Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-12-29
DECE.HsxgEEs go, 1898.


throughout The session He should be sorry if the
House was tied down by any rule to receive any and
every pettion whether respectful or not. Suppose
petition presented TO the icuse and it found
10 contain matter disrcspectul single member of the
House. would not motion reject il be in order? He
would respectfully ask, whether he understood the de-
cison of the Chair correctly, that motion TO reject
could not be entertained on the presentation OF petition
The Speaker replied that be had not so stated When
the gentleman from South Carolina first submitted his
motion, the Chair stated that he not of any
such motion having been made in that House, during
the period the individual occupying the Chair bad been
member; that 1T was TO him az the moment. The
Chair however did feel to saw the motion
should not be entertained; was he then decided
That the motion To lay the table would have
dence The motion to reject was received by it.
SELF was not debateabe because under the rule of
the House IT must lie day, unless the House
should direct otherwise.
would conclude by calling upon the House, that they
had given decided vote the question before, they
should not repeat il in the way but change their
course, and reject the petition altogether.
MIR. Hammond would read TO the House the rule under
which he thought II was entirely competent for him TO
make the motion-it was this: {" When any motion
proposition is made, the question, Will the House
consider NJ shall not be put unless it is demanded by
some member or is deemed necessary by the Speaker
Now the motion he made, demand by him upon the
Speaker to put the question, whether the petition should
be considered or not; and motion any member of
the House had right to put, according the rules His
reason for making the motion not that he wished
enter into discussion of this subject though he did
fear it, and would shrink from it, but because he
did not wish to disturb that House. harrass the
j try by allowing such petitions to come here Still he
could sit there, and allow petition after petition to
pour in, until they became caous to the subject He
could not sit there and the rights the South assal-
ed DAY alter day by ignorant ianacs without calling
on mat House to put the stamp of reprobaon upon such
conduct.
OF the whole question open mere que stion
of order.
MIR. Hammond would confne himself by SAYING that
If the House should decide that the motion TO lay on the
table has preference, he would then move that The pe,.
ton be laid on the table till tomorrow, in order ca
up and move 10 reject it, ~, Ss--,ry, -
Mr. mad hoped, and yet hoped, tina, gentlemen
Would not give up The motion The gentsman from
been decisive vote yet given upon this question:
There had beer evasive vote given upon Had not
Mr. z. sat by and gentlemen who voted differently
at the last session OF Congress- voting in favor
laying the petition the table? But these firebrands
Were cast upon the House now, at earlier day than
usual that spirit abroad in the land and il
for the representatives ofthe People meet it.
Mr.. Reed called the gentleman order, as his re-
marks were not pertinent to the question before the
House
Mr. Peyton said he assigning reasons for sustain
ing the motion for the decision of The House at that
time, pursuant to the demand made by the honorable
member from South Carolina. He hoped they should be
permitted TO meet this question at its beginning in
shape other. Now, struck him with great force
when petition was presented, containing nPro-
for esoation tat The House ought 10 reject it, and
before ii received il could be laid table
for day Consequently the question of ption
rejection must, matter of necessity be first deci-
ded ana tlnt brought prompt action upon the whole
question. He would repeat that he wished more de-
cisvc vote, and that would ascertain the wishes the
views and the feelings of gentlemen upon it, and if they
meet it, he would say, with the gentleman from Georgia
that would be decisive Another reason whv il sbonl3
be acted upon in the present stage before the
ration of it, was, that it asked Congress 10 do what
| every man in the country knew it had power 10
do. Supposing petition was sent there, praying
the House TO break down republican form Of go
vernment, and erect monarchy upon its ruins would
any one say the House had the power act upon
such petition! And had the House more power
IN the present case Was not the first question be de-
cided before the petition could be laid the table? He
thought therefore, the motion of the gentleman from
South Carolina the proper one, and that
riiy have precedence Of all Others he TO con-
slider it, and to consider it at 1t would then be
seen whether gentlemen would encourage their consii-
tuents everywhere to send there such floods of these
petitions, would the tables of that hail. like the
locusts of Egypt; for such would be result in twelve
months. Those gentlemen who had not made up their
minds to meet this question any every shap in
which would be presented must take the responsib
ty He wanted TO evasive lie wanted no promo
sltions to lay the table He the question fully ut
once, by saying that House had power whatever to
interfere with the question For these reasons should
vote Tor sustaining the motion of the gentleman from
| South Carolina.
MIR Slade raised question of TO debating the
question oil oraer under consideration The petition it.
self said Mr. S. could be debated upon the day of
lis presentation and this principle he understood car
ried along with principle which would prohibit any
discussion on The motion TO reject the appeal from,
the decision OF the Chair, then before the House. and
The motion to lay on the table could not be debatabe
Under these circumstances, he thought motion con-
neoied with ibis petition esald be debated that day, and
he therefore submitted whether it did not follow that
the appeal from the decision of the Chair on this sub
ject, could be debated?
The Speaker said an appeal from his decision ma a
question Of appeal certainly debatable; although the
motions out Of which that appeal arose were not
MIR Garland, of Va could the House that he
was not disposed To avoid this question in any form or
shape and he hoped while be had the honor of a seat
there he should be prepared il whenever might
come, and wherever it might from. Ie had sub.
United his motion, because I've thought the motion of the
gentleman from South Carolina cOud not then be mt:
but If the House decided it could Mr.. c. would with.
draw his motion to lay the petition the table The
motion TO reject came up with The motion refer the Pc
tItion 10 Select Committee; the former, as be under
stood, not being entertained not in ORDER it was the
that Mr.. q. moved 10 lay the petition the table
MIR. Beadsey asked whether the appeal from the de-
cson OF the Chair only TO the rejection of the pc
ttion, OF also TO the question Of laying the table
The Speaker said the gentleman from North Carroll.
ma (hr Wiliiams) bad tuken appeal from both
Mr.. Williams understood the Chair TO decide that the
motion Of the gentleman from South Carolina whether
the petition should be considered, whether IL should
be received, was not in order. Now Mr. W. commended
with all due respect, that when petition is presented
II any member choose tO demand he could REQUIRE the
preliminary question TO be pstshal the petition be re-
ceivedy l understood The Chair TO decide that fhat
question could notb put
| The Speaker replied that the Chair had distinctly
stated that upon moments reflection he admitted the
motion for consideration of the motion of the gentleman
from South Caroline.
Mr.. Williams. Then there is no question Of appea1
MIR. Beardslcy said there no question Of appeal
pending, but two motions, TO reject and the other 10
lay the petition The table, both Of which would lie
over til TO morrow, he would move that the House pro-
coed at odecds ;be last notion which took prece
denoe
The question was then put wbclber the House would