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

mode the House. at last voting on the rights OF al Tue
claimants from New Jersey, individually, confirmed It's
ey;nus decision that none of them should vote. THIS
Srst noin, being twice settled, should hope - now
;rr.vocably concluded The Democrats IN the House,
who from the beginning had taken the ground mar 'he
contrasting parties ought neither 10 participate III dccd
np upon their respective rights, nor III organizing me
House voted unanimously TO exclude Their own 'ichoS
from Il vote, after their opponents were excluded
The second point gained tn" rejection o Slr.
Wiscs resolution, proposed originally oE .hr "r"'e'
drccng the Clerk to call tn seats III The House tHe
lepullv commissioned claimants from New Jersey,
which was voted down by one hundred and eighteen
NAYS. to one hundred and fifteen yeas. This was the
first OCCASION in the othe proceedings, IN Whch
the yeas and NAYS were called.
The third point in the proceedings determined by
the House was that embraced in Mr. khett rrsoiut"n'
which provides for the call of the roll OF the House. cS
cludug the contested claimants from New jersey, ana
that the controversy between hcm touching tic eiec
ton the returns, qualifications, shall Ss ny
the House before the election OF - NJ
course will enable the body to look 49, -
ors certificate and do, what the Govefo ~
done-uivc validity to the majority OF votes 0fr polls
Mr. Campbell OF South Carolina moved rcconsidr-
ration of Mr. Rhcs resolution, and III some tioq"'i,t
remarks with which he prcaccd hs NOTION stisiru m
who heard him oithc purity and par ' OF MS ot'es
The proposition which he read to the House showed
that he had no wish TO introduce the Governor Ger
tfcae men control the organization OF te iious'
His substitute proposed that any organization should pe
held to be temporary, If the members Admitted 10 VOC
should be afterwards declared by the House not TO pe
entitled to their seats THIS proposition ior com
promise would not be unacceptable, If the temporary
organization proposed be effected by one class OF the
contcstnr claimants did not give them an advantage
in the decision of the question which depended up
on that very organizations and If IT did not sci pre-
cedrnt of portcntous import to the future peace
nc tho country Mr. Campbell himself depicted, III
the strongest culors the dreadful consequences whrh
might occ ur if such n controversy as that now depend
inc before the House had sprung up at any other Pc
Rod than III which the temper and morals OF Inc
pcope so ccctuav curbrd every tendency 10 anarchy
or revolution We think that, 5 the contingency has
occurred which Mr.. Campbell Justly observed would,
in unauict times cndangcr the safety of the Govern
ment itself the occasion should be seized to establish
a precedent, which should forever prevent tn" APP
pretended mschietS. The case, II nov stands,
only involves the election of officers Of the House,
and this is a time of profound peace, and yet all
the dangerous excitement which has arisen on me
subject that il has arrested, for almost fortnight,
the action of the Legislative branch of the Govern
mcnt and has held the whole country III state "i deep
and anxious suspense II is almost repetition on the
great stare of the tnion of the trighu scenes whic
threatened but short time since, 10 drrnrh lenhsy!,
yana with blood Both these fearful and dSgracctui
dramas have originated in the attempts Of Executive
officers to defeat the will of the people, expressed al
the polls by suppressing their sutragcs The ann OF
both has been to organize the legislative boGrs-n one
instance that Of great State; IN the other That OF inc
Union-n direct opposition TO the will OF the great
mass of the people concerned in both These acts OF
Executive usurpaton have been, far, successfully
resisted should they be allowed TO have even partial
success: We think Mr. Campbclls proposition, al
though fully appreciate the excellence OF the mo-
tive in which il originated, would rive partial success
to the usurpation of Governor Pennington. de-
cision at the threshold is Of much Importance IN
its immediate effects and future consequences, tiat
all its difficulties should at he encountered TO-
vernors and petty executive officers should 10" taught
that every attempt defeat the will Of the majority,
legally expressed Will be promptly and thoroughly re-
PEELED. If revolutionary spirit was abroad, ana
President of the United States instead OF Speaker
were to be elected by the House, fraudulent rcrt'i
cate from Executive, giving seats to Irg'l'natc
members, might throw the country into evil war
Governor of Rhode Island, by false commission to
two members from that State might III Presidential
election bv the House OF representatives, ncutralIze
the vote of the great State OF New York. and give away
the Chief Magistracy, by making two fraudulent votes
outweigh the legal sufrages Of as many millions Such
terrible consequences corruption grows IN the con'
try and the high prize which 'cmpts ambition among us
becomes nagniicd in its grandeur, only be guarded
against by early and cautious preccdcns, rcpclng the
slightest cncroachmcnt of the Executive power III sup
planting nv Gifts own the real Represents
t;yos NJ tho nopular suffrage.