Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-12-14

Spencer, ]
Mr.. Beal having, on the third ballot, received ma
orlty Of the whole number OF voes declared to be
elected. and took the oath o Office
Mr.. HI BBARD gave notice tia: he would, al the
earliest dav il would be in order do ask leave Ia
bring in bill establish board of commissioners Ia
hear and determine claims against the u. States.
! The Senate then adjourned
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE
| At l2 o 'ciGck the CHAIRMAN (Mr Adams) called
the House 10 order, when the journal of Saturday
read.
The question was then stated By the Chair 10 be til.
objections of Mr. White Of Kentucky the read ng of
certain documents by the Clerk, the reading of winch
had been called for by Mr. Duncan in the course OF his
speech
Mr. GRANGER addressed the House at some
length upon this point. He took il for granted from
the of the majority i'll the House. and the Ian
Guugc of the official organ of the Administrations that
the naiortv-the one hundred and twenty one mem
bcrs-wcre determined to settle this question with re-
gard to the New Jersey members before the House
proceeded to organize, by the election OF Speaker,
and other officers. If this the intended to
be pursued and if IT was determined in The House that
the testimony the part OF ono set Of persons from
| New Jersey should be presented TO the House, he
| thought it important that an opportunity should he
given the members the other side TO present tcsti-
nonv also to the House. II testimony on ono s!dc
was 10 be read here the other side should also have the
opportunity to take testimony to rcbu H. lie took 1t
that no man prepared to vote for hearing trstimo-
nv on one SIDE who would not be willing to hold the
case open unit, the whole testimony could be presented
OH both sides For himself he would prefer another
course Of proceeding; hut the Administration party
preferred this course, and seemed to be willing to take
the responsibility of upon themselves, he would vote
for the reading of these papers. The only difficulty
with him, was, that the question had not been presented
fairly TO the House When it was presented fairly there
would rest upon the House such responsibility as had
never before rested upon it, 1t would then br for the
majority to say, whether, in cases like these, the rcg
lar certificates Of the properly constituted authorities
shall be passed by order that the House may try the
rights of members TO seats upon the volunteer certh
Gates of persons unknown here, and only under the
obi cations of an oath before justice OF the peace
Mr. G. contendcd that the passing over regular certif
Gates dangerous precedent, and cited cases tc
| show what tendency it might have. dc contended
if this doctrine established, the votes OF whole
States might be thrown away in where the cleo
ton Of President devolved upon the House OF Repre-
sentatives Delaware, VI chgan, and Arkansas, were
each represented this floor by single Representa-
tive and in of warmly contested Presidential
election, where the decision OF the question would
Eventually dcvolve upon the House Of Representatives
perjury might procure sufficient aihdavts to prevent
the members from those Stntes from voting npon the
election of President if this new doctrine was once
established.
alr. vANDERPOEL said the question was, whether
the papers on the Clerk table should he read by the
gentleman from Ohio, (Alr Duncan) They were papers
that went to show that, according to the ballot boxes
majority Of the popular vote given tor MI Dick
erson md his associates If this point we'll es
tabshed here either BY evidence snch would salts
f. the conscience of reasonable man. or by the ad-
mission Of the parties interested, or their trend, tho
only uncontcstcd member from New Jersey, (hr Ran
dolph) he thought the House would Immediately be
prepared 10 act not only upon this question OF order
bu upon the point which set of gentlemen should be
rcrarded rs the legal and genuine members OF this
House The position which he OR VanderpoeN took
when he submitted his first remarks on TUESDAY
last was that il the House could be convinced
that Mr. Dickcrson and his associates had actually
received the majority Of the popular vote as caRrGSSrd
bv the board of canvasscrs who presided over the
boxes aud whose duty it was To receive and Canvass
the votes and pass upon the qualifications OF the vo-
ters would be its duty. at once 10 do what the 90
werner had done: give then the lawyers would say,
their certificate pro tunr, and let them take their
seats In order ascertain these questions OF facts
clearly and distinctly. he would PROFOUND to the gen
tle,nan from New Jersey, before him. Mr. RandolphJ
few questions The first question he would ask that
honorable gentleman was, whether, according to the
ballot boxes and the made BY the canrassng
officers who received the votes, Mr. Dckerson and his
associates did not receive ma ority of the popular
votes
! Mr. RANDOLPH answered yes; that, including the
voters who were disqualified, and had right to vote,
| they did.
The next question he would ask the gentleman, was,
whether if the towns of Melville and South Amboy
were included, MeSsrs. Dickerscn and his associates
would have n majority Of the popular vote;
/ MIR RANDOLPH responded that they would: that
he would not deny that the towns Of AIlville and South
! Ambcy were excluded BY the Governor and privy
Council in casting up the votes.
! Mr.. YANDERPOELs said he would ask another ques.
ton for information from the gentleman After the board
of canvassers the primary tribunal had canvassed the
votes and returned their certificate of the votes to the
county clerks could the county clerks the Governor
and Prvy Council, according to the laws OF New Jer
sew 20 into the ballot boxes and reject votes, th'
ground Chat the votes OF aliens other disqualified per
sons had entered the boxes
/ Mr. RANDOLPH was about to rise, and
| Dir. WISE here arose and objected to this course Of
caechsm as being out Of ORDER and while he was pro
ceedins to show that it was not in order,
/ Mr. IANDERPOEL said he would waive the CUES
! ton and answer it himself
Mr.. v said that he had heard much about "leapins
over The law, but he induced to ask this question
in order to show that those gentlemen, who were no"
such stcklers for the laws of New Jersey, were them
selves sanctionng most papabe violation OF law ou
q. gentlemen objected to the question: it was needles