The Madisonian., 1840-02-08

flo'h he Lincoln lntelligencer, published al Wis
49,, 49,, paper Oh me same party and copied IN The
Argus, January 10, 1880:
"THE LEeIsLATuRE.-The proceedings or the I.e-
gsatufe OF this State, which assembled Portland
Wednesday, OF last week, will be found under the ap
proPfiate head, II will be perceived that the House
was engaged nearly three days in organizing and that
,ne ocnale had not then made choice Of President.
he extraordinary and Unprecedented proceedings OF
e mouse seem to surprise every one, except the most
ogo'ed politicians BY dint Of management. the
singular that was before known, the Federals,s,
on nunton folks. have succeeded in eecting their
Speaker We should think, however tha, his station,
as ne at present situated would be any thing but
: The rejection Of Mr. Roberts too, we consider
h'ga-handed measure What right had the members
pass sentence on Of their number who appeared
mere with regular certificate, until his pro-
perry examined before the Committee on Contested
Eectonsl"
iTely much on the testimony Of an honorable gentle
man IRON Maryland, whose personal acquaintance
nave not the pleasure TO enjoy, bot who, | under
snAA ssngh always Faik, has ysi Eepntatlou Of
neing exceedingly cautious IN his admissions Mr. Frank
Thomas This very candid but very clrcnmspcct gen.
tcman did, II am not much mistaken, expressly make
the admssion in the early part Of the debate that If ,he
commissioned members should be excluded, still here
was nothing which would be sufficient entitle those
contestfg their seats TO place on this floor Now,
believe That no objection has been made To the form OF
NV to"''hlssioi piouuCcu ny tHC tICiuutn
differs, as understand in nothing from the commission
Of that member Mr. Raudoph) who has been admitted
Without objection, to his seat. But if those gentlemen,
finding this commission insufficient TO procure their ad.
mission, should abandon their claim, and immediately
withdraw themselves from the House. still it is admitted
by the gentleman from Maryland that their opponents
could not take their seats for Of any legal evidence
on which 10 found Aeir CLAIM
Mr.. Thomas Viii the gentleman he so good as 10
explain really do not understand what he refers TO-
Mr., Bolts mean TO say that the gentleman did
make the admission, when il was proposed by some
others that Mr.. Dickerson and his colleagues should
present themselves to be sworn that there was no legal
evidence on which those claimants could take their
seats
Mr.. Thomas. My admission did not go to that ex-
tent dd say that, IN my opinion, would tie discreet
and tndlcions IN the House not to act finally on the
claim OF the gentlemen contestng The New Jersey seats
I'LL time had been allowed them to employ the technical
and strictly legal mode Of taking testimony held it
not TO be prudent IN US to receive legal evidence
certificate from the Secretary Of State when could
al go up TO the highest source of evidence echni-
caly considered by bringing up the poll-book them
selves but, private individual my mind had long
before come here, been free from all doubt that the
gentlemen contesting seats righfully enlllcd
them toy the choice oil the People.
Mr. Bots. That is mol the question
Mr. Ihomaa | did admit that, as matter Of pri.
dence and discreton this House should not allow those
gentlemen TO be qualified when it n possession of
no legal evidence that they had received majority Of
the votes gwen and therefore | preferred waiting till
the case had gone to a committee
Mr. Bolts. The gentleman from Maryland has much
enlarged on The statement he formerly made When
referred TO his admission, referred neaiy as could
10 the language that gentleman had used Though he
may say that he honght the contesting parties have
been duly elected and therefore entitled SIT, yet he
certainly did say that the House hed evidence
which ii could proceed
[Mr Thomas here again repeated the explanation he
had before made
Mr. Boris. Very well, il may be so. BuI heard
nothing then about Prudence or discretion. am
talking about questions OF right and questions Of
law, and not about questions OF prudence or discrt
-,ion. never will submit plain question of consi
tuuonal right TO the prudence or discretion of any
man.
Having already occupied much of The time of the
House, will forbear touching on many points had
intended To notice, and will cut the remainder Of my
remarks as shorl as can
said, when set out, that | had no intention to
answer The very general speech made by the gentle
man from Ohio (Mr. Duncan) yesterday must
however, be permitted TO say in regard 10 ha,
speech-and say 1t without the slightest intention
VI impeacbing The veracily OF the gentleman who
made it--that never did hear in the whole course
of my life, in any place, any occasion, gross
and violent perverson of facts as that speech con-
tanned. do not doubt that the gentleman got his
facts tron very different quarter from that where
| received mine.
assure the House that do no, intend 10 answer
the speech OF the gentleman from Ohio He talked
of Presidents and Presidents dinners, of pistols,
dirks, bowie knives, &c.-all Of which had nothing
10 do with this question But there was much in
that speech that regretted TO hear. was sorry TO
listen TO The assault, the unnecessary assault made on
those citizens who are daily assembled in the gal
lcres, looking With an anxious eye on the debera-
ions Of this HOUSE. II was their right 10 come, and
no man had right 10 murmur al it. Nothing but
the deep Importance Of the questions Involved in this
contest had brought them here, and there was no
reason why they should be assailed for it from any
quarter but particularly by one of the profess
ed friends Of the People
TMr. Duncan here rose 10 explain, observing that
in the remarks he had yesterday made in relation 10
many Of the persons who were usually assembled in
Washington, he had made all the exceptions which
could reasonably BE- demanded, and expressed his
hope that the feelings Of none had been hurt who
were entitled to be included in the exception
Mr.. BORIS resumed, | have heard much about
the rights of the dear People but have never been
able 10 comprehend the legal constitutional diNinc-
tion OF one free white citizen OF this Republic from
another; ! know nothing of such a distinction |
know not who are the democracy as distinguished
from the rest OF their felow-citizens | recognise
the plain and industrious woodSman in the hunting
shirt OF Ohio, who was graphically depicted by
him yesterday, as entitled to all The rights which be-
long to any other man, to the President OF the
United States. But il was not that part of his speech
which panied me most. fell most regret at wnes
sing wanton and unprovoked attack on the divine
sanctty ol of Gods own ministers for perform
ing on an important public occasion the official duties
OF his calling. The sole offence charged ueon this
individual, and for which he was held upto rdcule,
was his having offered up devort prayer TO AL
mighty God for his presence and blessing in pub
lie assembly OF recmen and invoking his prov-
dence that their councils might be guided by wis
dom, and that the result of their deberation might
rebound to the honor, the glory, and welfare OF our
common country.
MIR. Duncan explained
Mr. Boris. o: that the House will judge. The
gentleman did ridicule and sneer al the Rev. Mr..
Sprecker for his prayers the opening OF The Har
rsburg Convention, and he went into general his
tory Of the Bible in aid of the joke Painful as this
was, was yet more panied in Witnessing The merry
effect these attempts at wit produced upon some OF