Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-01-07
CONGRESS.

In the House Of Representatives O Frd,,
the following resolution, yesterday m.sd b, s
Mr.. Verplanck, aud which lays On the t-e b,
rule Of the House, coming up to day in cO.se
il VAS read a. follows: ~
Resofred, That on and after Monday next,
soon a, The morning business is over on each da ..
he Hause will proceed to the consideration o.
the bills from the Senate, and pngrOssed bills b.
and such as have passed through Committee
the Whole House. aud that, at the hour OF one,
on each day, the House will proceed to the con
sheraton Of - the bill to reduce and o,her~Is.
alter the duties on imports" until otherwise or
dered.
Mr.. McKennan novel to amend the resolution s
by striking. out Monday next.' and inserting
" the first Monday of February next"
Mr.. Nrkennan said, that his motive IN ,nov
ing an amendment Of this description must b, &
,b,l,as. An act had passed a, the last ses>ic Z
Of Congress. reducing the duties on lmports,ant Z
bel,re that law had gone into operation, anothe
bl was now reported TO the House to carry III.
rrduction still further. lie appealed to the gen
tieman, he appealed to every member OF The &
Housr, he appealed especially to bis own col
leagues, to saw whether they had received anv
expression of the opinion Of their constiuent. 5
which would justify Them IN acting on such a.
proposition? There was not a citizen within hh 4
own district who 80 much a. dreamed that de I
subject would be touched during the Session:
and he could not feel himself at liberty to con.
sent that such a measure should even be- coNsd
cred The bill irou, the Committee OF Ways and
Means aimed blow, a fatal blow, at the inter
| es,s at his constituents.
| GHere the Chair interposed. and reminded The
gentleman that the merits Of the bill could no;
now be gone into.
| Mr. Mex resumed and said that Le had onIy
adverted to the character Of the bill. to show III,
vast importance Of the measure which this reso
luton went TO bring at once and exclusively be,
fore the House II had only been a few day.
since the bill had been reported. The monen,
hecould obtain copy OF 1t he sent 1t to his con.
stituents; they had not time TO consider It. Or
| to send on 10 him the result of their examination
Of it. Until then he had nothing to justify Lin
| in giving his assent 10 such n resolution.
Mr.. Polk said that the gentleman had given 10
I the resolution an Importance to which 1t was not
entitled. H. was mere arrangement oi the bn.
sness before the House. To adopt the amend.
ment which had been proposed, would be equra.
lent to the expression Of determination that the
House would not 60 into even consideration Of
The great question Of the reduction Of duties at
the present Session. lie trusted gentlemen were
not prepared to saw this The resolution was "a
literal transcript Of one passed at the last SEES.
sion. II the subject was 10 De taken ny at all,
it was obviously necessary that il should be con.
sidered at as early period as might be- consist
ent with due regard to other public interests.
lie believed that these would not suffer trom The
adoption of the resolution. and he hoped there.
fore that it would be agreed To: and, with view
to ascertain whether the House was or was not
disposed to take up the subject Of the Tariff at
the present Session Of Congress, he demanded
the Previous Question.
The motion was seconded by the House
AYES 8S, Mes 70
The question then being, whether the main
question shall now be put?
Mr.. Vance demanded the yeas and nays; and
they were ordered by the House.
Mr.. Williams called for the reading Of the re-
solution and amendment; and they were read
again.
Mr.. Crawford remarked. that the vote ust
taken showed the absence Of so members OF The
House; and ~ this was avowedly a test vote, he
thought it no more than fair that all should be
present; he therefore moved call Of the House;
which was ordered.
The Clerk proceeded to call the roll, and hav
ing gotten through with it, and the names o! the
absentees being ordered to be called again
Mr.. Wilde moved that all farther proceedings
on The call be suspended, as he feared that other.
wise the hour allotted TO resolutions would elapse-
before the yeas and NAYS could be taken on the
question before the House.
Mr.. Ellsworth opposed the motion. lie beIle'-
ed no question had ever been agita'ed in this
House since the organization Of The Government,
so deeply involving the interests OF his consltu.
cns, f not Of the country, as the question OF re-
peaIIng ,he tariff To enter upon an inquiry to
do Ibis, and to enter upon this inquiry without IL
ber,y Of debate, might well alarm the people
lie should be glad to assign some reasons for not
again, ut this time, and under existing circum-
stances. Ieg,sIating on the tariff; he VAS not will
ling thus to hasten To retrace the steps 50 lately
taken. He trusted that on one Of the most mo
nentous questions which could come before them,
it would at least be permitted that all The mem.
bcrs should have opportunity OF voting. Ii
the measure was to be thrust down their tbruais,
let them at least have liberty TO record their votes
against it, lie should have been exceedingly
glad if the gentleman from Teunesse Mr. Polk
" ouId have permitted those who were very deep
"A