Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-01-18


Clerk.
Mr.. JOHNSON. of Maryland, moved that tie Com.
m;,,cc for the District of Columbia be authorized !,
employ Clerk.
This motion requiring n suspension Of the rules ana
being objected to, not submitted to the Iiouse
Nj THOMPSON, Of South Carolina, handed 4.
Chair the following resolution, which was read for ,b
information Of the House, and moved suspension ~
the rules 10 enable him 10 offer it
Rcs0ircd, That upon the presentation of any Meme
rial or petition PRAYING for the abolition of savery n.
the slave trade in District, Territory or Stat. a;
The lnon and upon the presentation Of any rcsoutio,
ar other paper touching that subject the reception O.
such memorial, petition, resolution, paper shall h.
considered as objected TO- and the question Of IL, >,
ception shall b. laid upon tic table, without debate w
further action thereon.
Mr. EVERETT asked for the yeas and naya on Ii.
question.
Mr. ADAMS moved the indefinite postponcglen, #
the motion TO suspend the rules.
The CHAIR Of opinion that the motion O.! II.
gentleman from Massachusetts no, in order, L
cause If it prevailed IL" effect would he that n, no
ton TO suspend the rules would be in order to tic p,
maindcr OF the. session.
Mr. BLACK asked II the motion Of the gcnrr,7,
from South Carolina, Mr. Thompson To suspend H..
rules should prevail If would BE- in order e.. him IA
offer amendment 10 the resolution oil that CENT,
man.
The CHAIR replied in the affirmative.
Mr. BLACK sad, that III that case lie would 81;
an amendment.
The question was then taken on Tie motion to srs
pend the rules and was lost; there not benz Two
thirds rotn. IN I'll" acknowledgements y. nays ..
The report oi The committee on the rules then
taken up, and read By the Clerk
The amendment to the nh rule, making the vote nj
the Speaker contormahc the rica r0ce principe
which had been adopted by the House. the place ii
| the ballo; system, was concurrrd III.
| The amendment Of the committee 10 the 3lst rule
proposing to rcsirc, debate as not To aov mem
Der to speak than once. without leave Of the
House. a subject, ''uncss he be- ;c mover proDo.
ser, ntroduccr, of the matter pending in which
he shall be permitted 10 reply but no; unit. every
her choosing speak shall have spoken beng under
consideration,
Mr.. DRONGOOLE said he could no, give his con-
sent to tins amendment. He thought II sinackci too
much of III" profession and any one, from cbscryu.
the effect OF ii, would suppose that majority o. the
| committee composed Of practising lawyers. 1t
placed the rule tins ground that grca, political qnes
tons here 10 be argued IN the same manner
eases before a Of law where the plaintiff coWH
SCI had the privilege I" speaking the first as well as the
last time lie had another objection 10 the proposed
amendment: Il destroyed that equality OF privilege.
which ought 10 exist between all the members OF tie
House. one member being allowed by II 70 speak twic
while all the rest prohibited from speaking
than once. The advantage it attempted to give 10 h-
mover OF proposition, would be something Ike tie
effect Of the old law maAim "fd tsr"n est q0d cer:a
rrGai pOtcs' II would have another effect. b. CIV.
lion The privilege o: speak
ing twice their notions the House would be Of
icrng premium TO induce gentlemen TO make them,
that they might have an opportunity OF making speech
cs them, 10 which no one could reply.
Mr. D. thought ii would BE- better 10 let the old rule
stand as it was, giving TO every member equal PH"..
!cg"s
Mr. HOFFMAN replied 10 Mr.. ID. IN defence oftLe
amendment.
Mr. CLARK moved to amend the amcndmrn: Of lilo
committee, that the duration of any speech should
not exceed an hour He advocated the amendment hc
proposed ON the ground OF economy Of the time Of tlt
House, which was wasted frequently 10 the INJURY O.:
The public business by long speeches, and contendrt
that # the mcmbr rs would talk less and work mo:r,
great benefits would result tAcreiroT
Mr. DAWSON moved 10 amend the amendment %:
the gentleman, by adding - and that each incmcc.
shall have the liberty 81 transferring his hour 10 ano.
thcr. II he pleased. IL, was. however, opposed to-
limitation in speech He thought the more they spohi
and the less they acted the better II would be 10: tie
country the people wom!d remain IN ignorance :,
To- the corruption, 81 Government If debate should be
confined 10 the limits which some gentlemen wished
The time had arrived when those who had tGleE.
should talk the country. Though he believed tia!
many dishonest speeches had been made upon tbs!
oor-spccchcs for party purposes, which did not
tain honest scntIucnt-yet h. was unwilling, o.
that account, put restriction debate, as IL te
evcd that the people conld always discern what was
right, aud tina, which wrong. Every member was
entitled to speak; and he hoped they would be permit
led 10 speak, ana leave Inc country GecIhc WHO -
who that floor. lie believed debate great
conservative principle ofour Government.
Mr.. THOMPSON, Of South Carolina, sad he vas
in favor of the amendment Of the gentleman ,tcl
Georgia, Mr. Dawson. if the amendment of the pen.
tlcman from New York should be adopted: and ~ /
seemed to be the disposition Of some 10 make aprca
in the most ridiculous light possible lie though, they
had better ADOPT another amendment to appoint timers
they do the courses TO decide when the hon
had expired He was understood to be opposed 10 tie
limitation of time.
Mr. LEWIS WILLIAMS demanded the yeas and
nays The adoption %! the amendment; OF the ccG:
mlee, wh:ch ordered, and were, yeas ~, n1ys
q.
The amendments OF the committee 10 the i2l ruiz
making "a motion 10 ADJOURN and motion liz 'h'
day to which the House shall adjourn, always n order
and 10 be decided without debate next taken up
in order
MIR. FETRIKIN objected to this amendment, and 10
50 much patching up o! the rules, he thong d, would
be much better the House would enforce what rules
they now have. He was in favor Of conGansng til"
rules INTO small space, instead Of multiplying them
into a large volume. This rule would inevitably caa.'
much confusion To III" business; Of the House, and
sumo more time than II would
| Mr. BRIGGS moved a verbal amendment - l.-
report of the committee, which the thairn.am lir
Ilopkinsl accepted
! Mr.. PETRlklN was here proceeding 10 show that
the adoption Of this amendment, making pTIl.
legged questions would have tendency to rctard the
bi business oil "Nr:! We
interrupted BY
| Mr.. STANLY, and called to order.
| Mr.. PETRlklN. | am IN order lie hoped IL
gentleman would always ascertain whether he was !ID
self in order before nc interrupted other gentlemen
and thought the House ought 10 adopt rule 10 p'.
vent insoent Interruptions every occasion, by PEI
who did not understand the question bciaTs
the House, what the gentleman he interrupted
speaking about.
Mr.. STANLY never do, except when IL" ge9
tlcman speaking does not understand what he is spcnE
ing about himself
Mr.. PETRiklE. The Interruption. Of s"n.
tcmcn were frequent and msolcn that they
scarcely worth noticing Nj 7, having concludcGh '
remarks on the amendment,
Mr.. C.. JOHNSON thought the gentlemen ui1
were in favor Of having The private business transact.
cd should look 10 this amendment. He believed tie
effect OF it would be 10 force questions doum "'"
from Friday TIL Monday, at the sacrifice of that elias q
business which ~ usually passed upon Oh Saturday
He for one, would certainly vote against 1t
The question on this amendment about BENZ Ia