The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-12-07
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 4.

AT noon this day the members cleo, OF the House of
Representatives to order at the call of the Clerk,
who stated that, when they had adjourned yesterday,
proposition under consideration that the Clerk be
permitted to read statement Of the grounds which
he had acted in calling one of the members from New
/ Jersey, aud declining call the residue The gentle
man from Ohio (Mr. Duncan) was by courtesy consi-
dered entitled to the floor ...
| MIR. DUNCAN had risen, when ... ..#
! Mr. WISE, of Virginia, asked his permission to sub
init aproposon which, as he hoped and believed would
if adopted. relieve the house from its embarrassment
Mr.. DUNCAN understood to assent, condition
ally that when Mr.. w. should have concluded, Mr. d.
should still be considered having claim to the floor;
to which condition Mr.. Wise assented.
Mr.. WISE then observed that the proposition he
had to offer was not one of his drawing up, but
that he presented it the suggestion OF colleague OF
his who sits on his right Mr. Bolts, who would have
offered it himself had he been present.
The proposition offered by MIR. Wise then read
at the Clerks table as follows
Resoped, That the representatives Of the Congress
of the United States assembled, to relieve them
selves from the embarrassment and difficulties which
present obstruct the organization Of the house, will pro-
ceed by the acting Clerk, to call the names Of gentle
men whose rights to seats not disputed contested;
and after the Of such members all called and
before they proceed to elect Speaker other officer
or TO organize in any they shall provided there
be quorum Of such present, hear and decide upon all
credentials. certificates or commissions Of persons
claiming seats in the House Of Representatives under
the constitution OF the United States and the laws OF
the respective States.
Mr. DROMGOOLE, of Virginia, expressed his
earnest hope that all the gentlemen present would agree
adopt this proposition was, in fact, the very
colleague of his, [Mr. Rivesl aud others who
acted with him, had all along been conendng for save
that it contained pledge touching the election Of
Speaker, which Mr. RS. motion had not included, but
which Mr.. d had, from the beginning, been most ready
'ogve N .,,.,
desired if the proposition should be adopted, he
had the slightest hesitation in trusting to the honor
of gentlemen that the pledge would be conscienously
observed Without such pledge, should the one side
OF the house yield to the proposal TO defer the case OF
the New Jersey members till there should be quorum
without them, there could be security that they would
not thereby be thrown out Of fair vote for Speaker,
unless indeed the Clerk should himself undertake to
decide the question: which Mr. W. believed that gen.
llemen could not under his views Of the matter be
pected to do, n.
Mr. CAVE JOHNSON, Of Tennessee, said that this
proposition entirely the views Of himself and his
friends and he prepared to adopt 1t with the single
addition OF proposition that, when quorum should
have been obtained and should take up the subject Of
the New Jersey seats, they would agree to regulate
their action according to the rules of order generally
observed by the house otherwise they would get into
Inextrlcsbe confusion.
MIR WISE pressed for action the proposition asst
stood and hoped other questions would be deferred TIL
this settled
Mr. LEWIS WILLIAMS called for the second
reading Of the resolution. and it was read again
Mr.. G. JOHNSON again rose. but yielded the floor
to Mr. Hunt Of New York, who presented, as substi-
tute for the proposition OF Mr. Wise, the following
Resolved That this house " Ill proceed TO elect
a Temporary Speaker allowing the members from New
Jersey (producng the evidence given according TO the
law OF that STATED TO vote on the question. That the
Speaker thus chosen shall appoint none Of the Commit
tees If the House That the committee OF elections
shall be chosen by ballot And that after the question
on the disputed seats shall have been settled by the
house, we will then proceed to choose Speaker for
the 26th Congress
| Cries Of NO. no !" resonuded from all quarters,
| and Mr.. Hunt did not press his motion.