Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-03-14
TWENTY-sIXTH CoNGREss---lst SESSION
HOUSE, OF KETREoEN =
SATURDAY. March Z, lSIU.


Mr. FILLMORE proceeded to address the House
alphabetically in relation to the proceedings OF 'e
committee =,
.,octop and made some severe structures on the re-
uort of the committee, the majority OF when he cen.
sured for refusing consider certain dispositions IN re-
laton to the votes of South Am6oy ana OF s"pPresshs
then, by the force of numerical strength The SUD
..pce of his remarks is embodied in the preamble to
his resolution of last week. .
Mr. FILLMORE, after speaking some time, called
for the reading of the testimony which had been re-
f.rred to the Committee, and which 1t would be the
f;ci of his notion should it prevail to bring back and
place under the control OF the House.
Mr. STEENROD objected.
Mr. FILLMORE said he had never read the papers
in question, and did not know what they contained
Mr. MEDILL inquired whether it would be proper
10 ask Mr. F. how those papers were obtained
a. CHAPMAN opposed the reading as out Of order
Mr. PtTRlKlN also objected, and spoke TO the
question of oruGr :. l
in support OF that aeoslei', 'e"u " ~ "fr'!7
the ..e, .bo
reading was in order, and he wthdre~ ms oplectoh
10 it. .ooad Coz
The reading of that testimony having proceeded '"F
Mr.. HAND objected to its continuance, and raised
a question of order, but the objection was overrused
And the Clerk continued to read until the papers
had been read through.
Mr. FILLMORE then resumed and continued TO
address the House for considerable time longer, when
he gave way for Mr. W. THOMPSON to move an ad
journment ;, ~ ;.ta,
his notion but il Immediately renewed by VT.
STANI.Y but the yeas and nays being taken, 1t was
nepatved-yeas 70, nays 50
So the House refused TO adjourn
Mr. FILLMORE once more proceeded with his
speech. c, n;.,oo g
Elections interposed to explain, and SAID he had no
objection all the testimony IN the case being 'n'e-
ately printed :,
Mr. FILL MORE resumed TIE floor, and spoke with
-, e. -ther interruption till he had concluded ms ar
gument. co,. : , &c ,,,o committee !
,hs took the floor in reply lie SAID he did not rise So
much with the view OF answering the arguments u
The gentleman from New fo,k nnsl
Whenever it shall be, am prepared, SAID Mr. ~, to
show that the facts correctly set FORTH and that the
conclusion at which it arrives Is sustained by testimony
of the most unquesonable character II is not claimed
that the report based complete purgation of the
ballot-boxcs throughout the State. This appears to
have been atcr-thought of the gentlemen who first
claimed seats under the Governors .'seal, and has
been resorted to for the purpose Of concealing from
public observation of the most extraordinary
fraads that has been attempted the suttagts
of the people. 1t founded, il processes 10 be,
the votes received at the polls in pursuance of the
to conduct the elections These officers the only
Judges OF the qualifications of ciector that known
the laws of New Jersey They act under the soem-
mites of ian oath, and it made penal offence knowing
~ receive vote from any not possessing the qua
fcatons of an eector prescribed by the Constitution
apd laws ofthc State Its further set forth that deposit
sios.s had been submitted to the committee, with the
view Of showing that votes had been received at the
polls, from persons who not entitled 10 the right
of suffrage end that of the officers of election at
and another substituted in his place. BIT if all the
votes proved thus to be illegal by competent testimony
taken from those who received majority at the
polls, the result in relation to any Of the claimants
wonld not be- effected. With what proprcty them
SAID Mr.. NJ does the gentleman denouncc the report
as carrying lis face national lie On what
grounds IS The assertion made? is not the basis
which ii proceeds candidy and fairly set forth
Are not the statements made in pursuance there
of strictly correct, and the conclusion at which
it arrives, Justly nterable Dors the gentleman
desire to be understood answering negatively to
any one OF these lnterrogatores' Then let him call
for the reading of the testimony and direct the aten
ton of the House to that part by which he seeks TO
sustain his assertion. Sir said Mr.. NJ, apprehend
that the gentemans Imagination has taken the start
of his udgment. When he spoke of a paper bearing
its face the evidence of Irrational lc,' cannot
but think thai certain certificate, verified by the
''grcat S"0t of New Jersey, passing through his
mind" That a knowledge of the fact of the Chief
Magistrate of great State certifying TO un,ruth,
under the emblem of its sovereignty, should excite his
Indignation, and continue to haunt his thoughts, whc
Their this floor or in the prva" walks of life is By no
means surprising. The whole proceedings, with the
testimony both sides, about TO be submitted to-
,he public-a tribunal that never fails to do justice
however tardy in its Judgment The report itself is
the production of member of the committee who
voted throughout in favor of admitting the certificate
'embers, and whose opinions We're not likely to have
been BIASED by any partialy for others
But, said Mr.. NJ the gentleman has seen proper TO
attack the majority OF the committee; and by supposg
L course OF conduct which h" desires the House to
consider having taken place in The committee room,
has charged them with Of the grosscs injustice.
The reasons urged in favor of setting aside the cleo
ton OF South Amboy were, that of the officers of
the election was unlawtuy prevented from acting,
and another person substituted in his place, and tint
certain aliens had been permitted TO vote In making up
his figured issue, the gentleman has charged The maus
~ Of the committee with refusing consider the epo
stons that taken to establish these facts and seek
,ng suppress them by the force Of numerical strength
Sir, said Mr. NJ, am not one Of those who will per-
init assertions of this kind TO 60 forth, where am per-
sonally concerned, although they be hypothetical,
without accompanying them with stamp BY which
they viii be recognised and appreciated wherever they
go The gentleman was not even satisfied with giving
them durability co-existent with his speech, but has
embodied them in preamble and resolutions. and
placed them the journal Of the House. Sir ask If
these charges founded in truth: Was no part OF
the dispositions taken by the certificate claimants in
relation TO the election At South AmDoy, read ana COM
sidcred in committee. Nay, further: Were moi cN the
dispositions relating to that e9quiry, and which if
he possession OF the committee when the report was
directed to be drawn read and acted Oh, And although
part of them were rejected incompetent by the
with but dissenting voice, have they
lot all been submitted with the report for the consd
alton of the House, With what proprety, then, and
what grounds does the genenan assert that these
epositions excluded from the consideration of
ne committee, when his will appear record i
d on the question: 1t may be that they made d
With The of breaking the force Of the report and
ill keeping the public ia doub; respecting the true
aturc Of this infamous transaction |