, in any way, the duty
Of reporters. He scarce knew what remedy to
propose, or how i, was 10 be applied. The
persons who were admitted as reporters, ought,
in his opinion, 10 be expelled. They ought not
% be permitted 10 use this Hall as lounge, in
which to spend some hours agreeabIy or in
s,ructively--if such was ,heir object, let them
resort to the. gallery Of the House.
As to The fact which the mover ofthis resolu-
,ion had stated, viz; The publication of an ar,i.
Gle in one Of the papers, in which he was re-
R...l an IL n Al NOT 40 far m he could per.