Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-12-07

Mr. CRAIG SAID that III the present un0rgtni2cd
Of the body, all must perceive that every move
lncut must b. tn, result of general consent.
Mr. UNDERWOOD then moved that the lious" adj
iourn until Tomorrow, al y O'Clock.
The CLERK then put the question the adjourn
m,cnt, and it was decided in the affirmative; and then,
Th" ilnrs" adjourned
Obstruction il the organization Of the House.
When the House Of Representatives met tins morn
n3, the Clerk IN brief address, asked leave OF In"
body 10 make a statement OF the course which he be-
lcvcd his duiv required him to take in regard to the
certificates under which the claimants to the contested
seats presented themselves III the hod". Some OF the
Wing partisas Immediately Objected and insisted that
H. should neither explain his views Of has duty, nor
perform il in any other way than that in which l!'y
though! il should b" performed fr. Wise differed III
THIS from Nrs<rs Sian!v, Whit" !cniir and others,
and held that lie CLERK might make known 10 til"
House what function Il" conserved the law, the
rules Of the ilrus", and USAGE. imposed upon h:',
and how ltc proposed 10 rSccu'" II. R"t Nj Wis.,
cnrirua.d that he had no ALTERNATIVE; h" must eau
the li.t ii nr..hrrs including those :" New J"r~"y:
ana while he denied !i rrh, "f the Clerk 10 ry"rc!sr
any power ~ i iud.s, 1" decide upon the conflicting
credentials, still demanded. and appealed to the Clerk
oath and conscience II "h''rc" the demand thai ne
should recognise set of claimants or In" "ih"f-an
act which involved decision 10 the right al one
Marty or The ether to the contested seats Under tI"
express terms otihc Constitution, the llcS" alone =
authorized 10 ludgr al h' ri"rES oi ilcinbcrS y"
return is the title Ia the scat, and yet while r Is"
denies that tn" Clerk !; to any extent Clothed with !-
dical authority, hc insists that he SHALL, by ms t%t
d;c settle ~ The first instance. who rghttnlly IN
titled as the sitting members THUS may bc according
10 the law Of Parliament. for aught We know bat II II
be- then Mr. Wiscs first propositIon-that the Clerk,
IN officiating To organize the House has no capacity TO
adl;cair On the validity "tlr credentials from winch
he makes M h. ro-cainol stand. If he has any
mower settle the contest about the validity "i ere
d,nals, and, by placin" name on hts roll, thereby
give a member possession "i seat tn" right !" winch
il contested by another. he must b" to That cN'"nta
judicial officer.
The Clerk, IN proposing 10 pass over Tie names Of
the cnlcSi;nn claimants evidently proposed {" refer
The question the disputed returns To tic undiSpItrG
m"uIhcrs of the body. VIII" ar" alone competent to d"
eide finally on the validity al III" returns. But this
far and reasonable course is moi permitted b. ia" M
nuriiv and while Mr. Wi- al tho minority insists
that h shall continue To call his roll, and call G
representation from N,w Jersey this Is v'h"ncntir o.
posed by Great portion Of til" saline lari In" '-
rimri,y nave therefore, determined that quorum {" ui-
tl;sn,rd members shall not be called 10 decide on the
returns nor will they allow the Clerk, 50 disposed,
10 act upon Mr. Wise idea 81 parliamentary law
And they have taken thcir stand upon In" ground Thai
the members sent BY the Governor shall sn"rccdc
those sent v the State and presume apon their power
to force them the House, without allowing the body
even vote The subject.
Mir Rhrtt from South Carolina, IN some very iofci-
bic amd well pointed remarks, presented the views
which h. had taken former occasion, wien ne pro-
ntr,rd Il preliminary organization, with chairman to
preside, over the d,hrraon. of the body, to decide
On The rri of claimants to seats IN the FIRST instance"
lie raad the Journal to show that this mode o nrg"iiI-
zaun had been voted down. and the competency OF the
Clerk IL prnpouud questions recognised and arcG upon
IL. held therefore, tina. the mode Of enabling
The House 10 act as dtlbcratiyr body and decide
Questions had been denied and III" ether, recognising
the Clerk rs ia" officiating officer until the cr""nza-
ton was completed, had been sormmy adopted, that
the House should now permit ih innGr thiiS mao"
urrcrtcnt 10 be- continued and the body formed under
IT, BIT his reasonable suggestion opposed on all
SIDES by the Wings who have now rendered IT per-
trcv apparent tia, they will suffer nothing I" be done
unless The aorty surrender ut discretion to The mino-
ry, and permit them to have every thing their own
way. in defiance Of right and precedent
The speeches Of icsS-s Vandrrpocl and Weller per
lrcv expose the motive Of this attempt
TuE New JERSEY QrEsrION-Thc Ncw Jersey cas"
j.. in u nutshell The Democratic delegation has
nri,y Of the votes: fact notorious, mndi.pn'ci, ard
certified moreover, by the Secretary OF state lie
Federal candidates have the certificate OF the Cover
nor and Council partisan tribunal, which admits
that its decision formed upon mutilacd returns.
Neither the Constitution the law makes the GER
tlicatc binding upon the primary determination Of
the House Congress, in this regard, is perfectly
unshackicd by State Legislation II IS tic
Judge of the qualifications Of lis own members
Hitherto indeed, the certificate, and general
admission. have given seats t" candidates; hut THIS
not lax, organic statutory, but SIMPLY usag"
and precedent. IL has bc.7 departed from h""r and
should lie" whenever conformity Herewith would
sanction fragrant injustice violent usurpaton, The
present strong one, because 1t involves the
fate not of singi" member, hut Of nearly the whol"
delegation Of Il sovereign STATE Establish the rlIIr
upon whc!i the minority candidates claim their seats.
and what is the consequence; Why, that the repre-
Scntaon OF a district, that Of whole STATE, when
BY general ticket can BE- altered AT the pleasure
of petty partzan officer county clerk, whose duty
is simply 10 forward the returns, whose tenure de-
ponds upon the retention Of authority III the hands Of
his political friends, has but TO suppress withheld
return, and The popular will Of whole Stat" Is de
ia,rd This is the rcd"ctio cd Hd$HrGGm Of the pro-
position. ana to suck monStrous consequences does IL
lead The will of the people OF sovereign state u
overturned, and q whole delegation imposed upon t.
after having been rejected by the caprice OF petty
county officer, himself partisan, and dependent upon
the result for III place No aoplStrr can rel over
thcs.. consequences Sanction them, and representa-
tive government becomes Ignnhle rnork"ry Tie
clerks Of Cumberland and MIdd'Soy. 10; the people
will have returned the members of Congress from y
ersry.-GiGb', ri Der. 3.
W,suISGTo>, December l.-Thc third day OF the