The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-01-22

indications had appeaTed-some Iiue s ecks OF war
dimly seen on The horizon, he was confirmed Ia his
conviction thai he ought not TO yield the Hoor les
worse consequences should ensue Before he Tesu
med his seat he should make a motion which il il
prevailed would put stop 10 The debate.
The true and only question before the House was
whether the gentleman from PennSylyanla Mr.
| Wagner, should be excused from serving an tha
committee Mr.. J. would now 60 on TO assign The
reasons why be had thus far acted in favor Of excu
sing The several gentlemen who had asked H. and
why, hereafter, he should vote TO refuse further
leave. lie had earlier 10 the determination no.
10 excuse any more applicants but The appeal Of Tie
gentleman from New York, Mr.. Taylor, for whom
he had the highest regard, and In which that gentle.
man declared that he felt himself incompetent % di,.
charge The duly that would deyolVe upon him il ap-
pointed, had induced Mr. J. to give The vote he d
done 10 excuse him. The reason Of his friend was
10 him entirely satisfactory and valid reas why
he should be excused He knew at the time he
changed his vote thai il would change the result but
he did mol regret il.
As to the gentleman from Pennsylvania Mr. Wa
gener who now asked the same favor none could
esteem him more than Mr.. j. there Was no member
/ Of The House tor whom he had greater personal
| kindness he had known the gentleman long, but
still he must vote against excusing him from the duty
assigned him BY The House.
The first question had been, whether they should
| have any committee al all then whether il should
| be Democratic committeel or a Conservative
| Wing committee whether II should be appointed
by the Chair or elected rtra pOce or chosen BY bal
! lot The battle had been long and ably fought; and
il had resulted in the determination 10 take from The
Chair the nominate OF the committee, 10 reject The
proposition for voting rtra roce, and TO adopt The bal
/ lot. The next question had been, whether the
| House should vote Tor whom IL pleased, or should
WELD TO dictalion Some had been excused; and he
| had voted 10 excuse them, not because he deemed
their reasons conclusive, but an act OF courtesy
which he was reluctant To refuse Another election
had been held, in a manner strictly param' MARY,
and in exact obedience 10 a rule OF the House, and
three other members had been chosen; and now
4 a ~. .LnI, kaa Mo IN q
tain portion Of the House, were they oyerturn and
destroy the eternal fundamental democratic princi-
pie that "the majority shall rule s he trusted
not. He had stretched courtesy as Tar as II would
go. He had excused several gentlemen because
they asked il but was this 10 go on, and the House
be thrown into the same state Of confusion again on
| Monday2 On Monday morning The very same ar
gumeDls would be used still farther dely might be
occasioned, and thus, in the end, the will Of deci
ded majority Of the House efieciuaiy defeated.
The gentleman. from North Carolina Mr. By
NUN had alluded TO caucus. Mr.. J. said he had
never attended one since he came TO w Washington.
He submitted 10 no party dictaion he wrote his
own tckel-acted on his own judgment; and when
talked TO Of party lies he laughed at them. The bat
tie had now been fought; the question had been de-
cided the session was tar gone; there were thou
sand bills upon The table; was il right 10 persist in
i further delay
Gentlemen talked about their being on other com
muees: why, Mr.. J. had been the last session, and
again the present session, upon -four committees;
that would operate as no excuse with him. Gentle
men spoke about placing lawyers on The committee.
God fo bid that none but lawyers should be made the
members of it, Instead, he would select the men
who talked The most and Co sumed most Of The time
of the House, and put them on il, and let them go,
and the House would do more business for their
being out Of the way. A taught Lawyers were
the last men earth he would woe tor. Ee had
rather place the committee plain, practical,
"commonsenscal" man, Gas John Rando phi used 10
say TO Judge on matters OF fact, az, and on an adj
struSe point Of law, too than dozen technical meta
/ m business HDuSg
various and extensive that all question on all sub
iecs OF science and art came at time or Other 10
be decided BY lis members; and why must this COM
4 miltee consist OF lawyers alone He knew the ca
pacity of the gentleman from Pennsylvania, (Mr.
| Wagener) the gentleman might not be a lawyer,
! but he was a man Of sense; and Pennsylvania
not the land
"Where genius sickens or where fancy Dies
IA taught Were gentlemen prepared 10 go home
and tell their cous,ilut ns that they had been mis-
taken in them Z that they were incompetent TO the
duties Of their stations II they had better throw
up their commissions Conservatism Whigism
what had they 10 do with the question: Men who
were sold soul and body, to pariy-men who must
hear and fee, The lash of The whip before they could
be made TO do their duy-might get up on that floor
and talk thus: but honest, honorable American le
gslators not be feltered. Mr.. J. had ever
refused TO be thus chained by party lies. He had
many lime had 10 stand between the cross-fres OF
two three parties, in situation which few would
have coveted for himself he liked the fight But
now, dFOlu SpeckS 10 Nnlcu ne Dau dIluQ-
ed, and TO prevent the debate from running into
greater personalities, he would close by moving The
previous question.
Mr.. BYNUM earnestly requested Mr.. Johnson to
withdraw the motion; but he refused.
Mr.. PARKER moved a call of The House; but
the motion was negatived.
The previous question was now seconded by the
House, put, and carried; and the main question
being On excusing Mr.. Wagner from serving on
the committee, decided b. yeas and nays as
follows; Yeas l02, Nays los.
So Mr.. Wagner was not excused.
Mr.. MARTIN staici he was already member
of two committees of the House, and went on TO
state several other reasons why he wished to be
The CHAIR reminded him that under the rules
he had right 10 decline serving, being already on
tic0 committees.
Mr.. MARTIN thereupon declined.
The CHAIR then stated that there were two va
cancies TO be filled in the committee.
motion was made that the House do now pro-
coed TO ballot for The vacancies on The committee,
and agreed TO.
Mr.. GRAY wished TO offer single suggestion;
but he called to order, the House having re-
solved TO 90 into The ballot.
Mr.. Hunter Of Ohio, said he had voted in the af-
ifmative the question OF excusing Mr.. WAGNER,
and now moved reconsideration of the vote.
The CHAIR said it was not yet in order to act
that motion.
TIE House hereupon proceeded to ballot for two
members 10 fill the remaining vacancies in the com
mittee.
Mr.. GARLAND reported the result; which was,
that the total number OF votes cast had been POI ne
cessary TO choice l0l of which
Mr.. Foster had received l0l votes
Mr.. Owens 1903 J"
Mr.. HAMER 90 "
Mr.. THOMAS 81
and many other gentlemen smaller numbers
He also stated that, on one ballot, there had been
three names the tellers had no means OF ascer-
which af thrpp