Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-05-22
Tho SPEAKER informed tho gentleman from

4
Tennessee he was not within the rules of order.
MIR. POLK rcSumcd.-IIc had not intended TO
depart from the strict line of order, but hypothct
| cal cases had been put, in which the President
might, by means of his bullics, control the deci-
sions of that House; it was true, it was but an IN
ference that il intended To imply that the Chief
Magistrate was doing so now; but IT was the im
preston which such statement was likely to make,
| through the channels of the newspapers, To which
he objected His object in rising, in the first in
stance, was To bring the House to the business of
the nation: and he had only been drawn into de-
bate by the unexpected attack made on him by the
member from Ohio, and the member from Rhode
Island, who was always ready to throw his lance;
and of whom he must say, that az tn loss of time
in debate, he the very last calculated to give the
House a lesson. With regard to tho punishment
inflicted on Mr.. Houston, he would say, with the
member from Georgia, (Mr. Thompson,) for
ncr dav. why not play out the game? The reasons
were obvious. If they had deprived citizen of
his liberty, it would at once have brought their
powers To tho proof and therefore they had wisely
pre- tcrrcd to play the schonlmaser, and rcprmand
the accused like naughty boy; telling him, in ef.
feet that if he did again, and beat another mem
bcr he should he rcprimanded again; and II lie heat
a third, he should again be rcprirnanded. Mr..
Polk, after some further remarks, concluded, by
saying, that he, well others, was RESPONSE
bic TO the community; and that the people of Anne
RIGA would have opportunity of deciding upon
their condu:: them in that and other cases, at the
Mr.. BLAIR said, as some allusion had been made
to DIR. Davis, not much TO his credit, he thought
it due to that person to say few words in his be-
half Mr., Davis was not his constituent, and The
most he knew of him he had learned during the past
winter. lie did expect that something would have
been said on the subject by those who were better
acquainted with him. Mr.. b. said, he had always
regarded him, since his acquaintance with HIM as
an honorable and honest man; the best testimony to
his responsibility was, that he had been a member
OF the legislature of South Carolina. He mention
cd this, because 1T had been insnuated that his
| call was not entitled to tho notice of gentleman
| OF honor. 1t was his (Mr. B's) opinion, that his
| call would be responded to, in the place where he
was best known, by all thos who did not think that
their moral duty, or principle, which he would
leave it with the House to define forbade them to
respond to- any one in the way alluded to- With
regard to his being disappointed office hunter, he
believed Mr.. Davis did come on here to obtain
office, which, however, it was not i'll the power of
tho government to give in consequence OF Il nomi-
nation recently confirmed by tho Senate. Whether
Mr.. d. seeking for expected any other of
hce, he could not say. As TO his courage, he
would advise gentlemen to suspend their judgments
oil this subject till it had been tried.
Il Mr.. CRAIG, after Il few remarks, asked for The
ayes and the question of indefinite post pone-
mcni, which were ordered.
Mr.. STANBERY then submitted his amendment,
further modified, proposing, part of the matter
of investigation, an inquiry whether the President
had not used language calculated 10 encourage at
tacks on Members of that House for words spoken
in debate.
Mr.. DODDRIDGE said-Mr. Speaker, / rise to
notice the remarks of the gentleman from Tennes-
see, far they relate to myself. With the com
pments bestowed by that gentleman on myself
for I'm Outstanding and integrity, I cannot feel
otherwise than iotcrcd. These kind expressions,
however, do not compensate for those misrepresen-
taions of my language and opinions expressed the
other dag, which, am sure, have been made with
no unknd intention towards myself l am some
what surprised that what | said within the last
week subject of such Importance, although il
was deemed worthy to attract the attention of gen.
tlcmcn, should soon be forgotten more especially
as the gentleman from Tennessee must have heard
me the other day correct one of my honorable col
leagues, (Mr. Archery for the same thing. That
gentleman fell into the while he paid
me the same hatterng compliment.
| My colleague spoke of INC rcv,ving the recOl.
lcc,ions Of party, with the doctrines of 1882 and
of approving the alien and sedition laws. Now, |
/ SAID nothing i'll appreciation of the alien law, nor
did pronounce its condcmnation-l spoke OF the
alien bill, called.
! The gentleman from Tennessee speaks OF the
reign of terror, and other things so commonly used
! in the newspaper slang of the day, and in Ger.
! tain speeches. that believe they frequently
uttered without any definite meaning. | do
object to thcm-but the gentleman says L appro-
we'd the construction of the sediton bill. What
construction? That is not explained. and the
| expression is too equvocal TO pass unnoiiccd
What said of that law was, that doubted not
the constitutional power of Congress to pass the
sedion bill, but condemned the policy of that
| ELL Tor lhcSc rcaSonS-laWS IN THIS and all other
governments ought to conform 10 public opinion
ought TO spring up out of It's opinion. That
the solution bill was enacted against public opni
on, at the time when enacted, and in fact, re-
paaled by it before it expired by its limitation
further said, and now say, that public opinion has
ever since remained unchanged, and perhaps ever
will, and therefore l would esteem him who should
attempt to rc-cnact all or any thing like them, as
| guilty of something than folly.
| MIR. THOMPSON said, from the important bu-
SncSS WAITING tlc dpliberltiOn and decision Of tbn
House, and the lateness of the session, he felt it
his duty to move the previous question. The
uon for the previous question then put and
Sustalued-ayes, 96--nocs, not counted.
The main question, the resolution of Mr..
Crane, was then put On this question, Mr.. Polk
asked the ayes and noes, which ordered,
when the motion was rejected by the following
vote:
YEAS.-Messrs. Adams, Allan, Allison, Apple
ton, Armstrong, Babcock, Banks, Barbour, Bar
stow, Bates, Branch Briggs, Billiard, Burd Burgess,
Cahoon, Choate, Collier, Condict, Condit, Cooke,
Cooper Corwin, Coulter, Crane, Crawford, Crcigh-
| ton, Davis, Dearborn, Denny, Dewart, Dickson,
Doddridge Drayton, Ellsworth G. Evans, J Evans,
Edward Everett, Horace Everett, Grenncll, Hester,
j. l.. Hodges, Hoffman, Hughes, Huntington,
lhric, jr., Ingcrso Kendall, kcnnon, Letchcr,
Marshall, Maxwell, McDutHe, Mckennan, Mercer,
MiIligan, MuhIcnbcrg, Newton, Pcndcton, Pitcher,
| Potts, Randolph Reed, r sscll, ShcpPerd, Slade,
Smith, Southland, Stanbery, Stewart, Storrs, Su
thcrIand, TAYLOR Tonpkins, Tracy, Vance, Vinton,
Wardwcll, Washington, Watmough, Elisha Whit
tlcscy, +. VIII tlesey, Edward ID. White, Williams,
Yonng-Sj.
NAYS-Messrs. Adair Alexander, Allen, An
dcrson Angel, Archer, Arnold, Barringcr, James
Bates, Bcardsey, Bell, Bergen, Bcthunc, James
Blair, Jno. Blair, Boon, BOuck, Boudn, John
Brod!cad, John G. Brodhcad Butcher, Carr, Chamd-
cr Claiborne, Clay, Clayton, Conner, Craig, Da-
venport, Dayan, Doubleday, Duncan, Fielder,
FinGlay tzgerald, Foster, Gather Gilmore, Cor
don, Griffin r. II. Hail, w. Hall, Hammons Harp
IIaScs. IIarkina Holland Harm