The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-12-04
CONGRESS.

quorum oil Inc oenate, and every men,
Der OF the House Of Representatives excepting
one, were present in their seats at IL o'clock
on Monday. Our readers will find in other
columns Of our paper full report OF the pro-
ceedings in both houses.
The organization Of the House, after the
call OF the roll Of members from the New
England States and New York, was arrested
by the Clerk of the last Congress, (Mr. Gar
land,) in pursuance, we presume, Of the con-
certed arrangements of the Loco.focos. The
Clerk called the roll, until, having called ons
member from New Jersey, (Mr Randolph,)
he took the responsibility Of attempting to pre-
termit the other five members from that State,
whose certificates Of election, or evidences Of
title 10 seats, were Of precisely the same cha
racter, word for word, as that upon which he
had admitted Mr.. Randolph. This extraor-
binary proceeding, contrary to all law, prece-
dent and usage, which threw into contempt,
by the simple act of an unauthorized indiyi-
dual, neither member nor an officer Of Con-
gress, the high and solemn authority Of a So
vereign State, naturally excited discussion,
not TO say surprise and Indignation No mat
ter what may be the ultimate rights of the
claimants to seats, the laws and the customs
of parliament have settled that members hav-
ing legal and properly authenticated certif-
Gates Of election are prima facie members,
and cannot be ousted but by proof to the con-
trary, duly made before the House which is
not competent tribunal until organized. The
pretensions Of the five Loco focos are founded
upon statement Of the Secretary of the State
! Of New Jersey that, according to the aggre-
gate returns, some Of which were not included
in the Governors record on account Of lille
gality and informality, five Loco-focos and
one Wing seem TO have majority Of votes.
The five Wings whose seats are disputed upon
this foundation. are ready to show that they
not only have the legal evidence Of election,
as prescribed by the statutes Of New Jersey,
but that the apparent majority claimed by the
five Loco-focos was composed of illegal and
alien votes, and, therefore, void. We under
stand that the FIVE Wings from New Jersey
are able to prove the names Of the individuals,
aliens, non-rcsldents, and minors, in sufficient
number to destroy entirely the majority claim
ed by the Loco-focos. They have, then, not
only the prlma facie evidence of membership,
but also positive and conclusive testimony
that they are the only lawful and rightful
members of tho Goth Congress from the State
of New Jersey.
Let the country bear in mind that the pro-
ceedings of Congress have been stopped by
the Van Buren, party, who desire to usurp the
advantages Of organizing the House, without
law, custom or RICH, upon their side. Let the
responsibility rest where it belongs.
The House. was still occupied the whole
Of yesterday in discussing the attempt of the
loco-focos to disiianchise New Jersey. In
its disorganized state nothing can be done in
| that body but debate-not a vote upon any
question whatever can be taken-whatever
movement is made, even that of adjournment,
il can only be accomplished by general con-
sent. For our part, we did not perceive at
late hour hour yesterday afternoon, that the
assembly of representatives was any nearer
any given point than they were when they
started, except in point Of time. There can
be no doubt that the House contains an in
herent power to organize itself, and when,
through the lights Of discussion this power is
discovered, we trust it will be applied. If the
Clerk had the power at all to determine who
were the members of this Congress, he ought
to have determined the whole one side or the
other, by the law and evidence which made
his duty plain. The assembly, by the act Of
the Clerk, have now got itself into diff
Guilty from which it cannot be extricated, with
out the Clerks taking upon himself the re-
sponsibility Of deciding who are, and who are
not, entitled to seats, or by one or the other
party giving way, or by appointing chairman
or moderator as we some time ago suggested.