The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-12-15
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
IHURsn,y Ia. n

THURSDAY, Dec IS.
Mr.. WISE rose and said that in conse,poooo -
an inquiry made OF him By the Clerk he heggeJ
now to state explicitly that he had refused 10 VOC ~
an me resolutions OF The gentleman from New
Hampshire, (Mr Athenon) -"
The SPEAKER said IL was so recorded On -.
| journal. VI '"e
Mr. ADAMS rose and said that he held in his
hand resolution which he had intended 10 oder
yesterday, the moment after the resoIn;, !, IN ="
| gentleman from New Hampshire had been adopted
| The SPEAKER said that the first bnsiresf -
order was The motion pending al The adjourDnen, or
the House yesterday, and which had been submitted
by the gentleman from Maryland (Mr Kennedyl
that me rules be suspended 10 enable him TO submit
a resolution.
Mr.. KENNEDY said that, as tie House would
perceive, his resolution was nothing more than an
attempt 10 do into English The fourth resolution
adopted yesterday
The SPEAKER said this was not a debateable
| question.
Mr.. KENNEDY said he was not about 10 enter
into debate. He had supposed that the hint con.
veyed in the resolution he had offered would have
suggested 10 the gentleman from New Hampshire
(Mr. AtheHon,) the propriey Of making The cor
reciion; but as the gentleman had not done So he
(Mr X would withdraw his motion.
SO the motion TO suspend the rule was withdrawn
Mr.. ADAMS asked leave of the House 10 offer
the following resolution:
Resolced, Thst the powers of Congress being con.
feHed by the Constitution OF the United States, no
resolution Of this House can add to or deduc, from
them.
Objection having been made,
MIR. ADAMS said, as it was necessary for him 10
Justify himself for having voted against all the eso-
lu,ions of the gentleman from New Hampshire Mr.
Atherton,) he Mr.. A. felt himself bound 10 move
a suspension of the rule.
| Mr.. TILLINGHAST demanded the yeas and
nays on that motion; which were ordered, and be-
ing taken, were Yeas rs, nays I2i.
/ So the rule was not suspended.
\ Mr. SERGEANT rose and asked permission of
the House, at this time, TO take up with a view OF
being printed and referred report Of the Secretary
of the Treasury in relation to steamboats, and which
was now lying on the Speakers table.
II was desirable, Mr.. S. said that this report should
be in the course of publication.
Mr.. CALHOON, of Kentucky, asked the gentle
man from Pennsylvania Mr.. Sergeant, TO give way,
so as TO enable him to offer TO the House certain
solutions in connection with those which were adopt
| ed Yesterday
Mr.. SERGEANT declining to comply, and OBJ
jections having been made TO his molten, Mr. 5.
moved suspension of the rule; which motion was
agreed TO. And the rule was suspended accordingly.
The SPEAKER then laid before,he House a com
muncation from the Secretary of the Treasury in
answer to the resolution Of this House of the 29h
of June last transmitting report of all the iniuIma.
ton which could be obtained as TO the Of steam
engines, the accidents and loss of life and properly
which have attended their use together with various
| specifications on the subject.
! Mr.. SERGEANT moved that the same be referred
| to select committee.
Before submitting his motion to print, MIR. 5. beg
ged to say that he was about 10 make motion which
although not entirely without precedent, was never.
theesS rare. He would explain his object in a few
words.
| II appeared from a communication informally
made from the Treasury Department, that ceral1
answers having reference to this subject have no
yet been received bur might be forwa rded in fcw
days. In conformity with the precedent in the case
| of the Cotton report he would now move that the
report before the House be printed under the super
intendence Of the Secretary Of the Treasury, with
power 10 make any additional corrections which may
occur 10 him in the course of the printing.
Mr.. DAVIES moved 10 amend the motion BY in.
Producing the words "by The Printer of the House
Mr.. SERGEANT accepted the modification.
And, the question being taken both branches OF
the motion were referred TO a select committee, and
to print as modified were agreed to.
And the select committee was ordered TO consist OF
seven members.
Mr.. WISE asked leave of the House 10 offer the
following resolutions, which were read for the in
| formation OF the House:
Res0lued, That Congress has no power to abolish
slavery in the District Of Columbia or in the Territories
OF the United States, whether such power sad DIS
frict or Territories be exercised ,rh me
pie,o Of disturbing and eperihro1ng siarery IN The
States" or not
RESOLVED, That Congress has power to abolish the
slave trade, prohibit the removal Of slaves between
the States, between the States and the District OF
| Columbia Territories Of the United States, or be.
tween the District of Columbia and the Territories OF
the United States.
Resolved, That Congress cannot receive or CONSIDER
petitions for the of any powers whatever over
the subject of slavery which Congress does not pos
! sess.
Resolrcd, That the laws of Congress alone govern
in prescribing and regulating the mode and manLsr IN
which fugitive slaves shall be apprehended, and their
rights freedom tried, in the non slavehodlng States
District OF Columbia and Territories, and the mode and
manner in which they shall be restored or delivered TO
| their owners in the slave States.
ReSorcd, That Congress has no power to impose up
on any State the abolition of slavery in its limits, as
condition Of admission into this Union.
Resoped That The citizens of the slaveholdng States
of this Union have the constitutional right rotuna1y
to take their slaves to through non-saveholdng
State, aud TO soourn remain temporarily with snch
slaves in the same and the slaves not thereby pso
facto emancpaed and the General Government Is
cons,itutionay bound TO protect the rights OF slave
holders their slave property in nonsaveholdng States
and all laws Of -saveholdng States in conflict with
the laws of Congress providing for such protection are
null and void
Mr. CALHOON, of Ky, appealed to the gentle
man from Virginia (Mr. WIsE) TO accept the rcSou-
tons which he (Mr. CO. held in his hand as part,
or as modification of his own.
MIR. WISE hoped the gentleman from Kentucky
would not embarrass the resolutions which he (Mr
wy was DESTROYS to introduce. Mr. w was IN
derstood 10 add that he had asked leave to introduce
them at the request Of Of his most respected col
leagues, and OF other gentlemen out OF 'he House,
with a pledge that he would not debate them ana
that, although he deprecated the example, and acted
against his will, he would move the previous ques'
ton upon them. cha
Mr. RIVES, OF Virginia, rose and inquired Of we
Chair whether these resolutions would mol o' 'aiu
on the table under the resolution adopted yeset-
day Z .n,os.