Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1838-02-06
CONGRESSIONAL.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
QUESTION OF PRIVILEGE.

QUESTION OF PRIVILEGE.
The following resolution, which was. of.
fcred by Mr.. Mercer yesterday, and under
consideration when the House adjourned,
came in order.
''ResOIUed, That Messrs. Gholson and
Wise, members of this House, between
whom warm words have passed in debate,
be required by the Speaker to declare in
their places that they will not prosecute
further the quarrel which has arisen this
day between them"
Mr.. Patton rose and said he had voted
on yesterday against the motion to lay the
resolution on the table. He now thought
it ought to be laid on the table, and he
made that motion.
Mr.. Mercer asked Mr.. Patton to with
draw his motion, stating, that if he would
do SO, he (Mr. M. would make motion
which would supersede the necessity of
laying it on the table, without calling for
the yeas and nays. lfit was not Withdrawn
he should require the yeas and nays on the
question.
Mr.. Patton said. one principal reason
which induced HIM to make the motion
was, that the discussion on the resolution
on yesterday was such as Ito say the least)
was calculated to do no good. He must,
therefore, persist in his motion.
Mr.. Mercer then demanded the yeas
and nays, and they were ordered to be ia
ken.
The vote resulted as follows:
Yeas l26, nays, "a.
So the resolution was ordered to lie on
the table.
THE MISSISSIPPI ELECTION.
The following resolution came up in or
der:
"Resolped, That Messrs S. S. Prentiss
and T. ]. Word arc not members Of the
25th Congress, and are not entitled to seats
in this House as such"
Mr.. Bell moved an amendment Ito re-
verse the affirmation of this resolution.)
Mr.. Prentiss Zone Of the applicants) add
dressed the House at length in support of
the amendment, and in vindication of his
and his colleagues right to seats upon the
floor Of the House, as members of the 25th
Congress.
He thanked the House for the courtesy
extended towards him as an individual,
while he animadverted upon the hardness
with which the claims ofthe People Of Mis-
sippi had been attended to by the House.
He took the ground that the House
were not aware Of the true state of the
facts: and laid down three propositions,
namely:
/. That Messrs Claiborne and Gholson
never were constitutionally elected mem.
bers Of the House of Representatives in the
25th Congress.
2. If they were elected at all, it was
only for the period anterior to the regular
election in November.
3. Himself and his colleague had legally
and constitutionally been elected, by the
people Of Mississippi, as members Of the
House in the 25th Congress.
He then said that they found themselves
met at the threshold by the recent decision
ofthe House as to the election Of the sitting
members: and this decision he examined
with much minuteness: and said he should
maintain five propositions IN reference to
lit:
/. That the adoption, by the House
of the resolution in favor of Messrs Claib
orne and Gho,son, was not a judicial decis
ion, bat the expression of an opinion, sub
iect to reversal.
i 2. That it was no adjudication Of the
claims ofthe present applicants.
8. That SO far as this pretended adludl'
cation went to annul the act Of Mississippi
it was null and vo.d, the Hoasc having nt
such power.
A. That the decision was rot binding
upon the people Of Mississippi, who wen
not parties to it, and had received no no
tee of tho same.
5. That the adjudication had been givcl
upon mistake of the facts in the case, ant
that, Of course, it was subject to review.
These points We're argued with nue.
earnestness and eioquence. and he wa
: about making some remarks upon tho gen
; leral subject, when, on request of MI. Pat
i ton, he gave way to a motion of adjourn
: ment.
: And Tie House adionracl