Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-12-14

cOmDetcnl L.,
n sbnuld not vote until the House decided that nc
Il bopld vote The same objection might De raseu -
any other gentleman right TO vote ana aay u - NO
,vould be spent in these preliminary questions, anu -
- would result from it. Then let us meet the lues.
Co.; =, dnv and come up to the question winch Is res
calculated To avoid all difficulty Let US TAKE ne
10 lay the resolution of the gentleman from y
tb table or to reject it: and II The Vo'e "i 'i a'sl
T., ,hc decision of the House be pronounced WITHOUT
,s;nn these preliminary questions OF abstract rish'
which serve but little practical purpose ms cou'e
had been suggested BY the Char some days ago as t
proper course to be pursued ana ne hopeu e iio"s.
would take ND this suggestion and act upon II now IN
80 this course upon the House, he would state that
he Sole object was to bring the House to acton ana
avoid those difficulties in which the House had pe .s
involved to the injury OF the puoic sefVce' anu " c
risk Of its own dignity and capacity for future useful
ness ~ H. .L;ob tho
MIR. WISE would suggest course by "hlcn u. iiie
/ Uousc mjplt arrive at speedy termination Oh 'h''
question. Let the gentleman from Maryland "ilnufa"
his proposition. Let the gentleman rom Nor.h Sato
Ia ,s p;tbJrnw his resolution, and let the gentleman
from Soutb Carolina withdraw the motion to lay the
resolution submitted by him, (Nlr Wisel on e taoie
Then let the Clerk go and call the roll, calling me
members from New Jersey, who haa presented Tue ~
naI formal certificates according to the Constitution ana
The laws of New Jersey Then we will be prepared to
vote; and when we to vote upon any ques'ioh' u
the votes of the New Jersey members VIII not change
the result, nothing need be said about their Vot.he,
but if it does then the teers can report the iac " c
Tousc and the House then act upon the question
He thoupht this would be the most satisfactory mode
of getting all difficulty in relation to tins question:
and hoped gentlemen would cease pursuing shadows,
and unite upon practical proposition OF thus KIND
/ MIR. MCKAY, after few remarks, winch, IN cohsc-
ouencc of the noise and disorder prevailing, with re.
peatcd calls ORDER not heard, SAID that he naa
before expressed the opinion, which he rePea,co' mat
neither party should be permitted to vote Inc .iues
ton has been submitted to the Chair but the Char re-
, r., Shn he decided
I who should vote as members from the Stale OF New
jersey The House had already decided that the hve
New Jersey gentlemen who held the certificates OF the
Governor should not vote and the Char refuses now
to put any question the House, for the reason that It
must first decide who to vote members from ~
while there proposition to decide that point eltter
in an affirmative negative before the House ms ne
considered be monstrous assumption OF authority by
the Chair The House has decided that hve OF the claim
ants shall not vote, and member then submits mo-
ton that the other five also shall be prevented from
voting until the controversy is decided Inc InaIT-
man then declares that while he occupies that char,
he never would permit sovereign State to be dsra-
chscd by prohibiting her Representatives from voting
on any question before that House; and therefore hc
declares that he would not put the question Did not
the Chairman HIMSELF at the last session, submit rcso-
luton to the House, that member whose seat was
contested should be entitled 10 vote upon any question
before the House. until his right to seat should be first
investigated and decided upon Now, If IT was con.
sttutonal for the Chairman himself to present that re-
solution as member of the House of Representatives,
was it not constitutional for him. member OF the
House of Representatives, to offer similar PROPOSE
ton; IT, however, the House willing to proceed
at once to vote he would be willing TO withdraw his
proposition.
Mr. CRAIG asked if the House about to
decide the right of the members from New Jcr-
scy: He asked, in The language of the eloquent gen
tlcman from Georgia, who addressed them the other
dav how was the House 10 enforce its edics: Under
the difficulty they involved III the other day, the
Clerk deciding that he could not put question, Chair
man was appointed, who would have the power TO put
questions Now what did the Chair tell this House
lust now, 'As long occupy this Chair, will not
suffer sovereign State to be dsfranchlsed by excluding
the votes of her members any question before the
House" Sir, said MIR. c., never get along un-
less we attack difficulties at time The first diff
Guilty was that produced by the Chair itself IN declaring
that he would not put question his REFUSAL to register
the cdcts of the House. The House had determined
that the members who presented the certificates of the
Governor of New Jersey shall not be permitted TO vote.
Let us them (said Mr. c. dismiss all bubbles: let us
feel and men, and consider this tanamount to
decision that neither party shall vote until the contro
yersy settled So much noise and confusion prevail
ed while Mr.. Craig speaking, that the Reporter
heard him very imperfecty; and in the concluding part
of his remarks, his voice completely drowned by
the cries of norder, order = Ego on, go on " DC:
/ Mr.. RHETT, in reply To some words from MIR. Wise,
not heard, declined withdraw his motion 10 lay that
gentleman resolution the table. The question, he
said to decide the fate Of that resolution, coudas well
be taken the motion to lay on the table as in any
other way.
/ MIR. JOHNSON of Maryland then said he refused
to Withdraw his motion; whereupon,
i Mr.. WISE moved the previous question on it.
Il Mr.. RHETT then asked if that resolution Of Mr.
i Johnson was before the House
Il The CHAIR answered, that question could be
before the House, until it should decide who should
vote as members from the State of New Jersey
Mr.. RtET'T stated the question as he understood IT.
II first arose his Ir R. 81 motion lay the resou-
ton of the gentleman from Virginia (Alr Wse the
table, next the resolution of the gentleman from
MARYLAND substitute; and then came the decision
of the Chair, that question could be put until the
House decides who shall vote members from New
Jersey. Now he moved 10 lay the question raised by
the Chair the table.
! Mr.. WISE informed the gentleman from South Ca.
rolna TAIr Rhett that motion could be put that
question until the preliminary of who entitled
, to vote should be first decided
Mr. SLADE desired TO know the question that
f before the House.
The CHAIR said that the main question was for the
meeting TO determine who entitled to vote from the
State of New Jersey The House having determined,
by reversing the decision of the Chair, that the
bers holding the certificates of the Governor Of New
Jersey, should not vote, il necessary that the
meeting should say who entitled to vote, inasmuch
they woud not deprive sovereign State OF its repre-
/ scntation this ioo-
!, Mr. SLADE understood the gentleman from Mary
land TMr Johnson] had offered proposition here,
which he was disposed to Keep before the iosc, unless
the gentleman from South Carolina would withdraw
his motion TO lay the resolution Of the gentleman from
Virginia alr. Wise on the table.
Mr. JOHNSON of Maryland said he would modify
his resolution by withdrawing the second clause of ii.
The first clause contained distinct proposition, and
the House, by taking the question it, would to
direct vote ON the principle invoked
!, Mr.. SLADE then and lnSdc some remarks,
which viii he reported in full hereafter.
Mr. GRAHAM Of North Carolina rose to question
of order, several members trying to obtain the floor,
and speaking at the time.
: The CHAIR again stated the question The House
must first decide who shall AS members of New
Jersey, and then the question TIE motion of the
gentlemen from S. Carolina could be put The Chair
would however, suggest substitute for his decision,