Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1839-12-12
HERALD OF THE II M e S.

slrucod in our proceedings, by that gen.
ilcman. Mr.. e.. desired that the c"un-
try should know why il was that, with
the law and evidence before him, he had
not put on his list, Mr.. AycIgg and his
associates, as well rs Mr.. Randolrh.-
Afer hearing the statement 0tthe Clerk,
he then hoped that the House would
come to some practical point. lie
claimed, as an inherent right Of this bo'
dy. to take votes, prior To organization,
and the means Of organization. IL was,
idle to suppose that we could be
prevented. by their intangible abstraction
from organizing ,he House. Now was
the time to test This principle and, in or
cor TO test il, he now moved that the
Clerk tc permitted to make u statement
and upon that motion, he asked divis.
ION. tic protested against the notion
that we could not act, except by COM
mon cors.nt. Mr.. Vandcrpoo!, said
the various opinions given hore, 10y those
who press the claims of Mr.. Aycrigg
aud his associates, showed that they res.
ted upon an uncertain foundation. lie
spoke in favour of going through with
the roll, when, with a quorum, wo could
take votes. But, it would be q mon
slrosity TO tako votes now. hat
would prevent both sets Of the Jersey
members from voting lie read an ex-
trac, from Mr.. Horace Everctt's speech
IN the case Of Gholson and Claiborne, 10
show that we were not in that disorgan
,zed state which gentlemen Supposed
l'ba, argument he adopted as Il part of
his own
Mr. Everett explained that there was
no Discrepancy between his views as
expressed in the speech alluded to by the
hon. gentleman from New York and the
views he now held. lie did not howcv-
or, in that speech, admit the right of the
Clerk, IN making out his list, to 20 behind
The certificate. Further. The House was
n,w in a situation that he cocld never
have anticipated, and he did not doubt
that, from the necessity Of the case, The
members could, ut the present point.
take votes and settle questions.
MIR. Pope, of kentucky, commended
that FIVE out Of the New Jersey members
ought TO clear out, aud make room for
,hos. who were constltu,iona!iy sent
here. New Jersey was entitled to six
and not to eleven votes, and he saw that
the distinguished gentleman from NIassa-
ciruset,s, Mr.. Adams) was crowded by
them into an obscure conor, while some
Of the New. ork and Kentucky members
were crammed into the fireplace. lie
went OIL to argue that full faith and credit
ought 10 be given to the certificate OF the
Executive of Safe, until the time came
hen the House could exercise lis con.
stitutional power to judge ol the returns,
and elections OF it's members. No Que
could deny tina, New Jersey was com.
petcnt to create Il tribunal with power to
Judge who was duly elected from that
State and it followed from this that the
decision Of that tribunal must stand. until
another tribunal be or1an;zcd for review.
in. aud reversing it. lie expressed the
nope that ihe Wing gentlemen here
would agree upon some course, aud he
was sorry TO SEQ them divided. He
commended that we could not exclude the
whole delegation of Il Safe from their
seats; the :iouse should dee ide that th0sc
should vote, in the first instance, who had
the Governors certificate. lie was not
prepared to say which of these gentle.
men were duly elected /; and, if upon in-
vestigation, il should be found that The
claimants were elected, and they should
take their seats, he would be perfectly
willing to elect Speaker anew, and or.
game the House anew. lie did not
wish 10 deprive any gentleman of his due
rights in this House.
Mr.. Rhctt argued, with great force.
that according to the practice Of this
House, whether reasonable or unreasOno.
bile, the Clerk had right to put questions
aud this body had right to decide them.
Tie, therefore, hored the Clerk would
pm, the question whether he should make
the statement which he wished to make
or not.
Mr.. Wise besought the Clerk to re.
view his decision, and now to call one
set or the other of The New Jersey dele
gates. Ii any question were put. he,
lnr one, should claim that Mr.. Halsied
and his associates BE- allowed to Vote
lie would thank any gentleman TO show
us how any vote could be taken here,
without a decision Of the question, which
of the Delegations here are entitled to
vote.
Mr.. Rhctt, in the course Of some re.
marks in reply to Mr.. Wise, said that, in
case Of the election Of a Speaker by
members who, as it might afterwards
appear, obtained their seats by fraud, or
mistake, he would pledge himselfto pro-
cced to new election.
The debate was continued. and Mr..
Weller, a new member from Ohio, made
II very eloquent speech in support Of the
course taken by the Clerk.
The House adjourned at 4 o'clock,
without coming to any conclusion.