Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-12-29


party bias he had decided party bias, and whenever
questions were presented 10 HIM IN which the o'''e
tive party principles were involved, ~ "1u' 49,,
action If il had not been SOL Il hau not ',." ''
,leman from Mar land might not have occupied 'he'
,cs.nt post,ons Ie asked for the ayes and noes on
the question of reference r.
Mr. CLAY Of Alabama hoped the gentleman from
Michigan would be grathed, when certain iacts were
known which had interycned between tins ana the
Las, session he thought due to that gentleman
that select committee should be appointed IL was
,n,n;f,ly the leading motive Of Tie friends OF the
hill al the last session extend the right Oh suffrage 10
many who had before been deprived Of the bill was
ordered 10 be engrosxed but, in the copying one or
two clauses had been accidentally omitted, ana the
omission only discovered when II was 100 ia.e 70
rccly the error, unless by unanimous consent, winch
was not obtained, gentleman on The othcr sue Cd.
,ected Under these circumstances, lie (Mf. VI hoVeu
10 iay the bill on the table, with an ,nmation that al
the present il would be brought up again Dut
what use had been Ende OF TINS: why ~ naa oee"
published through this Union that he and MS irenas
had attempted To Introduce INTO oiii iespee"S "e
District Of Columbia the principle o. Abolition Yes,
the false and sanderous charge had been coped INTO
every dirty party sheet and his State cs peciay IL
had bcen lmou,ed to him-falsely and sanderously
imputed 10 hm-and not only to hun, but The same
accusation Ind been made generally against his col
l,on. and the friends of universal suffrage who voted
with him He hoped that tins bill would be coinintteo
TO special committee, not only because 1t was accord
mo 10 an established parliamentary principe lhat u
bill should be referred to committee, majority oi
which nj least was favorable TO lis principle but that
nj all events he and his friends might be permitted to
do themselves Justice, view al the accusations Of
thos. who mad so foully sandered them
MIR MERRiCK dlscaimed any hostility 10 ,he e1-
tension of riph Of suffrage; and II any accusation
had been made az a..o, gentleman from Alabama
and his friend from Michigan of any intention 10 do
any thing TO affect the peculiar interests oil the SOUTH
j, was unjust, and without foundations hhh he VIZ
we're free from any Just ground OF iniputauon. lie
then argued against the reference 70 se'ee. ro 'n
Intce and denied that Il was the pfactce 70 Ieei pms
10 committees that known 10 DC favorable 70 'eH
nr,nri,le ON the penon of the meInorai'sts lie was
NJ onnon that tins bill should go to the usual standing
Committee for this District for there were many mat
tiers to be regulated with which they, from the posi-
ton were the likely 10 be acquainted; mere were
many matters that would enter INTO he
Of thus bill which ought not to be overlooked IN tram
inr n new charter II very important that there
should be redistribution OF the representative power
among the wards Of the city according TO The P'Pua'"
of the different parts Of the city, and there were gfea
many other subjects properly aPperaihihg 70 Tue COM
tcc Of tins District, and therefore hc hoped the Sc
lect committee would not he appointed
Mr. PRESTON, opposed the special reference, and
argued that the bill ought to be referred to the Standing
Committee for the District He thought tho question
Of an extension Of the right Of suffrage was one OF
great Importance and that required the profound
Is. consideration In his own State he had expressed
hs opinion that II was great want OF pocy 70 cs''1l
the right Of suffrage, except as TO color IN saVe"iu
mo State where one half the working classes were
s,ruck out 1t seemed hun to be an odious distlnc
ton among the whites, and he desied TO dsiranchisc
no one. In this principle nc ucqucsccd-ih's PfmcPe
he advocated but hc had yet, NJ Senator, TO be con-
yinccd whether his South Carolina doctrine was app
cable 10 the District of Columbia lie would ask the
people here what they DESIRE and look to what extent
II woud affect their Institutions, their habits, their pre-
iudiccs and their dsposons he Preferred therefore
that this matter should go the Committee on the DIS
trct of COLUMBIA.
MIR SOUTHARD also advocated the reference OF
The bill To the Committee the District Of Columbia
On the abstract question Of human rights h's opinions
could not be mistaken but they must rccollcct they
were lcrisa,ing for tins District which was without re-
presentation. aud they should look liitie further.
They must consider who II was here that had right
To vote and what their residence here, what was
their interest here and how II would affect the great
institutions of the South; and hundred other ques-
tons they must ask themselves, before they decided
on u measure of tins Importance. The Senator might
act special committee, that would arrive nj conciu'
SION with wonderful rap,dity bu, he assured hun that
Il were referred to the Committee on the District oil
Columbia, that committee would reflect ana examine,
and then decide according IL their best Judgments re-
specting the interests 10 be affected.
Mr. HUBBARD sad, II occurred to him it was un-
necessary discuss the merits OF the bull winch the
committee appointed at the last session reported. -
Thu, subject was not before them, but II might
c.".,'on wn,c' en - s;folc history orru uHarr
and hc would undertake To relate H. Il vas III
quencc Of certain resolutions and memorials presented
TO this House the munth Of Feb, l-!D, W the Sena
tors from Ohio. relation To this very matter, winch
were referred TO the Committee the District ri Co
lumbia-a committee which was constituted nearly a.
nj prcsen-and which, late Il. the 9TH os June, no
report had been made; that other memorials pre-.
scented by the Senator from Michigan, and special
committee was appointed, Of which the Senator from
Michigan (Mr NorvclU wns the Chairman. Now be,
MIR Hubbard) az the Chairman of the Committee on
Claims would be glad 10 he relieved from The conslde-
ration Of many claims, by their reference to select
committee and he believed the Senator from Kentucky,
(Mr Cr,tcndcn) and The Senator from Mary land (Mr.
Merck) asscn,ed 10, If they did not recommend, the
appointment oi select COMMITTEE. h,a ruhcct The
very mhy bill should be kept before standing
committee which had II N IL care, would induce hun
10 desire tina, this bill should again 20 10 select
nl,,cr, which had bad II IA III confederation. lie
thought II vas not too much II AK Tor ths. IN: &C.
lcct committee Of which The Senator from Michigan
the head, had had the memorial "hich this bill
based IN Their care, they had made report there
on he dad think he SUBJECT should be kept where
II vas last a"gsIon.
Nj. MEKltiCK replied.
Mr. KING had listened attentiy~ly 10 The remarks Of
the Senators, and e surprised 10 find much IN
porance attached u Inc reference of this bill TO either
"a select n ntnndny committee. They had heard OF
party and party legislation for this Dstrlct, which had
political iHhurnc" ~ power, but when he appointed
HE standing committee for tins District 1t was certain
II With manifestation If party feeling, for the mcin
hers Of The committee all Of The political party adj
srfsr that 10 which he belonged. In the appoint
IL tst committee he thought Of party, and
hr uel..st there 10, Senator III that chamber
,has Would believe 10 he either right proper to legs
late for ue District On party principles But the ncrn-
Lers vi the Select Committee who had charge Of this sub
zee, The las, session. bsd been held to public ndg
nati.n because mistake had been made by clerk IN
copying the bill, and they had been charged with the
promotion Of this political game for political pur
pose but II u base accusation, and IL came from
base source Every gentleman that knew him, well
knew that consideration could induce him 10 depart
from the lie belle we'd 10 be the correct from
any political consideration and yet they had been
thus srrsgnrd for polit,cuI purposes and h's friend
fMr. Noryc had been ccusured for reporting chat
ter which IL was asserted contained proysions delete.
themselvcs, IN consequence OF the accidental
omissions which lad been mentioned.
Now, he cared very little whether this bill was re-
fcrred 10 the Committee on the District of Columbia or
10. 10 ,Iu Ian