Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-12-31
Saturday, December 81, 1899.
IN SENATE


Mr. ROBINSON gave notice that, as as il would
hr in order So he would ask leave to introduce
bill fol tie relief Of A. G. S White
Mr.. PRESTON gave notice dat, at the rarlirs, day
it would be in order to do so, he would ask leave 10
troduce bill for the relief of General Croghln and
General Wool.
The Senate then adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE
VIVA VOCE VOTING
On yesterday Mr. HOFFMAN Submitted the fol-
lowing resolution, which the first business in or
der:
Rcso'red That The standing rules and orders Of the
last House of Representatives. cSccp: the th rule be
adopted the rules and order of proceeding OF this
House for the ensuing days. that the rules and or
dcrs he referred to committee, with instructions to re-
port such amendments of the sad rules and orders as
they may deem eXpedlent
Mr.. CRAIG had moved to strike out Of the above
resolution the words "ercept The llh rue, that being
the rule by which members were required to vote for
eli officers roee, and this latter motion the
question pending.
After some remarks from Messrs. HUNT, TIL
LINGHAST and SALTONSTALL,
MIR. CUSHING rose to make few remarks with re.
gard to the adoption rather the continuation of the
rule under scuss;orsand he did so because upon re-
fcrrng the of gentlemen this question, he
found that those who opposed the adoption of the rule
in relation to rrs r0cc voting his political assoc
ates and those who supported it the friends OF the
present Administrator and his political opponents and
on this question he differed with his political friends
This question partly question of principle, and
partly question OF party expectancy If IT was mere
" question Of party cxped;ency, he should doubt
with regard to the to be pursued he would vote
with his party assoriaes but he regarded It as qucs
ton of principle, and as question of principle II
must override party expedIency. In the hrst place.
with regard To the question Of principle he conceived the
members of the Congress of the United States to be
public agents, and public agents, bound to let their
acts be known to their prime pals We are the agents
of the people. The members of the Senate OF the
United States are the agents Of the States. The mcm-
bers of the House of Representatives are the agents oil
the people of the States That he held to be the fun
dnmcntal principle Of Government recognised by
the Constitution. Sir, what are Representatives.
They men who represent others-men who speak
on bralfot those whom they represent. We are here
to represent our constituency Well who the con-
stitucncv: Those who appoint and constitute. Our
constituency the people who appoint and constitute
us their agents and this House. and our
here not votes, but they are SIMPLY
the votes of those who sent us here But his colleague
Ind asked if nur constituents had not sent here free
agents Undoubtedly they did, bnt they sent us from
a previous conviction ofthc harmony of our scnti-
ments with their sentiments; and, in our votes here,
we must represent their sentiments otherwise we are
their representatives He repeated, that we were
the representatives Of constituents merely speak
ing their voice; and that voice should be public voice,
not secret, not clandestine voice, it were, but
public voice, the face Of the world and in the face
of heaven. Such the general principle; but he
held it to be the constitutional principle also. The
Constitution of the United States, in the fifth section
of the first article provides that 'the yeas and nays of
the members Of either House, any question, shall
at the desire of one-h of those present. be entered
on the journal" This the general principle Of
the Constitution applicable to all prescribed by
the Constitution, excepting one single case, which
is in the election of President of the United States,
which, in another clause the Constitution says shall
be by ballot That insertion of express eption
implication OF en- exclusion in all other cases
The Constitution makes single exception TO the
vote by ballot in the of President of the United
States and this he held to be exclusion of that mode
in regard to all other votes Perhaps he would be told
by some gentlemen, that there express provi-
sion in the Constitution to the mode in which
the officers of this House to be elected. But Sir,
not the choice of officers Of this House vote: Do we
not vote for Clerk? Certainly do: and general
principle in the Constitution, that vote should be pub.
lie vote In fact it had been public vote more
occasions than in this House. 1t had been assumed
by the gentleman from New York. and by his colleague,
that the introduction Of the uiOn voting into this
House innovation existing usuges, which
was to be apprehended He, however, did not fear in
rovatons He had hoard it said that monarchs dreaded
change; the people never did He believed in change,