Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-03-10
Twenty-iomrtI Coaagrcss--sst sess.
Saturday, &iarch 5
The Senate did not sit To-day
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

Saturday, &farch5
The Senate did not sit to-day
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
CONTESTED ELECTION.
The House resumed the consideration of the report
OF the Committee on Elections on tire North Carolina
contested election. The question: being the motion
of Mr. Hard TO allow the petitioner David Newland, a
place within the bar Of the House, and perm, hun
address the House in his own brh if which motion MIR
Bynum had moved mend permit the petition
er TO be heard by counsel on the main question.
mr.. hencher was ia favor (he said) OF the amend
ment, and mentioned the fact that the petitioner had al.
ready employed counsel in daily attendance upo the
committees and if counsel heard before the commit
tee, he could not why il should be before the
House. He agreed with his colleague that il was bet.
ter for the members to hear the arguments of others
than to engage themselves counsel upon the oppos-
ing sides He would grant the request, because the
gentleman desired it, aud he would be in favor of al
lowing counsel TO the sitting member also If he thsrht
II would he for his benefit
Mr.. Griffin called for the yeas and nays ON the mo.
ton to amend, and they ordered.
The question being taken the amendment was rei.ct
ed yeas 67, nays liz
The question being then the motion of the qeptle
man from New York, (Mr HARDY
Mr Bynum expressed his dsapprobaiion of the vote
REJECTING the amendment aud declared il a violation of
the incontesble right of the petitioner
The Speaker said the gentleman was out of order To
discuss or reflect upon the vote.
Mr.. Bynum continued. Ii his purpose 10 show
the reason why he should against the resolution
He thought if the House rejecled one motion Tho
should the other The sitting member had been bear1
twice in his BEHALF but the petitioner had not been
heard once He would add that the sitting member had
but the petitioner entirely unknown and would moi
be able 10 meet his adversary upon the floor will, the
necessary cooncss delberaton xbiity as sneaker
necessary 10 do justice To himself, contend
his opponent. The proposition, besides came from n
opponent, and he afraid of the favor of an enemy
especially when he brought ii forward pretended
friend He considered the rejection of counsel as a de-
NAL of right and called upon the mechanics farmers
and merchants OF the country to recoect this vote
Mr. Hardin said this proposition to permit the
petitioner TO appear in his defence but not TO com
pei hun to argue before the House He in favor of
allowing the petitioner the privilege, and if he was not
able to avail himself of il, the MEMBERS he could not
doubt, would do him justice themselves The Housc
would act in double capacity, partly counsel and
partly a court.
What was the proposition of the gentleman from N
Carolina was asked by MIR. II. 1t was because the
House would hear counsel that il should moi -,
the petitioner himself He (Mr Harding wished TO Mace
both competitors ON an equality and would o the
resolution.
but little lie opposed it, not because he did not wish
to hear all the information, and the light that
might be shed upon the subject but because when am
one spoke upon tins oor upon great constitutional ques
tons, he wished him to feel member OF the House
and TO be impressed with such sense OF respect deco
rum and responsibility members alone can feel He
did not think the proposition from an enemy nor
could any member OF the committee be considered an
enemy OF the petitioner II seemed bur fairness IN ri
low hun the same facility that enjoyed by his com
petor, and those only would against the privilege
who looked upon the subject with the views of parv
men.
MIR. Hard denied that he had made the motion rs =
party man. and dsclamed all feeling of hostility towards
eIther gentleman. When the report Of the committee
was adopted he signied his RtenIon ia the committee
to make the motion, and it received with assent
lie offered the resolution because fair aid Just TO-
wards the petitioner. lie begged to assure lie en,I
from North Carolina that he could look at nr;nc;
pie and act without regard who the individual myLt
be, or TO what party he attached
Mr. j. y Adams was not in his seat, and had not an
opportunity OF recording his upon the
II lac had been in his seat he should have recorded his
vote In favor OF The admission of counsel 1t was the
rght OF ihe petitioner and OF the forty thousand
lens who had sent him Representative that lie
should be heard He (Mr. Adams) would have voted in
favor OF COUNSEL II 1t were only upon the principle
that the petitioner should be placed upon an equal foot
ing with his competitor. The sitting member is known
TO be an able member of thesiIouse while the ne,,nn
er, il is said by his friends, able appear and ar.
que in his own behalf. In of justice suppose
on side the abes lawyer in the land should be en-
poyed, and on the other should appear but an un-
practiseG individual: who doubts, let the Judges be how
ever upright Intelligent, and Impartial they nay-who
doubts that the decision would be nine times in
favor OF the powerful side
Mr. Boon called 10 order.
MIR. Adams continued, that he desired to state the
reason why he in favor of the amendment md
would Immediately the reason why he Should op-
pose the proposition now before the House offered as
substitute for that IL is question whether the Pcopc
have right to send Representative here who not one
Of the first lawyers Of the and-whethcr they have
right elect who may be good i'm counsel and sound
In Judgment but who has not the gift Of tongue. Every
one knows there are many members of the House who
have not the gift of public speaking but who are among
the abest and most useful both House aud in co
mttees. The motion before the House would adj.
nit the petitioner TO plead, when his friends say he las
not the faculty. The sitting G.enber is known TO all as
fully competent TO speak in his own BEHALF he has the
faculty OF managing his cause with powcr and we
know very wei that his rival cannot meet him upon
equal terms Admitting him, therefore, far goes
places him upon an equality with tile sitting member
and he (Nlr Al would vote for 1t ii were not merely
ostensible. IL keeps the word Of promise To the ear
but breaks it TO the hope, and was entirely deusye
Still if it desired by the petitioner friends he
would gladly vote for it but they rejected il as merely
pretence of enlarging the genenIns rights without
the reality and be thought better tell the truth at
once and leave the subject III the hands of the House
Mr. discaimed all feeling either against either
Of the gentlemen Interested he would leave the dec
sion TO the wisdom of the House. and should against
the proposition TO admit the petitioners because it was
mere illusion OF justice, without any reality.
Mr. Whesey here called for The Orders of the Day
The House then proceeded to The Orders of the Day
The unfinished business of yesterday was resumed
viz the bill for the relief Of Thomas T. Eskrdge and
Alvarez Fisk.
After some debate, in which Messrs Parker Lincoln
Sewer, Boon, Vinton, Mason OF Virginia Kennon and
Whuesey took part, the bill ordered 10 be rcad
third tune Monday.
.Donday, Mfych Z.
IN SENATE
The Hon. r. G.. Nicholas uu~ouoced as a me IN.
Der of the Committee Finance tie order Of the
House, appointed by the Chair, the of the Hon
John Tyler
The Chair laid before the Senate a communication
from the Secretary of the Navy transmitting list Of