South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1836-06-18
Congress.
THE VETO.

a new and extraordinary form 20 f
Land bill. A proposition was maze
TO refer that bill TO a Committee Of the
Whole on the state of the Union anos-
Their to refer it to the Committee on
Public Lands, and third to commit it'
TO the Committee on Finance. This
was we'll understood 10 in-
volve the fate Of that great measure. If
il were referred TO either of the two lat~
ter committees, it was known that the
bill might be reported when aud how
the committee pleased,o r not reported
at all during this session, If such should
be the pleasure of the committee; and
no one doubts that such would be q
pleasure, if any party purpose we're to
be advanced (; whereas, if the bill were
referred to the COMMITTEES ofthe Whole
House on the state Of the Union, it
would remain under the custody Of the
phole House, and nothing could be
done with it which would not be pub
lie and open, and within the knowl-
edge and observation of all the mem.
bers. Under these circumstances, the
question Of reference to the Committee
of the Whole on the state Of the Union
came up yesterday, and there were for
it 81 yeas, against 90 nays. Accord.
ing TO the usual course of business ac-
cording to courtesy +; according to all
fair and open investigation, the cues
ton ought to have been considered as
sei,led, and the reference ordered to
the Commilteee Of the Whole on the
state Of the Union ; but here Mr.. Spea-
ksr Polk in,erposed his veto power,
voted under rule Of the House Of
which, in such state of the question,
Speaker rarely, if ever, avails him
self, and, by making the number of the
nays (97) exactly equal to the yeas,
defeated the reference Thus, by this
extraordinary exercise Of his power, i'll
the decision remain unreversed, Mr..
Speaker POLK has probably defeated
the mos, important measure Of the
session, required by the People, deman.
ded by The best interests of The Union,
and essential 10 an administration Of
equal justice among all its members,
old and new, inferier and extarior.-
MAJ. Int. jane 9.
WARRINGTON, June IL.
The presen. session Of Congress has
been somewhat remarkable for the
want Of aptitude 10 business in the
House of Representatives /; in conse-
quence of which, and the defecliveness
Of the Rules OF the House, tina, body
has gone through great labor, in pro.
portion 10 the amount Of business aclu-
ally transacted by it. Never, did wa
remember, have the sittings Of the
House, at any former session, been so
frequently prolonged to late hour.
Never has the Previous Question been
so freely used, nor the Yeas and Nays
SO often resorted TO.
The sitting Of the House, however.
which began al 10 o'clock A. M. on
Thursday, and ended at IL o'clock
is absolutely without pre-
cedent in our history, il not in all the
history Of legislation. 1t was Her
culean task for those members who
persevered 10 the end, and vexatious
and painful trial to the constitutions Of
those who were at last obliged to seek
repose, many of whom were brought
out Of their beds in the dead Of the
night, by the officers Of the House, to
replenish the House, and enable i. to
keep quorum.
The purpose ofthls great effort on
The part OF the Majority may, we sup.
pose, be stated plainly here, without
offence TO any one, because it is a pur-
pose which no individual in that ma
jority would desire to conceal. This
bills which have passed the Seuate,for
the admission Of Arkansas and Mich
igan as States inlo the Union, were
before the house as in committee of the
whole i: that is, the Speakers Chair ia
filled, 10 such case, by another Mem
Der who becomes Chairman Of the
House, which, by legal fiction is
then called committee. Whilst ia
the Previous Question IL
silent; nor can the Yeas and Nays be
taken. There is no way, therefore, OF
ending any debate 10 committee Of The
whole, if the majority persist in ii.
whatever may be the will of the major-
ity, but by sitting il put. The ma
iority in the case before US were deter.
mined to GET lhese bills out Of commits
lee Of the whole, that, being reported
10 the House { as they have 6een !, they
might be subjee, TO tie operation Of
he Prsvinns nuastiou Tho ~, a;or,.xv