Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-05-17

such purport had appeared IN the newspapers
and he Mr.. B must protest against the course
of the member from Tennessee, as passing
strange to say the least Of it. He had, indeed
noticed with some what OF surprise, that wheh-
ever an aIlusion was made to the dignity OF that
assembly, that gentleman always took occasion
to say that he felt none of it. That gentleman
was welcome to feel as humh!e as he pleased;-
but (saId Mr.. B. for nv part, am too humble
myself not to feel elevated as the representative
Of 100000 freemen-to feel that they have dePut-
ed me me as the trustee OF their rights, their In
terests and their lbe rites.
Whatever might be his feelings elsewhere,
when within those walls he felt himself standing
on the shoulders of his constituents, and he felt
assured, that whilst he discharged his duties
there. he should be sustained by them in that ele-
waited condition; and with regard to the member
from Tennessee, he would say thus much. that
If he held the appointment, and felt no dignity
from the station, he was not the man his consitu.
ents took him to be, when they conferred it upon
him. Mr.. B. contsnded that the question before the
House was not as to the right of the member from
Ohio. but the rights of the House and the nation;
he considered this but as part Of the system. in
tended to awe that assembly in its deliberations.
With regard to the person implicated, it was not
Improbable. as had been suggested, that he might
feel himself elevated from state of insignia.
cance should the House take notice of his con.
duct. He could not telI-he knew nothing of
the individual--it had indeed been whispered,
that he mad written this letter from persuasion
that it would not be answered in a hostile man.
ner; that if he had thought it would have been
answered blood for blood, he would not have
written it; he had heard it rumored that he was
man who, il hen should set up her feathers
against him he would run away. All this he had
heard but whether true or not. was of little con.
sequence to that House. 1t had been further said
that he was disappointed Office seeker; il 50, he
should vent lis spleen in another quarter. With
regard to the business party, which It was the
wish of the gentleman from Tennessee, to form,
he would only observe, that he. (Mr. B. was sor-
~ there should be any party at all in that House,
but he supposed the gentleman had been So long
used to act with party, thatit had become, as
il were the breath Of his political life. Mr.. B
after some further remarks, concluded BY ex-
pressing himself in favor of the resolution offer.
ed BY the member from Ohio, (Mr. Crane).
Mr.. Doddridge said. he understood the mem.
Der from r. |. to have alluded to him, as having
brought tn subject Of the newspaper reports be.
lore the House. Such was not the fact. The
ed to those reports; and what he, (Mr. d. had
said, was in answer to that allusiOE. He had
understood that gentleman to alluds to those re-
ports for the purpose of wing them on that floor
Ny reply. (sad Mr.. ID was. that If he or any
other honorable gentleman on the floor, would
deny from his own knowledge that the assertions
were unfounded. would believe him. But that
gentleman had demanded too much; the matters
were such as did not necessarily come within his
own knowledge; and his answer implied that he
must have resorted to the testimony Of other par.
ties, IN the subject Mr.. d. concluded, BY re.
pedtng his denial that he had been the means of
introducing the subject of the newspaper reports
before the House.
Mr.. Polk denied that he had charged one side
of the House with having attempted TO make unfair
Impressions. He had made exceptions; the no.
Dorabe member from Rhode Island mi ht reckon
himself as one of the excepted, or not as he pleas
ed. 1t was very true of that gentleman, what
had been SAID of him on former occasion upon
that floor, that it was his method to affirm by sup.
posing With regard to the dignity. or supposed
dignity of that House, he would not take lessons
from the school Of the gentleman from Rhode Isl.
and. The doctrine of the gentleman and his
school was that Of 49,. He challenged the gen.
tleman to deny that he had supported the Alien
and sedition laws then; or to show that the prIn.
cipIes he now advo ated, were not virtually the
same. He would repeat, he bad not been educat-
ed in that school, nor should he now take from it
his rule of conduct. As to the majority Of the
House on the late vote, ne et it his duty to say,
that he had no doubt whatever as to the rectitude
of the motives by which they had been guided
His only wish had been to repel the introduction
Of matters which had nothing to do " it'll the case
What, for instance, had supposed band Of
assassins to do with iti They were told that they
we're surrounded by band Of assassins. Where,
he would ask, were they? Again, what had tine |
case to do with the arguments of the gentleman
from Virginia, (Mr. Doddridge.) founded on the |
doctrines of the old SCHOOL, and he would give
that gentleman the credit he deserved for his no..
nest avowal Of those doctrines. Mr. P. was pro. |
seeding to aIIude to an hypothetical case. which
lad been put by member on former occasion;
when
The Speaker informed the gentleman from Ten.
lessee he was not within the rules Of order.
Mr. Polk resumed-He had not intended to
lepart from the strict line of order, but hypothr.
ical cases had been put, in which the President
.,-kN H., = 4. l.