The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-12-10
TWENTY-SIXTH CONGRESS.
FIRST SESSION.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.


HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
FRIDAY, Dec. 6, 1889
The members elect Of the House were called TO
order at noon this day by the Hon. JOHN QUINCY
ADAMS, chosen yesterday to be their Chairman,
who directed that the journal OF the proceedings Of
accordingly atlhe Clerks table. Considerable time
was occupied In rendering il more accurate by the
offering of four several amendments, on each Of
which vote was taken after which
Mr.. RtiETT, Of South Carolina, rose and OBJ
served that II was his intention to muve that the
tion Of the gentleman from Virginia, MIR. Wise's,
originally Mr.. Graves, which the Chairman bad
announced as the motion pending from yesterday be
laid upon the table, with view 10 enable him TO Of
fer the following, which he read, viz.
Resolued That the House will proceed to call the
names Of gentlemen whose rights to dis
puted contested; and after the Of such
bers are called, and before Speaker is elected they
SHALL provided there be quorum Of such present, then
hear and adudge upon the elections returns and quail
fcaons Of all claimants 10 the seats contested this
floor
Mr.. RHErr observed that the resolution he had
just submitted was substantially that which had been
offered last evening BY Mr.. Adams, with that pre-
viously offered by Mr.. Wise, and with that offered
by Mr.. Graves. Situated as gentlemen now were,
he conceived this to be the correct and honorable
course to which their duty called them. Why should
It be attempted desired 10 exclude any portion of
the documentary testimony in the hands of the
Clerk and which II had been proposed 10 lay before
the House? What could be gained by excluding
in Nothing. While on the contrary much might
be gained by going into fair and honorable exposi
ton of all the grounds which, on either side the
disputed seats Of the New Jersey delegation were
claimed The course proposed in the resolution
would, he was confident, meet the wishes Of BY far
the greater part Of the gentlemen present. Some
gentlemen, indeed had said to him that such course
would be irregular; but were they not all 10 sngu
lar and irregular situation And If, under such
embarrassing circumstances, every gentlemen in
sisted upon standing out Tor his peculiar views
il every particular, when should they have peace
or harmony, and when would the public business
proceed9 There ought to be spirited effort to put
an end, this day. TO the existing embarrassment and
make settlement Of the long disputed point before
them. The policy he advocated was eminently
just one, whereas contrary course would, in his
opinion, be wrong, exceedingly wrong Ii ought
not to be presumed that any gentleman here had adj
vanced claim upon grounds which he did not him
self believe to be perfectly fair and honorable; he
could not TOR moment doubt that all the gentlemen
claiming the disputed seats believed themselves in
their conscience, to be true and legitimate members
of The House Of Representatives.
Mr.. BlDDLE, of Pennsylvania, here rose TO or
der. The gentleman's motion was TO lay resou-
ton on the table, and by the rules Of order which
had yesterday been adopted, was not debateable-
The gentleman ought not to discuss his proposition
thus in advance.
Mr.. RHETT replied that he had not yet actually
made his motion to lay on the table but had ony in
dicated an intention 10 do so. He should make
such motion before he resumed his seat But had
he debated discussed the resolution he had read to
the House, Had he entered at all into its merits
He had not nor did he intend TO- He entirely
agreed with the gentleman from Pennsylvania that
it was wrong for a gentleman who was going to make
a motion which precluded debate, to avail himself
of his position to discuss proposition, when his re-
marks could not be replied to. A full opportunity
would be afforded for the discussion after the motion
to lay on the table should be disposed Of
The CHAIR stated that the position taken by the
gentleman from Pennsylvania was correct in prn
cipe and that such ought TO be the rule of order but
that the practice Of the house had been different and
gentlemen had very frequently been permitted to
preface motion TO lay on the table by an argument
Mr.. RHETT said he should not add word
more but would now move-ihat the resolution offer
ed yesterday by the gentleman from Virginia TMr
Wise be laid upon the table, to afford him an op-
portunily to move the resolution he had read
Tellers we're demanded.
The CHAIR appointed Mr. Davies, of Psnnsy-
vania, and Mr.. Dromgoole, of Virginia, TO &C, as
lellers.
The question was about to be put upon agreeing
to the resolution, when
MIR. DROMGOOLE observed to the Chair thai,
he had beed appointed TO act of the lellers,
and was ready 10 discharge the duty assigned him.
but desired first to be instructed by the Chair how
he was TO perform it. He understood there were
ten gentlemen claiming right 10 seats as repre-
sentaives from New Jersey; which Of them was he
to admit to pass between the elers He was wholly
unwilling to take the responsibility upon himself Of
deciding between the cai ants.
Mr.. ADAMS replied [f correctly heard by the
Reporter, for he spoke in low tone OF voice that
the Chair conceived the rule to be that such persons
as possessed commissions in conformity with the
constitution and laws of New Jersey were entitled to
vote as members of the house, and that no others
were entitled. This was his own opinion and he
expressed il with the more confidence because he
had openly asserted the same opinion yesterday i'm
mediatey before the house had placed him in the
station he now occupied
Mr.. DROMGOOLE said he was ignorant who
the gentlemen were who possessei such commits
| sons: he d seen none of the papers OF the claim
ants and did not know what they were Was he TO
admit all who said they had commissions according
TO the laws Of their State Mr.. ID. knew no better
how to discharge his duty teller than before in
quiry oil the Chair
Mr.. ADAMS replied, but, owing 10 the loud con-
versation which now throughout the hall, the
first part OF what he said was inaudbe when
heard, he was understood TO say that IL had been
| stated by The Clerk that the commissions Of five
other gentlemen, whom he named were in the same
words with that of Mr. Randolph, whom he had re-
cognised as a member.
MIR. VANDERPOEL took an appeal from the
decision OF the Chair, which he pronounced an act
OF usurpaion. The Chair seemed DESTROYS of put
ung particular set OF claimants on the roll and
havingthem declared members ia preference 10 their
opponents He had been placed in the Chair for no
| such purpose-it was gross act of usurpaton.
lCries OF Ordcr'-others OF Go on go on II
II was virtually declaring that the gentlemen from
New jersey should vote in their own case, when a
rule of order was staring the Chairman in the face
which declared directly the contrary. He appealed
from such decision. Were men TO be suffered 10
vote in their own easel Ifthey were, all he could
say was that ii would present to the world an unpre-
cedened, and, he would add, shocking spectacle
Mr.. RHETT read TO the Chair the rule of order
referred TO, which is in the words following:
T" No member shall vote on any question IN the