Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-01-12

make these s,atementsS
Mr. HARoRAvE replied in the Affirmative
Mr. WiTcHER. Then, ask him. whether he did not
give pledge ON the question Of expnnyinps do no,
mean by pledge, an instrument of writing, but pro-
mise which, with honorable men, il equally as binding
MS a bond The vote Of each one present was taken
MIR WILSON here interrupted Mr.. W., insisting that
this discussion of order
The SPEAKER conceded with Mr. william md .a;,,
mat one gentleman having respassed upon the rules OF
ora,i he had permitted others to nply his rrmaks
Mr. WILSON of Is. said he would avail himself of the
same privilege an making few remarks ask said
MIR "" the Wings here have right to control us in
The management al our affairs BY what authors.
does the gentleman from Pi,tsy lvana and his friends
dictate to the Democratic Republican party when aud
where and how they shall hold meetings consult with
eacn othcr We have right to pursue our own course
in these matters We have been sent here Ly the peo
pie to act for the public have the privilege
Oh meeting and consulting whensocve we choose-and
we do not intend to rclnqush it, These mectng. are
required TO compare ideas and harmonize any slight DIFF
ieiences oil opinion that may exist between u.s. We are
'"!u hat There Is constant drilling kept up the ranks
Oh inc Democratic party But | do not think they nre
nearly as well drilled the Wings who now move TO-
gether without the least variation They do not need
half so much drilling as the Democratic Rcpnbl;cans
have you seen any divisions in the ranks of the Wings
curing tne present session. No-nothing of the kind
nag occurred among them any question that had been
before The House. for one said Mr. w do not intend
yield the right to meet with my political as
o'ten as see ht You may call them if you
WILL We claim the right 10 caucus if we please and
we VIII not be driven from exercising every night If
we Pease-(and it would require nightly caucuses on
our part to keep up with the Wings party discipnel
anu ne denied tile right of any say that the pro.
cecdngs OF such meetings involved u pledge to any
course OF legislative proceedings nerered with t.
free exercise of his judgment on every subject that ca
before the House Herusted this subject would be re
errcd to Committee Of the Whole He had neysr
SHOWN subject involving our Federal Relations which
had not boon disposed Of Even in the case of an i'm
Porlant bill was the custom to allow friends to per-
iect hrs ana then those who opposed TO il could
take such grounds against il as they should see fit
MI Gnrsoar said that as Wing caucus of last year
had oeen alluded which candidate
was fixed upon-and il having been assumed ,I.t !, -
similar in its character and objects the very objection
able meeting OF the Democratic Republican party which
mas been SO often mentioned-AIr G.. having been nj
uat period, very improperly considered Wing he took
upon himself to say, that it there any such Whig
caucus he aware of the fact He meyer vas -,
Du one caucus, and that during the last
session. Tor the purpose Of nominating candidate for the
Presidency The gentleman from BotetouI has told us
tnat IL Is necessary for his party hold caucus every
night, in order TO keep up with the party dscipln of
the Wings He has also informed US that the great
democratic Republican Party do meet do consult and
what still more wonderful that they do sometimes DIFF
Ter IN opinions Why sir thought there were no diff.
,sences among ihem-ior thought they had been
castgaed so LANDED into the ranks that they never diff
fered-that they had opinions their own 10 oppose
TO those which were dictated to them by their leaders
urged that is necessary TO refer this subject 10
Committee of the Whole, order that il NAV be fully
discussed and amended Who is that wishes TO amend
hese resolutions: Not the Wings 1t is acceptable
TO them IN its present shape, presume as il can be
made; they care very little for the form or expression of
resolutions which they will against Do the Com
inttee VINO reported these resolutions wish to amend
them! They have had every opportunity TO ne RECT them
before they came here. fthc subject is into
oomil'ee OF the Whole, the greatest range OF debate
VIII be allowed; and the Wings who have been CHARGED
with making long speeches. and consuming the time of
the House, will be at liberty talk much as they
please, and about any thing they please-and MIR q
believed that this would be found hereafter to be one of
The sorest subjects that talked about in this
House. ~
MIR. DANIEL said he was no, present when tho cb.ro
OF the gentleman from Psyvania in relation TO The
meeting OF The majority of the House, was first made
when The charge afterwards repeated he had passed
because ne was not accustomed TO debate, and he
had hoped that others ready more able would
nave replied TO IT. lie had not anticipated that the
charge against the Administration party ofhavipp given
vote, IN effect pledge support the cxpung5g reso
utons which might be reported the House. in a meet
ing OF It's MEMBERS would be reiterated and that il
would have been gravey taken up by the public press
But such having been the the charge heinz
now repeated-l take this opportunity said Mr. ID 80
perform what consider duty in DENYING Thai INV
such vote had been given that which had bee charg
ed. am not, said Mr.. d., at all averse that the pub.
lie should know what do here in conclave-ifgen
men insist upon using that termbu he denied that anv
gentleman had right to araign individuals in this House
hen as 10 their transactions in private meetings. or 10
Pry INTO their secret councils He thought such n
course highly improper and indecorous-it was one
winch he would not willingly follow, except liz selfde-
fence or retaliation. But as the gentleman rom Pitsy-
wanna had pursued, and still continued TO pursue such
MIR ID. would repeat the question put TO the gen
tenan from Ptisylvania by the gentleman from SUSSEX
and ask him whether the Wings did not during the last
session, hold caucus upon the subject of selecting
lot ie ONCE oil councillor, at which the claims
OF three candidates discussed?
MIR. WITcHER said that when this question was mt to
" ouSSex, mad dyertently
answered that there was not such caucus but he now
Tecollected that such meeting held by the Whio
party the subject of the election of Councillor
Mr. DANIEL j further ask him, if a caucus of this
kind not also held by the Wing party for the pur
pose of selecting candidate for the Speakers chair
MIR. WiTcHER. There was.
Mr.. DANIEL. And was not the gentleman from Pi,,
syvana present at that caucus
MIR. WITcuER. | was.
MIR. DANIEL said he did araign the motives of zen
temen in attending these meetings He maintained
their ProPrety aud expectancy he believed il right that
such consultations of those generally concurring i'm SEN
tment should take place 1t right that arIes nav
ing certain general objects in view should meet and con
er in order to keep up harmonious feeling among each
otheT to compare opinions and give force their nPd
sentiments. believe, although cannot myself youch
for the FACT that in the best days Of Dcmocracyn The
brightest period of our political historywlen the resolu
lions and proceedings of % and 80 were under consi
deratont the practice Of the patriots of that day
to meet and consult upon the details of the measures
then IN progress great stir has been made on the sub
ect of this meeting of the Democratic Republican party
and an endeovor had been made TO propagate belief
that the Democratic party had in conclaye pede
ed themselves To vote for the instructions to our Sen3
tors relative TO exPungng from feai that they might
be persuaded to different by our opponents or
in other words that this pledge required 90 pre- vent
adhcrenls from being drawn by n display of The
great abilities claimed for the Opposition members when
the question came 10 be discussed. But, said Mr. d.
think have shown, that if there was any thing
per in the meeting referred to- we have the example
OF those who now rcProve for it, in our favor
Those who now condemn for this altered inpro
proPrety- that they have twice committed the
same offence. MIR. Daniel DESTROYS that this
question should be fully discussed; and he was also in
favor OF having all the motions and upon il re-
called 10 give, should go down TO after times lie there
fore agreed with the from