The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-02-29

there i hing be,e these r~o things for 10 Judge
Of Il is important, then, 10 see The point where sne
election terminates add the return commences. ins
seems to be svsgue idea here that there may oe sucn
4 thing as an intermediate return. Some hold That,
when the ballot s received when 70 gwen BY the
eector The election ended Not So II - not ended
ill some csndidete q actually chosen ihe scrip
lure SAYING may here be applied, Many are called,
I hat few are chosen" Some one oil the candidates
lhusl be selected. there Is no election again as
sen that al the intermediate steps between giving the
votes and making the return that A is duly chosen.
are but paus Of the process Of election, and do but
/ form the bash on which the 10 stand.
| hope have made myself understood II have
will nov proceed how the present stands
before the Committee Of Elections 10 order TO show 10
the House what very great injustice will be done, should
the amendment OF the member from Tennessee Mr..
Cave Johnson) be adopted
II Is known 10 US all, an historical fact, that this
House has refused to receive ve Of those claiming 70
be the New Jersey delegation to this Congress. This
may be reason why the committee do not wish 10
thrust tina, subject again before The House donot say
that was the motive; but the committee knew thst
the House had refused 10 recognize the legal return
brought by these gentlemen aud produced before u,
when there there no legal evidence 10 mpeach It's
authenticity, II may have been the motive IL iormsa
singular part Of the history Of this transaction, that these
legal returns, duly authenticated IN the forms OF law
have been sen aside aud ,ranped under foot by tins
House. evidence deemed by The House sufficient
gam much single TO admit their compeli-
tors. The House set aside the legal evidence. under
the greatest seal Of the State favor Of set OF
claimants and yet not solitary vote was given IN favor
OF the title Of those who claimed To be IN opposition TO-
them The evidence sufficient TO create vacuum,
but not TO ill il.
The committee, after toing for some days about
preliminary report, came at last TO the conclusion that
they would 60 int, the whole that they would IA
vestYae all the allegations on both sides. aud deter
who had actually received the greatest number OF
legal votes or. in other words, who had been elected
There great OF testimony on boh sides re-
fencd the committee. They examined il 6rst to
how much NJ It was competent testimony
1.-THE Char agsin nterposcd, and reminded Mr.. +.
that order state in the House, what had
been done IN the committee
Mr.. FILLMORE contended that il was impossible the
amendment proposed could be understood by the House.
unless The facts allowed To be stated He regret
ted that lie should be suspected Of desire to violate
the order Of the House He had endeayored always 10
con6ne himself within the rules of order all he desired
tina. the House should have the facts to 60 upon,
and then III chose TO adopt the amendment Of the gen.
tlenan from Tennessee, SO be it but let them be
compelled TO act blindfoded.
He had said that the committee by the request Of
both the parties. first passed upon the competency Of
the testimony. Much Of II found to be lncompe-
tent, owing to want Of time to render anthem
TIC He hoped he might be pardoned # he here alluded
to resolution adopted by the committee
Mr.. r. here commenced reading the resolution, and
had gotten partly through when
Mr.. CAVE JOHNSON mterposed, and hoped the
gentleman would be be permIlted 10 proceed unless
they all had the same liberty The merits did
up motion TO print.
Mr. BRIGGS reminded the Chair that, under the
rules any member had a night TO demand the reading
Of paper which II was proposed TO the House TO print
The CHAIR said that II did not apply as this mo-
ton referred proceedings Of committee which had
been reported TO the House, AID not, there
fore, 10 posse ssion Of the House.
| Mr. LEWIS WILLIAMS demanded Of the Chair
whether was not out Of order to pm. papers before
committee before that committee had made a report
The CHAIR said that it a question for the
! House. not the Speaker 10 decide.
| Mr.. ADAMS inquired whether the Chair decided
that Mr. r. had not right to call for the reading OF pa
| pers which il was proposed TO the House to print
The CHAIR replying in the affirmative,
MIR ADAMS took appeal.
Mr., STANLY. Canno, call for the reading Of
| CHAIR. They not in possession Of the House.
| The question being on the appeal,
Mr. SMITH, of Connecticut, rendered his thanks
TO the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr Adams) for
having taken the appeal 1t important that the
question should be settled, matter of principle.
He would call the attention Of the House to this very
extraordinary case. gentleman Of the House, (Mr.
Johnson Of Tennessee not member OF the commit
tee in his place and introduced proposition, by
way of amendment 10 pass order Of the
standing committees Of the House, touching business
referred Them and which they have under Ionsdera-
ton, with 10 control the action of such commit
Tee, and TO give 1t direction which he would affirm TO
be unjust and inexpedient, If not npractcable He
had objection printing the proceedings Of and all
papers aud proofs BEFORE the committee, with TO
disclose the OF the business to the House. and If
gentlemen please to the country; but he did object TO
requisitlon the committee to make, at this tne
formal report their proceedings, and especially
port 'tne names Of individuals who received majority
Of all the given the election for members Of the
| 26th Congress- from New Jersey; by which he
derstood majority irrespective Of the question whether
the such legal Ile-
/ gal Or, in other words, II is proposition compel
the committee alleged be alien and H.
legal, TO make out majority to be used a manner
and for purpose which all will readily comprehend.
The honorable member from New York (Mr Fill
more) proceeding to show the Improperly OF
interference with the committee, and to demonstrate
that the adoption OF the amendment proposed would
only be unjust to the parties but would break upon
the arrangements Of the committee and would endan-
ger, If defeat, the whole investigation. For this
purpose, and with this intent, he the Of read
ing important resolution passed by the committee,
which would only disclose the principles which the
committee adopted their guide this important in
curry, but would enable the House to form some Just
conception Of the present OF the question
mlttee, aud to Judge the propney Of adopting the amend
inent under consideration. No sooner, however had
his friend FROM New York, demo this than honorable
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr Pelrkin) rose to a
point of order and insisted that i. is order
| refer to proceedings IN committee. This rule Mr. s.
submitted. did not apply at all to like the pre-
sent 1t always order refer such proceedings
so far they are reported to the House. But in this
case is the object Of the honorable gentleman from
Tennessee 10 obtain order the committee make
a report particular basis Neither the gentleman
from Tennessee the House, know the condition Of
! the subject IN committee.
Now, If it order for the honorable gentleman 10
enter the committee room and attempt to lay hold Of
the business there pending IN order for a mem
Der Of the committee (who may be supposed to know
-. ~. -. a.. L