Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-02-24
THE LATE Mr.. WRIT.

Wnen the OPEAKEh CdilCu IiC liouSe 10 order
Mr.. ADAMS fof Mass.) addressed him, before h
reading of the Journal as follows:
Mr. Speaker: A rule of this House dire,t.
that the Speaker shall examine and corracf ~
Journal before it is read. ! therefore now ri1"
not to make motion, nor to offer a resoIniioS
but to ask the unanimous consent Of this H.
to address to you few words, with view -
an addition which wish to be made to the Io,.r
nal, of the adjournment of the House yesterdor
The SPEAKER, | presume, would not feel Li!
self authorized to make the addition in the Tn,a
nal which | propose, without the unanino,.
consent Of the House; and | therefore now nv
pose it before the reading of the Journal CIV
| ask that, after the statement of the a6io,.,
ment of the House, there be added to the io
nal words, importing that it was to give -.
Speaker and Members of the House the onror
tunity of attending the funeral obsequies of w.,
LIAM WRIT.
AT the adjournment ofthe House on Wedr..
day, | did not know what the arrangemen>.
were, or would be, for that mournfuI ceTemcnr
| Had known them, should have moved mo-,
! poned adjournment, which would have enab,s
us to join in the duty of paying the last trib9,.
of respect to the remains OF man who was ~
ornament of his country and Of human natwo
The customs of this and Of the other Hon
| of Congress, warrant the suspension of tho.
daily labors in the public service, for attendant
upon funeral rites, only in cases Of the deceass
| of their own members. To extend the ussas
| farther might be attended with inconvepierS,
as a precedent, nor should have felt mvseIf
warranted in asking it upon any common Ccca.
sion
Mr. WRIT had never been member of eitba,
House of Congress-. But if his form in marble
! or his portrait upon canvass, were placed with
in these walls, suitable inscription for it would
be that of the statue of Moliere in the Hall of
the French Academy" Nothing was WANTING
to his glory. He was wanting TO ours"
| Mr. WRIT had never been member Of Con
gress; but for period OF twelve years, during
! two successive Administrations ofthe NatiOn8
| Government he had been the official and con.
| fdental adviser, upon all questions OF law. o.
| the Presidents of the United States; and he .a
discharged the duties Of that station entirely 70
the satisfaction of those officers and Of the cOu
| try No member ofthis House needs to bena
minded how important are the duties OF the II
torney General ofthe United States nor Ii>k
contradiction in affirming that they were never
| more ably or more faithfully discharged than
| by Mr.. WRIT
If mind stored with all the learning apuo
pirate to the profession of the law, and decorat
ed with all the elegance Of classical Literature
if a spirit imbued with the sensibilities of io.
ty patriotism and chastened by the medatON
of a profound philosophy-if brilliant mag.
nation, a discerning intellect, sound judgment
an interchangeable capacity, and vigorous energy
of application, vvitied with an ease and rapid
ty of elocution, copiouS without redundaACe
and select without affectation-it all these uni.
ed with a sportive vein OF humOr, an InoftenSve
temper, and an angelic purity Of hean-a
all these in their combination are the qualities
httO Of no I'u1'p
States-in him. they were all eminently comOr
ed.
But it is not my purpose to pronounce 1s
eulogy. That pleasing task has been aSsigsi
To ADLER hands, and to a more suitable oCCaSO,
He will there be presented in other, thOugh@
less interesting, lights. AS the penetrating d.
lineator of manners and character in the B1
fish Spy-as the bographer of Patrick Henri
dedicated to the young men ofyor native Con
monweatf-as the friend and delight OF the So
| cial cirCle-aS the husband and father IN the Dc
som of a happy, but now most afflicted family,
| in all these characters have known admHel
and loved him--and now, Witnessing from ne
very windows ofthis Hall, the last act OF PsT
and affection over his remains, have tell
this House could scarcely fufilts high and homo
rable duties to the country which he had served
without some slight, be it a transient notice
his decease. The addition which propose D |
the Journal ofyesterday's djOurnment, woudR |
such notice. 1t would give his name an ao1s
rable place on the recorded annals of his cOu- (
try, in manner equally simple and eXneSs-t
will only add that while feel it pecuIaIy /
cumbent upon me to make this proposal Oh
sensible that it is not fit subject for debate
and if objected to, desire you TO consider il"
withdrawn
The CHAIR stated that the ruIeln reeTs5.,,
to the Journal which had been read, reIeirtSo.~
the duties of the SPEAKER when ont OF me C"o.
not IN it. The SPEAKER had not tell nID5 5,
warranted to insert my further RECORD u ~,
Journal of yesterday, than the simple laCI o. y.
! adjournment; but if it was the pleasure o. y.
| House that the clause proposed Should Us
ded, the CHAIR would most cheertul!y aSS'"'
| Mr.. J. X. MANN, ofPa., obiectng-- A,r Fl,
| Mr.. BLAIR, Of S. c. enqured wne la.l 5r
| pleasure Of the House could be opSIl
| the objection Of single member! ,,rriH
The CHAIR said, thatif a motion sD roo"r.
made majority of the House could, .. 1'C org
have their Journal modified to suit l"'"
pleasure. ,,b,d br
Mr.. ADAMS then observed, that ne D Snt a;
ed no objection would have been maze, r ais, sen:
seemed not to be sustained by the GENE I'D
of the House, he would renew his iIlU"TT onr,
the clause he had read be added 10 '"'
of yesterdays proceedings. orraei
The question being put, 1t was "S vote
with division (by nearly an unahllnUu-