Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-12-10
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES


The Journal Of yesterday was read and approved
The Hon. JACOB THOMPSON, Member eI eel
from the State Of Mississippi, appeared, was quail
Ned, and took his seat.
A Message, in writing, was received from the
President OF the United States, by the hands Of Ro-
bert Tyler Esq. his Secretary; which will be found
in another part Of this paper.
The Message having been read by the Clerk
MIR WISE rose and said that he believed the
House was at present without Committee Of the
Whole on the state of the Union in consequence Of
the want Of rules and orders If such a committee
was IN existence, he would move the reference Of
the Message TO that committee, with the printing OF
the usual number Of copies together with the usual
extra number. But there being no such committee
he would submit the motion made by a gentleman
from New York at the last sessiOn-thai the
Message be laid on the table, that the usual mum.
her of copies necessary for the use Of the men,
bers be printed and that 10000 copies Of the
Message, with the accompanying documents, be
also printed.
Mr. MASON, of Ohio, inquired whether the
motion included the Congressional Globe and APP
peIdir, annexed TO the Message, which had been
laid the tables Of members.
Mr. WISE said he would answer the enquiry
He had moyed-and fthe gentleman from Ohio mir
Masonl had reflected a moment he would have
known that he (Mr W. had moved-to print the
paper which had been read 10y the Clerk. The
Clerk could answer whether that paper contained
such an appendsge. Does u (said Mr. W. contain
such an uppsnIage, Mr. Speaker
The SPEAKER replied, no.
Mr. WISE said that ns the inquiry had been
made-and rather sardonicaily made by the gen
teman from Oho-he mir W. would have this re-.
membered, that, Whatever might be Appended 10
the printed pl per laid on the table Of the member
from Ohio or on bis own, the Message Of the Pre-
sident Of the United States hal no such appendsge
as the gentleman from Ohio had referred 10. and
that the il.natJre, criticism, and Oh feeling that
might be hOstI.g.y directed towards the President
would be deprived Of rs misrepresentation and lis
force by the fact that the Speaker had now respond.
ed 10 the inquiry which he (Mr W. had lutt
made, that there was no such paper appended to the
Message.
Mr. MASON said that at the time the Clerk vas
reading the Message he lMr MI was following
that gentleman IN the reading, and did not observe
from what paper or document the Clerk had read.
lie (Mr Nj bad found with the copy Of the Mes
sage as read by the Clerk, q paper or document an
nexsd, as part and parcel Of IL, and signed by
Messrs Blair Rves, recommending 10 the coun.
try their Congressional Globe and Appendix
When Tie gentleman from Virginia iMr WIsrl
moved TO PRINT the documents accompanying the
Presidents Message, the idea naturally suggested
itself 70 his (Mr Me- mind whether tho gentleman
INTENDED, OF not, 10 include the document thus ac-
eompanyng the Message officially laid by tho Off -
GERS OF the House on the tables Of us members.
Whether The gentleman Did 50 intend or not was q,
lin tMr M on object Of interest, and he desired
70 DO informed Of the fact, without saying how he
should vote In the event Of an affirmative answer.
Inc supplementary communication was doubtless
intended TO have q wide circulation. The inference
was natural that these distinguished individuals
Messu Blair Il Rivos, had annexed this document
TO the Presidents Message by authority. wbs,het
such was the fact or not he did not know. Tn,
gentleman might call this sardonic, or designate d
criticism or sarcasm, II he pleased but true t was
thot there was document attached 10 this pare
which had no precedent or example in tho hls'or,
OF tbs country. II was novel proceedngi and n
outrage on the dignity Of the House.
Mr. WISE said that here was the Message. r.
Rularly printed by Messrs Gales s. Seaton, the eiee
ed Printers Of this body. II the gentleman nor
Ohio examined that paper he would find no sue
appendage. But these, their own elected Printer
had not probably (Mr w. was understood to say
sufficient number prepared while the monuscn
Message was reading. The Editors ofthe "Globt
had printed their own private copy, and some
them, he presumed, had been sent 10 tho p.iva
orders Of members; and tho boys, or pages Of Il
House not having copies enough printed at the put
lie expense, had simply laid some Of the prva
copies on the desks Of members. This was ri
whole story. Did the gentleman from Ohio inf
ihatthe President had any thing 10 do with thi
lie mr. W. put Il 70 the gentleman from Ohio az
fnan 81 honor, (for such he knew him 10 be,) Whst
o. he could inter thnt the President had ever se
this pspor--or how he (Nr M as an honorab