The Madisonian., 1840-02-13
CONGRESS.

Remarks 0f Mr.. HUNI'th ne House ~ f,P.. tS'' t
tiUes on ne 2Ia Dec 1899 ap0a me Resol'"i0" SUI
.mttsd 6y lr. Huffman, together ieiA re 1r.ena
raeats submitted By Mr.. Craig The heSoiul'on
as follows:
Resolped That the standing rules and orders OF Ihe
last House of Representatives, except the IN RUE oe
adopted as the rules and orders OF proceeding oi is
House for the ensuing days That the rules and
orders be referred TO committee. with instructions to
report such amendments o The SAID uies aud orders as
they may deem expedienL' The amendment pro-
posed was to strike The words, except the lin
rule"l
Mr. HUSr said they on the last day Of what
ought have been the third week OF the OF the
26Ih Congress, aud they sulI presented the strange
spectacle of an inorganIzed body. Whilst engaged IN
discussing The constitutional rights OF the returned mem
bers from New Jersey 70 their seats he had considered
the delay IN organization unayoidsbe, nay, mofc--that
the time had not been mspent. That question he had
considered OF greater interest TO the people OF this
country aud aught with more important consequences,
than any which had since the Declaration Of lnde-
pendence and the adoption of the Federal Constitution.
But that question for the present settled and for
he yielded the decision Of this body. Furesee-
ing he thought, the difficulties in which we had been
involved, he had at early day submitted PROPOSE
lion, calculated effect early organization upon Just
aud equitable principles HIS proposition, however
had not met with favor Gentlemen had chosen rather
TO struggle with the difficulties 10 which they in
voved, than aroid them And he himself hsd desired
had opportunity ofercd) to have taken part in that
discussion. But for the present 1t ended and the
question now shall we further delay organization,
by contest about rules and orders Adopt any, or
adopt nome (and thus fall back upon the Parliamentary
Law OF Eogand 50 that YOU may bu, proceed to busi-
ness and our constituents will rclOce For himself he
preferred the resolution, with It's limitation, moved by
his colleague Mr. Hoffman. lie did because lie
sought ioT himself any c0ucealinent the appointment
OF the officers Of House he nas all tunes ready
TO IN his place and openly his preference
for candidates But he could not but rccolect that the
vote had ITS origin IN the "father-lid :; that
u was there used as means OF oyerawng the yeonan
elecior aud perpetnalng the power and control OF the
aid holders and the onsiocracy and that for years
past the question carried down 10 the husngs by the
liberal party in England, had been the right aud nccos
sity OF giving TO the people the vote by ballot. Nor
could he forget that tins country aud IN this House,
the departure from the ballot originated in The
tics vi party He wished not refer in detail TO the
causes that Influenced gentlemen originally to attempt
(unsuccessluly iRe tme) the introduction ino this
House OF the viva yoce vote nor would he name the
distinguished gentleman. upon whom it particularly
intended 10 bear.
Suffice it TO say, gentlemen were nov within the
sound Of his voice, who well knew the measure had
been proposed and adopted mainly with the view to
enable majority 10 bring 10 bear upon refractory mem
bers The full orce Of the party screw As an engine
for this purpose, Mr. Hunt protested against it.
The House had been told again and agsn, during the
of this desoltory debate, that gcntcmcn
give effect TO the will Of the People If this
wishes OF majority IN this House should also be fully
and fairly expressed, without fear OF ex,raneous nau
II so, why not restore the ancient mode Of
ting by ballot And then should there be any dough
faces or qucasy conscences among gentlemen here,
they would be protected from the infection Of the party
punishment and left to the unbiased decision OF their
Judgment. The proposition needed no argument;
the mere statement was sufficient, and carried with II,
own illustration.
But he had heard said more than once that gentle
haro karu,
constituents had right 10 know ho,c they voted Was
that IN reference to the question under Discus
sion! Was there any force such argument! He
denied II. The argument proceeded on an erroneous
view OF the relations IN which they stood to those who
had sent them here and Of The duty which they owed
to their constituents 10 regard TO the great and i'm
portant measures OF leglslaon certain that
their constituents mad right to the most exact know
ledge Of their whole and he trusted that
OF those around hn, afraid or ashamed 10 respond
to the country for whatever they should do rense
do in their legislative or judicial capacity. But the
choice Of officers Of The House belonged TO neither OF
these capacities These officers enpha.ically the
Of the House (not Of the pcopc,) appointed
solely forr,s convenience. Even The Speaker was ele-
waited to the high and distinguished he occupied
only that he might the order, decorum and egu
arily of the proceedings Of the House and if this be
true Of the Speaker whom Mr.. HuNr considered as
holding the third office III the first country in the world
how much strongly did the remark apply to sub
ordinate agentslo the Clerk, Door Keeper, and Ser
geant- at Arms! What the Clerk, but agent
10 register our proceedings What the Sergeant. at
Arms aud Door Keeper, but SERVANTS Very respecta
BILE ones, he admitted, but sli nothing than min
listers Of the House. chosen and appointed for its greater
convenience in the discharge Of It's duties. They
not The officers Of the constituency, but OF
the House, and therefore the argument IN layor Of
pra rocs votc drawn from the fact that the members of
the House the agents Of the people, had force.
Was he be told that the people sent hun here TO elect
party Clerk party Sergeant Armsl or party
Printer He repudatcd such an idea-he acknow-
ledgcd no such obligation. True, he did no, claim for
himself an exemption from the faes of others, nor
did he pretend 10 be above all Influence OF party prede
ction, party prejudice. In all matters OF MINOR
sequence, he ready to bow to the will OF majority
of his political friends. and 90 with them but he would
say here, in his place. aud he would adhere long
as life remained that questions involving principie,
tho ties of party should prove to h but ropes of
sand On such questions he utterly discalmed all party
allegiance.
Mr., HUNr sid, in conclusion, that he had occupied
more time than he had intended that his chief object
in rising had been to entreat gentlemen, all sides Of
the House, TO come up at once 10 vote. Ii msjo-
rlty preferred the mode SO be it but give The
House rules OF some sort. Gentlemen might have the
matter any way they preferred, if they would but end
this toar Of ~ords, and proceed 10 business.