The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-06-03

Mr. WISE, after lew remarks, moved, with
view 20 receive The Message lay this resolution
Inc liable which was carried
! Mr. HABERSHAM introduced his colleague. the
HON, iHoMAL +. FOSTER Representative elect from
the State Of Georgia who was qualified and took his
| seat.
message was received from the Senate stating
ha that body had concured in the resolution adopted
| py-u House yesterday providing for the appoint
ment OIL JOINT committee to wait on the President
ana INFORM num- that quorum Of the two Houses
were assembled, and were ready 10 receive any com
mnnicaiion he might be pleased 10 make.
| Mr.. PlCKENS then offered ths following resolu-
| ton
hesoiped, That the seats Of this House be mum
by lot
| After some remarks from Mr.. PICKENS,
Mi; GAVE JOHNSON offered the following
amendment;
| Resoired, That the following be made one of the
| standing rules Of this House
That upon the election of Speaker and Clerk at the
present and at the common cement of each Congress
hereafter shall be the duty Of the Clerk have the
seats o. the House numbered, and each number be
placed IN oo1 on separate piece of paper, and the
roll OF members shall be then called in alphabetical
order, and, upon the calling eff each name one of the
pages OF the House shall daw from the box Of
the numbers, and the number drawn shall be the
seat OF The member during the Congress; said draw
ing snail DC made as well for absent members those
| present.
MT. PICKENS accepted the amendment.
ihis was debated by Messrs Bolts, Pope Nisbet,
Mr.. KING offered the following as a substitute for
| the resolution:
Resolred That the Speaker is hereby directed to
cause the desks TO be removed from the Ha and that
the seats be numbered by the Clerk and drawn for by
placing the number in box to be drawn in alphabet
| cal order by the Clerk the Of the members
shall be called from the roll and that at each succeed
ing session Of this Congress the seats shall be drawn
| for in a similar way.
Mr.. X. advocated this proposition at some length,
calling upon the members it they in favor of
measures of real reform, they had professed, 60
for this as one Of them The Hall, at present,
the appearance Of an irregular, i'll ordered counting
room-each member transacting his own business
regardless of the business for which he here
These desks and seats gave great opportunities to
members for the transaction Of their private
business, and threw pToportonate obstacles in the
way of the transaction of the public business.
Whilst the Senate had maintained its character
as of the first deliberative bodies in this any
other country the House of Representatives had be-
Come disgraced as TO have applied to il the epthet
Of bear. garden" and others equally disgracefu-
These desks he regarded the root Of all the evil
which existed and all the disgrace which had attached
TO this House a pubic body. And he should not
let the matter rest here He would ring the changes
upon it until he had awakened the attention of the
country to it, He asked for the yeas and nays his
proposition that it might be seen who were and who
not the friends OF and substantial reform
Messrs. BlDLAcK and PIcKENs briefly opposed this
substitute.
4 Mr.. MORGAN then moved to lay the whole sub
ject on the table.
The question being taken by yeas and nays at the
call of Mr.. Pickens, was negatived. Yeas 81, nays
40.
Mr.. SERGEANT, from the joint committee ap-
pointed to wait the President of the United States,
on leave, reported that the committee had performed
the duty assigned Them and that the President had
requested them to say that he would make a written
co mmunication to each House Immediately.
/ The Presidents Message was then received by Mr..
RoBERT TYLER, his private secretary and read by the
n Clerk.
On motion of Mr. BARNARD, after debate, in
which several members participated, and the rejection
of some amendments, it was
Ordered. That the Message be laid the table, and
the usual number printed-and also ten thousand
ira COPIES with the accompanying documents.
The SPEAKER then announced, the recurring
business the proposition Of Mr. Pickens to seats
Mr.PICKENS expressing himself willing to yield
A Mr. ADAMS offered the following resolution:
Resoiped, That committee Of member from
each State in the Union be appointed the part of this
81 e ne 70 eone and ne epor nn h.
token of respect and affection it may no proper for the
Congress Of the United States express the deep
sbity of the nation to the event of the decease their
late President, WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON; and that
SO much of the Message of the President relates
to that melancholy event be referred the said
mitiee.
Which was adopted unanimously.
Mr.. BARNARD gave notice of his intention TO
offer the following resolution, which read for in
formation, viz.
ResoIred, That so many only Of the standing com
mittees named in the rules Of the last House of Re-
representatives. shall be appointed at the present session
shall be necessary and proper under these rules
take charge of and consider the several subjects pre-
scented in the Message OF the President just read and
requiring in the opinion of the President, the action
of Congress the present session. except that the
Committee of Elections and the Committee on Ac-
counts may also be appointed
Resoired, That select committee of nine mem
bers shall be appointed to take charge of and consider
SO much of the Presidents Message relates to the
currency Of the country and fiscal agent for the Go
vernment
Resolred, That select committee Of nine members
shall be appointed to take charge of and consider
much of the Presidents Message relates to the dis
position of the public lands and Of the proceeds of the
sales thereof
The House then resumed the consideration of the
modified proposition of Mr.. PIcKgNs (above notced)
and OF the several amendments thereto.
To which Mr.. SLADE offered the following
amendment:
Resoired, That, at the opening of each session of
Congress after the 9th Congress, the names of all
the members present the first day of meeting shall
be placed in box, and drawn out by the Clerk
cessiveIy; that the member whose is first drawn
may choose his seat and each member whose name is
drawn successfully may choose in like manner; and
that the thus chosen shall be holden during the
continuance of such session
4 After farther discussion on motion Of Mr.. WIN.
COST JOHNSON, the whole subject laid
the tablc-ayes l05, noes lO2.
Mr.. STANLY introduced his colleague, Hon w.
FL WASHINGTON, Representative elect from the State
of North Carolina who qualified, and took his
seat.
Mr.. GRAHAM, of North Carolina, gave notice
that on to morrow or so tho rules and bust
49, ko.