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

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position TO present to the meeting
NJ RIVES said il was not his intention 10 thfo" "h't'
obs,,clcs in the wav He desired to come 10 s''.e eo
clus;on and therefore he proposed to Sentls"rn, -
nit the gentleman from South Carohhi ~. an1t;on
offer his resolution amendment to thr resoi't,
of his colleague Mr.. WISE, and let the liouse c'''
Mr. BRIGGS made few remarks, showing the ne
ccssty of enforcing the point OF order ana
decorum in the House A., aor and
a. Tho same time giving his opinion that the motion "''
deL,toble and he wanted to have his share OF II.
Ur p was called to order by several gentlemen, anu
he took his seat A. pb.,,s
The CHAIR then put the question on alr fhe''
and directed the tellers to report the names OF
It, on,bors voting whose seats contested and
also IN rcport how the would be without lhe 'o
of those gentlemen whose seats were conlesteo' ai
how il would be with the votes of those gentlemen
Mr.. HOLLEMAN denied that such was me q'ics'
ton before the House He also denied that .fe ques-
ton was ever presented for the House TO decide, as
,d hv ,bo Chair as to who should vote as members
from, New Jersey though the Chair wished to make IL
al To constitute Il question before the House theic
must be an affirmative and negative, or now couiu
the House decide it, How could It decide the ques-
ton rs to who should vote as members from .,e"
Jersey when. having already decided that one set OF
the claimants should not vote, the Chair refuses TO put
IN. question as to the right of the others TO vote ne
denied that the Chair had right to make any such de-
c;sion. This was putting the House in position IN
which il could neither advance nor recede some nays
aoo when the House III similar condtlon, III con
seoueuce Of the Clerk deeming himself incompetent 10
mt questions TO the House. the gentleman occupying
the Chair forcbly appealed to his fellow members pre-
sent to relieve themselves from the embarrassment IN
which the decision of the Clerk had placed theni, ny
removing the Clerk and putting some one IN MS PaGe'
This appeal had hccn followed up by the motion OF the
gentleman from South Carolina which placed the gem
cman himself in the Chair. II was then supposed tat
the House was relieved from the difficulties III when
the decision of the Clerk placed them But really,
from the decision of the Chair just made, 1t appeared
10 him that would become necessary for the House to
remove him from the Chair, and put some ono IN ms
place who was willing to put question. Mr. H. after
few remarks made during much noise and confusion,
anpcaed from the decision Of the Chair and asked tor
the previous question OH the appeal
Mr. BRIGGS said if the gentleman from Vermont
would withdraw his objections, he would submit the
proposton of the Chair to the House for IFS decision IN
the form of a motion Mr. b. then submitted the fol-
lowing, which he read
Rrs0ircd That on the motion of Mr.. Rhctt to lay
Mr. Wses motion the table, or on Mr. WISE re-
solution itself the tcllcrs shall count all the persons
who NAV pass between them; and if any pass whose
right to vote is disputed, the tellefs shall report their
names 10 the Chair, after the number OF votes on both
sides are reported, for the decision of the House
MIR. HOLLEMAN declined Withdrawing his pro-
position, and insisted on taking an appeal from the
decision of the Chair.
The CHAIR asked what decision the gentleman from
Virginia demanded an appeal from.
Mr. HOLLEMAN said that his appeal was from the
decision of the Chair that question could be put un
til thu House decided who should vote as members from
New Jersey.
The CHAIR said, withdraw that decision. Much
laughter.
The question was then taken on Mr. BRlGGSS
motion, and it was carried without division.
The CHAIR then stated the question on Mr.. Rhctt 5
IL. II. ,,,y,, to- nrnpt
If any members whose seats contested, voted using
the language of the resolution just adopted on the mo-
ton Of Mr. Briggs.
The House having seconded the call for the previous
question,
The question was then taken, Shall the main question
be put: and was decided IN the affirmative without
a division.
The main question to lay Mr.. Wiscs resolution Oh
the table was then put Messrs Dromgoole and Dawes
having been appointed tellers.
On counting the result the tecrs reported that there
were Is totes in the affirmative, and IL in the mega
tive; Mr.. Naylor from Penmsy vana, whose seal was
voting with the nays.
The CHAIR announced this decision of the House
to be l15 in the affirmative, and 10 IN the negative
he Chair voting with the nays so that there being
tie, the motion was lost.
Mr. SMITH Of Maine denied that the motion was
lost and appealed from the decision of the Chair. lie
understood the tellers having reported that MI
Nayor whose contested, voted with the nays
He denied the right Of Mr. Nay to vote and objected
to its being counted.
MIR. NAYLOR observed that the gentleman from
Maine MR. SMITH had challenged his ght to vote
Now, he challenged the right of the gentleman himself
vote. Here my credentials, said Mr. ~, holding
them in his hand
Mr. SMITH of Maine turn the gentleman
to Mr. Ingersoll, who has the certificate of the Judges
ofeccton and the certificate of the Governor, under
the broad seal ofthc State of Pennsylvania.
Mr. WISE moved that the vote of the gentleman
from Pennsylvania be counted, and that notion he
called for the previous question.
Mr.. REYNOLDS, amidst much noise and disorder,
moved an adiournment-a number Of gentlemen on
the floor
Mr. WISE aud others opposed the adjournment,
Mr.. Wise proposing to sit by candle light.
The CHAIR was proceeding to put the question on
Mr. Wscs resolution, which he said was the next in
order; when
emit and demanded that the question DC taken on IT.
The CHAIR said that the motion to adjourn was not
in order while question was pending.
Mr.. SMITH and several members here commended
that the question of Mr. Rets motion not decided,
and that it yet depended on the decision oil MT Nay
lors right to vote.
Mr. WELLER again moved the adjournment
Mr. WISE rcstated his motion that Mr. MAYORS vote
be counted and also his motion for the previous cues.
ton on it.
Mr. BRIGGS briefly explained the state of the ques-
tOn before tnc HOUSE lHe questlo hc euiu VIZ Pu'
by the Chair, the motion of the gentleman from
South Carolina, Mr. Rhett to lay the resolution of the
gentleman from Virginia MIR Wisel on the table, and
the teers reported that the vote in the affirmative was
/ H. and in the negative, ii; but in conformity with
the resolution adopted his notion they also reported
that Mr. Naylor of the gentlemen whose seat was
conte stci voted with the nays. The Chair voting IN
the negative there wonld have been tie. and the
luton consequently lost had there not been vote cast
by gentleman whose seat was contested; but as there
was such vote given, the House must decide whether
that vote should he counted before the question could
be considered finally settled, whether the resolution
of the gentleman from Virginia should be laid on the
table or not This he believed. correct state of
the case
The CHAIR said he understood the decision Of the
House, in the motion OF the gentleman from Alassachu
scts (r Briggs to refer only to the contested seats
from New Jersey, and that the gentleman from Penn