The pilot. [volume] (Baltimore [Md.]) 1840-1840, 1840-04-23

fault, let him be held up 10 the country. He said
a melancholy change had taken place within a
few years in the character and feelings of this
! House. II had been obvious, for some time past
10 all the members of this House, as well as to
visitors and strangers in this city, that something
was requisite 10 be done TO sustain the order and
kdignity of this body. Those who had been mem
beers of it formerly, well remembered what its
character was in times gone by; and at least half
OF the gentlemen who were now members knew
how sad change had taken place in the course
of few years. He believed he might appeal to
the Speaker, who had, within no distant time,
witnessed scenes not precisely such as had taken
place to-day, but of character approaching to
it. Those cases had been crushed-he pride Of
the House had been appealed to-genlemen had
| nterposed for its credil-and as he had said, the
cases had been crushed. But now it had come
10 this, (and he meant nothing personal to any
one, y that the most dsrespeclful language was
used, not only in Inducements, but in the
House; indeed he might safely venture to say that
he had heard as much oiyulgarty and abuse as he
had ever heard upon court greens, orat the tails
of a muster in the district he represented. Order,
morality, peace-all require that some steps
should be taken, and fthere were msjory Of
the friends of order in this House. let them now
unite with him in putting down this fell spirit,
calculated as it was-and he spoke il with shame
10 ruinthe character of this House, and TO
! bring the country into GisreSpect and oboquy.-
And might he not, in This connection, call The at
tention Of gentlemen to the character of the pro-
ceeIingS ofthe House for the last ten or fifteen
days? What had they been but successive ar
raignment on The one side, and defence on the
other, ofthe high officers oflhe Government, who
had been denounced scOIndrelS: and every
thing else that was bad? Such might be the fact
he was not here 10 vindicate those officers He
stood there as the friend of order.
Mr. C. then alluded TO the several cases of
breach of privilege which had occurred in for
mer years, and concluded by saying that he in
sisted upon it, as had been well said by the gen.
teman from Kentucky, (Mr. Underwood that,
if stop was not put to such proceedings, they
had better adjourn and go home TO their conSttu-
ents; and tell them that they could not do the
business of the country-that party (or worse)
spirit had seized npon the Representatives of the
people-which amounted to denial Of the trans
action of their business, and 10 an entire Danish
ment of law or order in the House.
Mr.. Banks, of Virginia, confessed he rose I'M
der the influence of feelings which probably he
had never before experienced. He had been
raised in that school which taught him TO look
upon order and decorum SO essential to the digni-
ty of those who sent them there. lie had wit
messed with pain and modification the course OF
proceedings here. He had seen viii pain the
arrangement of the officers of the government at
the bar of this House-he had seen with pain
private character ripped up here and exposed to
public gaze. The ebulilions of feelings which
had been manifested here, and which protractek
This session 10 the present period without any
business for the people having been transacted,
should now he arrested, and a course should be
pursued which would put an end TO such scenes.
He hoped no member would object 10 the propo-
sed inquiry He had happened, unfortunately, 10
be near the combatantS, aud he had nerposed his
feeble aid TO arrest them. He would say nothing
which would give rise TO debate, although he had
heard the remarks on bothsides before the parties
came in collision. He had risen merely for the
purpose of appealing TO all parties 10 maintain
the dignity and decOrum OF this BODY il was a
duty which they owed, IT not TO themselves 10 the
people of the United States. He trusted that,
without further debate, the House would act and
that a committee would be raised to ascertain
and report on the fact who was at fault in bring
ing about this most diSgraceful scene; and he
pledged himself that, wherever the blame might
fall he, for one was prepared to take that course
which would sustain the dignity of the House,
and the character of the American people.
Mr. Underwood then presented his resolution,
modified so as to read as follows
Resolved. That a committee of five be ap
noinied TO investigate the facts relative to the
disorder and personal violence which has just
taken place between two of lis members, To
wit. Rice Garland and Jesse A. Bynum, and
that said committee have power to send for
D .rsons and papers, and that said committee
report with all practicable despatch the facts of
the case.
Mr.. Briggs (who cruld scarcely he heard)
was understood TO say that the proceedings OF
the House had reached point now at which
pause must be made. This discourteous Ian
guaqe this personal abuse, this vulsarlty OF
expression, which, as the gentleman from North
Carolina (Mr. Connor) had minated could not
be surpassed at the corners of the highways,
had led 10 an act of personal violence in the
face ofthe House and the country. He knew
that members OF the House, on both sides, had
felt recently TIE state OF degradation which 1t
had attained, and that they were DESTROYS TO
arrest the evil. But they had paused too long.
He called on the members Of the House OF all
parties now to unite, mind TO mind aud shoul-
der to shoulder, 10 raise the prostrale dignity
of the House from the depths into which II had
iallen-to that proud position which 1t once
held. II could be done--it n'itSt De done-or,
as the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Under
woody had observed, they must cease to he
House of Representatives. Decorum, order
of debate, personal civiiy, fat least,) must at
tend their proceedings, or they could not much
longer exist as House. Of the affair itself he
knew nothing, and would know nothing until
| +. fairly uVpStiOafPd. when