Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-12-14
:. WTSF There is no House to call.

MIR MERCER said his impression was, that no
injustice would be done to the gentleman from ONO .!
m wing the previous question, there would De u"
zen other questions TO up upon which the gentle
man could finish his speech.
The CHAIR stated the course of proceeding on
call of the House. namely: The roll was calied over
and the absentees noted; and IN the present M
roll was to be called, the original question VI u''no
would arise as to who should DC called. -
Mr. DROMGOOLE. Then this will bring the
House TO the question, which the House itself must
eventually decide, as to who are ITS members.
Mr. CHM then rose, and, walking towards tne
table said there had been great deal OF ann
Guilty in determining who were really members OF tns
House. which had determined hun as 10 the course
which ought to be pursued. SIR, (sad MT " hoo III
nv hand the authority by which come here to repre-
sent the neople of nv State. That authority now
present to the Chair and demand TO be enrolled as
Isrmber from the State of Louisiana; and further
propose in the discharge OF my duty as Representa-
tive TO give in my for Speaker of the House II
tho vote is to he by ballot there is ballot, [handng
up the tckct) if riea roce, vote for JOHN BELL OF
Tennessee.
been enrolled before:
Mr. CHM. No: II has neither been enrolled nor
called BY the Clerk.
Mr.. WISE II is now past twelve by the Admins.
tration time and that must be right therefore no"
move the previous question
A call of the House was demanded by several gen.
tlemen.
been completed: therefore, call OF the House coula
not be made ;.
Telers were then called for, and aIessrs Carter OF
Tennessee and Griffin were appointed leiiers oy Tue
Chair
The House then divided and the previous question:
was seconded--ayes ITO, noes a. ,
The question then REQUIRED on the question, "Shali
the main question be now put:
Messrs Worthngton and Ialaierro were appointed
teers and the main question were ordered 10 DC put
ayes ITO, noes AZ.
Jersey members had voted on this question
mir. Duncan now appeared IN the House
Mr. SMITH of Maine and stated, that the gen.
man from Ohio Mr.. Duncan was now IN hls seat, ana
he asked whether he should not now be permitted to
proceed -,
Mr.. DUNCAN put question of order to the
Chair.
Loud and repeated cries of "order!' "order "or-
der!'']
The question then required on the main question.
The CHAIR then stated the main question IN SUD-
Stance ,s follows Upon motion to lay the resolution
of the gentleman from Virginia on the table, the vote
was about being taken by tellers. One OF the telers
inquired who entitled to vote from ~ Jersey, ana
the Chair had decided that those members holding the
Governor certificate entitled to vote FROM this
decision an appeal the House had been taken by the
gentleman from New York. The question now was,
"Sha the decision Of the Chair stand as the Judgment
of the House, !
The House then acknowledgements holthHiS'oh anu
Taaferro acting tellcrs and the vote wasayes lOe
noes Ia.
So the decision of the Chair reversed
Mr.. WORTHlNGTON stated that there were four
members voting who hold the Governor certificate
\ number Of persons called out, "How many were
voting who hold the certificates OF the Secretary OF
State" ant. MIR. CURTIS answered "four.
Mr. SMITH of Maine. 1t is no matter 1t don
change the result
The CHAIR then stated that would be for the meet
l.,co la1 Sup NH
State of New Jersey.
Mr., RHETT inquired Of the Chair if the question
did NOT now recur on the motion made by him to lay
the resolution of the gentleman from Virginia on the
table, .I
The CHAIR stated that that would be the question II
their was no other question the way; but the question
now was who should be counted from the State OF New
Jersey the decision of the Chair having been reversed
Mr. RHETT asked if the question was not precisely
this A motion had been made by himself TO lay the
resolution Of the gentleman from Virginia the table
Upon division that question: the Char had decided
that the members from New Jersey having the u d
nor's certificate were be counted From that 0&H
4ion appeal had taken to the House; an1 the
House had reversed the decision of the Chair. Then
he asked if the House would not come back to the orr
gnal motion to lay on the table:
Mr.. WISE asked If, when the House had excluded
one set Of gentlemen from New Jersey from voting,
had excluded all from that State from voting II
had excluded those gentlemen holding the Governor
certificate from voting Now, was IT the intention OF
gentlemen TO permit those persons holding the certh-
cate of the Secretary of State to vote?
..No" sno,' from several Administration members.
Mr.. DROMGOOLE said all difficulty might now
be avoided by going on as the Clerk had proposed in
the first instance without counting any oithe disputed
gentlemen froL, New Jersey.
Mr. WISE This was the decision of the Clerk, but
was it the decision of the House, Let attempt to
progress may, this ghost of dsorganlzation VIII
rise up before US, and will then have 10 decide who
shall vote.
The CHAIR would here remark to the gentleman
from South Carolina, MIR. Rhett,l that it would be
impossible for him to put the question upon laying the
resolution of the gentleman from Virginia on the table,
until it was determined BY the House who should vote
1t would be for the House to decide for themselves
who should be called but, said he, The State Of Ncm
Jersey cannot be deprrcd Of representation on M,s
floor, and 1t shall not be SO long as stand an MtS
chair
There there was little applause from the gale
ries.l
Mr.. WISE. l move the previous question on the
decision Of the Chair.
Nr. THOMAS of MARYLAND suggested mode of
proceeding without difficulty We ought to endeavor
to get along without difficulty, until it could be lon
ger avoided and then it would be time enough to de-
eide upon this question. Let the vote be taken on the
motion to lay the table, by teers and IT the fact OF
any portion of the members from New Jersey voting
should change the result le the decision OF the
question be announced without raising the question:
but it, by their votes, the result s changed, then IT
will be time enough TO bring up this question as TO who
shall vote He threw this out suggestion TO the
House.
Mr. WISE called for the regular order of proceed
ings The Chair had made his decision. and he (Mr.
W. had moved the previous question upon IT, Then
he demanded that the regular order of proceedings
might be observed.
Mr. BRIGGS. On what question does the gentle
man move the previous question:
The CHAIR said the gentleman had moved the pre-
vious question on the motion to lay on the table
Mr. WISE. No, sir. i understood the Chair to
make decision us to who should vote and upon that
decision moved the previous question.
The CHAIR then again stated the question as he
had stated it before, and concluded by saying that the
House had reversed his decision; but il had deter
mined who should be counted from New Jersey, and
he could not put the question to lay on the table until