Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-12-05

sions on this floor .u
Tn, Clerk then stated that he had certificate {" l0s
Governor of New Jersey declaring v 'ilan' ti's,e
(whase name stood next upon The ron 10 have oc ~"
| lv elected Representative from that Sia'"'
Cries of "Rcad, read :.
The Clerk thercupom read Mr.. Halscd ccr'dca.t'
and then declared that he had in his hands ",hri
fcaes in precisely the same form ~ favor 81 ,"''
Avcrigg, J. 7. B. Maxwell, Thos Jones 'ofA'' ""'
| Charles {. Stratton.
Mr.. Mercer moved for The reading oi the law Of Nc"
Jersey on the subject of Congressional rrciio,'S
Mr. Cav. Johnson objected 10 having the Ia" F'""
until the evidence III favor oil any "'h'i ''"''
the seats had first been read ,5
Mr.. Mercer said tina, the object Of his motion ma"
simply been that the law and the testimony IN 'c eaS'
might be presented togctier- ,.o =,
hath sides shoud first he heard after which he hao no
objections to the reading Of the law
| Mr y,,dcrnocl of New York, also urged the pro
prictv OF submitting all the facts first and men III. .
wbch related 10 the case. lie understood that there
was conflicting testimony in relation 10 right TO these
scas in III. hands Of The Clerk; the testimony on one
side had been read let that the other b" read aiS"
Mr. T,ll;nchast of Rhode Island, SAID ii would make
not the slightest difference which was reau
all would doubtless sooner later, be read the order
was ;mmo.r;al But the call had been made tor me
law Of New Jersey, in order that II might BE- decuca
what sort oicvidencc could BE- read, from cher party
IN CONFORMITY with the law lie therefore should con
slider it more convenient that the law should DC fcu ."
once in order to determine that point
| Mr. Jeuii;.r of Maryland said he understood the
Clerk to say that he had received I'VE other ccr'hca
in the same fern with that which had luSt hc'n f'no,
were there. any more than these SIX II not, why aa
he moi call the OF The other ccrta I'moels' ."
he had that Of Mr.. Randolph
Mr. Riycs of Virginia recommended 'hat TINS "hni'
matter be laid upon the table until quorum OF 'nc
Hons, should have been obtained; then there Wonia p'
a IJoIs. which could do something: TIL then iiolhhg
.nld be done because. there was House to do it
He thought gentlemen on both sides had BETTER AT once
acauescc in this course by general consent hhrh
there was a House Of Representatives. although lnghl
not vet BIZ regularly organized question c"ho oe P"'
and decided; now no question could even be put
Mr. Maxwell again spoke; again insisting on an M
mediate decision on the rights OF those who had pre-
scnted regular credentials 10 take their seats
The Clerk said, that there were three dStlhe'
nronositions on which the House was requested TO
vote first that the law of New Jersey, touching cleo
lions be now read secondly, that the testimony in ia
vor of the opposing claimants be- first read; and ilrdy
that the whole subject be- for the present, LAID upon the
table.
+ there quorum VI members called If not are less
than quorum to vote: If any question shall be pu
before we have quorum of members whose seats are
not disputed We shall ret into endless confusion.
The Clerk said, that if he was permitted to reply ne
would state as his judgment, that there was no
possible mode of deciding on the admission OF ca'ih
ants TO the remaining seats of the New Jersey "''eS'
ton until the calling Of the roll should have been gone
through with. This could Dc zone only " s't"
consent. =
Mr. Wise Does that mean universal consent Il
any one objected could it still be done Were those
who claimed seats to vote ON that question:
The Clerk declined deciding in the case
Mr. Mercer objected to the proposal OF his colleague
MI RivcsA who seemed to desire that the House
should vote to lar subject the table before 1t was
ascertaned whether there was quorum present M
had desired to have the law Of New Jersey read neor'
the remaining testimony in the hands of the Clerk bu
,f nut1 10 ry
LET all the testimony be- first gone through with.
MIR. Rivcs explained. He had not proposed that ;
vote should be taken, but that by general consent h
question in relation these seats should Tor the pre-
sent be laid aside He hoped that such wond be- th'
disposition of all present. When the roll had beei
zone through with il would doubtless appear that
quorum was present The House could then return tt
this subject take it up hear the evidence and the law
: and come to a correct decision
Mr.. Hoffman, of New York, said that the proposition
was to proceed and conn lcc the calling of hc roll
Of what roll: Who were members OF the House =
! Who hut such as held the regular legal certificates
their election by the People Mr. II asked the cer
no, ON the REGULAR LEGAL evidence of lis election
And if the gentlemen from New Jersey produced tn
same evidence, had they not the SANG right TO tei
seats: If, indeed. there tao SETS of claimants
and both produce the certificates Of The Governor II
), conformity with the law of their State, then thcr
might BE- room to hestate otherwise, how could Their
be If the laws of New Jersey declared that, 4
grcss he must have certificate, signed by the Go
vernon that he had been duly elected, wuud the Clerl
dare 10 insert upon his roll the name OF any MAJ
not bringing such certificate: Suppose set Of mel
should get together, and draw up depoSitions that Mr.
II had not been duly elected BY the People, would tn
Clerk such dispositions, dare to reject the comms
sion Mr.. II presented to him in due form OF law, an'
refuse place his upon the rolf lie insisted OF
the reading of the New Jersey law: they had no right
on the threshold TO IL and disregard It's pro
yic, Thcvha IA N q IN So ASH
claims of men presenting themselves the R"prcs,n
tatives of sovereign Stale and bringing III their hand
the legal proofs of their official character and rights.
Mr. Halstcd, oc New Jersey, said that he demanded
as the Representative Of of the sovereign States
this Union, that his be cailcI TIL" only reason
! the Clerk had given for calling it vas, ira: Their,
/ were certain Other claimants To the seats Of hos
whose names he had mentioned, but had not called
as on the roll of the House Would the Clerk say
c that other persons had to him with commissions
&c in their hands under the broad seal of the State
" that attcstation which represented the sovereign
u ty of the State in lis most solemn form "a form o
II evidence known the usages of the State from thu
y earliest days of its political existence. Would he
y that If the Clerk would produce such certificates il
support of the other claimants demand, Mr.. H. woul,
D. then consent that the question should BIZ passed
d proposed but he could consent-lnrrcly because
certain gentlemen, however personally respectable
might suppose that they had valid evidence of thci
right to seats, though that evidence was not according
IF TO the laws of New Jersey or in conformity to any de-
C cision of this House, of any Parliamentary bod
e since the ages OF Saxon anccstors-t!a
of the stars in the gaaxv of our national sovereign
o " should be stricken out while lie and his colleague
stood rccrcant by without lifting their voices i'll the
seron of the rights of the State, and without insisting
st it their bounden duty TO do that her seal shou
be received prima acie evidence OF the righ,
is of her Representatives claiming in her lie
entirely willing that any other gentlemen should b.
!, received here with the courtesy himself ant
his colleagues provided they produced evidence il
conformity with the aw- they brought in their hand
certificates duly signed by those public iunctionaric
n whose express and exclusive right and duty it was
certify the election of Representatives, But if the,
produced such evidence what right he'd that House
:. to reject the proof which in conformity Will
law: The Constitution declared that the times, places
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