Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-03-06
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HOUSE OF REPRES SENTATIVE
IL cAl,c sIuu ELLruuru Is

"E'mffm mat committee, consisting Oh seven
members. he appointed 10 investigate the CAUSES which
led TO The death OF the Hon Jonathan CGilry. lale
member Of this House, and the circumstances connect
cd Herewith. and 10 report thereon 10 This House
"hfS0'rTd That said committee have power I" send for
and papers and have leave to Sl during the SEES
sio..s Of The House"
Mr.. Bel! objrc,ing To its reception al this time
MIR Fairfield moved suspension Of The Rules, To al
low Of his offering the resolution al this time.
Mr. Bell stated, that he had objected only because he
though! il better TO postpone any action IN relation t"e
subject referred 10 for few days until existing excite.
tnent should have had time 10 subsidr
Mr. Parker Of New York demanded the yeas aud nays
The question Of suspendng the rule they were order
ed. and. being taken resulted rs follows
HaS-hlessrs Adams, Alexander, Heman Allen, An
herson Alherlon, Aycrigg, Beatty, Beirn". BckneiI,
dde, BirdsaIl Bond, Boon, Borden. f}ouldin Briggs,
Brodhcad Bruyn, W. 3. Calhoun, CambrTcng Casey,
Clark Coles Craig. Crarv, Cushman, Davies, Drhrrry,
DrGral1 Dunn, Edwards, Emore. Evans, E:errlI,
Fairfield, Il. Fletcher, Fry, Gallup. Glasc"ck Good",
Granand Grant. Gray, Grenne. Haley Hall. Ham.
mond, Hastings. Haynes Henry Hopkins flnh!"y N.
Jones KiIgnre, Lewis, Logan, LOOMS, Lyon, Marvin,
Martin, Maxwell, Mckay, Robert Mcclellan, A. Nc.
Ccilnn A!cKim, hiligan. Miller, Montgomery, Nor.
ran NJ Morris S W. Morris &. Morris, Noble. Moves,
Owens, Palmer Parker Paynter Peck. Petrikcn. Piu.
mer Potts Potter, Prenss, Rarden, Randolph. Reed,
Rhel, Richardson, Itidgway. Rivcs, Russell Shelter,
e. Shepard Shepor, Slade, Smith, Spencer, Stuart,
STATION Tiliinghast. Titus. T"ucey. Tnrney, Wander
veer, Weeks A. S. White. + Whiltlrscy. T. T Whit
,scsey, L. Williams, j. w. Williams, "or'hngton Yell,
Yorke-lll.
3. Carter Chambers, Cheaham Cranst"n, Dawson,
Ewina, James Garland J. Graham. Harlan, Harper,
Halves. + NJ. T. Hunter. w. e.. Johnson, Mallory J.
Nj Mason, S. Mason. hlckcnnan, Mitchell Robertson,
Sergeant Shields Snyder Sonihgate. Tallaerrn, John
White Sherrod Williams, j. l.. Williams, {. II. vii.
ums-3l
There being than two-thrds in the affirmative,
the rules were suspended, and leave given t" introduce
the resolution which ngan read III thu Clerk table
Nh Fairfield then I'D that entertaining tie views
and feelings which he did in reference to the awful
TRAGEDY to which The resolution referred lie conld not re-
ain om Offering il to the House Had he refused 50,
The voice of his cnra gnc blond would call TO him from
the ground Ills colleague ard Trend had been deprived
of life in manner and under circumstances which &c.
handed galinn; it due 10 the family y! the
deceased il WIS due from members To themselves tp TIE
country to humanity and 10 God. HE trusted Tint ~
member on thai floor would shrink from such proposal
For aside from the peculiar circumstances Ut the PRESENT
case opportunity now presented which he should
suppose every good man would promptly and gladly EN-
brace to put down the barbar0us aud dSgraceluI prac-
lice Of durng; practice which wanonIy violated Tie
laws ur Guh, when outraged the best feelings Of our
nature which was unworthy OF the aye ST civilization ~
which we live. he trusted that the eH'Tts OF every
friend Of his species would be united in al endeavoT to
surpIess practice like TINS.
Under the peculiar and distressing circumstances how.
ever Of the present casr the decreased having been Mr..
F's colleague and personal friend. should the House
agree 10 pass the resolution, he hoped r Speaker would
consent; IL the usual practice which, from courtesy,
was suuposrj 10 require that The nam. OF mover Tor
select committee should be placed al the mead OF such
committee when appointed by The Chair. and would not
put Inn The committee al AL.
Mi W Gust Jo!isnn Of Mary land, said that liz had
voted against tie nu,iUn ~ suspend the rules becedse,
ON hearing the solution read he had been nj
WINGED that lis adoption would effect possible good ar
lead 10 any satisfactory result. Nnonc could grirsr
unrc over the calamity which had bealrn the oTrr OF
the rcsn!uli"n and all the other friend. OF him whose
death they all nuu'n" but lie had "p'srd The intr"dnc
lion this resolution because he did mt know hat power
Congress .cssrd 10 suppress durn asa IOra!Isl,
he Iaenled all must lament that Ice state OF society
supposed to be such as 10 sanction sEch dreadful re-
SORT None could be that o tdescrp
ton were thought 10 be necessary But STILL he must
ask What good would he effected by the proposed In1ll-
ry: The morning papers contained detailed statement
Of all the particulars OF this melancholy ni1'ir lie House
was ALREADY thus possessed OF all the facts and clrcun.
stances Of the case And where was lis powell under
III. Constitution TO enact anli.duelng law /: To d"
that was the right Of the States alany OF the States
had enaced snch laws; it was fully within IL" pale OF
t. Jurisdiction dn but ans like attempt on The
parl Of Congress would be usurpa'on OF power. II
vas by the Constitution left 10 the States 10 purify the
morals of their own czcEs, and protect their lite aud
character.
lie had voted against the suse nsion. and shnu! vne
against the resoiulion for another reason by voting
IN vor of like tins, he should consider hI-
self as rejecting Oh all the parties in way concern
I'd in this transaction; it implied reflection OH the
prudence" Judgment, and wisdom Of both the prFt"s -
Had any fraud any deception my moral delinquency
,ianv sDr any thing That would Justify rne OF cSpu'.
SION hren imputed 10 either Of rhr parties or Of their
friend, IN this matter 1t any gentleman would rs" in
his Mace and stale such an act II lie won!d show t"l
any one Of those concerned had violated the rules OF no.
nor and those attributes which s!iond ever distinguish
The character oil gentleman on that floor, aud would
mako hi, name known 10 that House, Mr. j. would
urouulIy ro for any which might be required 10
punish him Not only would he vote Tor committee
IF ncuiry bu. for the instant expulsion OF snch person
from that House; nay were IL IN his power, Id %oaI "a
mel such heng from of The face Of the earth. was
;ber. any gentleman who would rise in his place and
assert tits IF there was none, what right had inc
House to yield TO lis sympathies, contrary TO the ru'
of The House and the provisions OF the Constitution =
Whal riGit had they 10 pursue man into the private
cl,ions of lite and erect committee of their number
into Court Of Honor Ia ferret ont the private dnngs
of members, when not aching IN Their pnbc ana oe'a
cbarucIer, Occurrences winch took place III presence
az I'M. House on lis floor, they had right to notice
houc even with respect 10 these, the line was delicate
which marked their right OF control Bat to constitute
such committee Of inquiry as was now proposed IN
stead of tending TO qneneh the flames" discard sao'hr
irritation and lead, from reflection IN the past, 10 any
Improvement in the future, by rendering gentlemen
more cautious and guarded in their language toward
each other, would on The contrary, prove the truhiu
source of slrics and collisions The duy 10 d" as
suned 10 the committee Gne OF very delicate ana Dill
Gru character; any committee who should attempt lie
discharge of it would find that they had need TO
prepare themselves with strong nerves and well bacen
Fo. his part he would consent 10 serve on f"ch
committee unless a, the very outset, he armed himself
for encounters :,
In taking this course Mr. j. actuaed by no pre-
vious concert lie had not conTesed WIN SIM
oIs one of those who had been the field Of the ale
melancholy contest. II the inpruGen:e OF The frends
nj the parties on either side, their ndiscreon, or mis-
take had led 10 the catastrophe which all now So deeply
amented it matter Of deep regret but it was out q"
the power of the House 10 the casr they could n'i
rrsuscilae the dead could they offer any etctlal
alienation IN The wounded feelings of surviving friends
Every step the committee might take would only exas.
perae public feeling and broad cast The seeds Of
future occurrences Of equally dreadful c'aructer-
This his candid belief. Though as ANXIOUS as any
other gentleman could be that such encontres should be