Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-01-09

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member OF the House Of Representatives for the 10th
Congress, from the Third Congressional District in
Pennsylvania.
Mr.. MEDlLL thought it than Just that
the other claimant, Mr. lngersoll, should also have
leave to address the House on the subject He there
fore asked leave to submit the following resolution:
Kesoteed mat tile petoner, Charles J. InnersolI,
be permitted 10 appear at the bar, aud that he as we'll
as the sitting member, have leave to address tins
House on the subject of the contested election from
the Third Congressional District of Pennsylvania
The question being then taken on this resolution, it
was agreed 10.
Mr.. LEWIS WILLIAMS wished to move a reconsi
deraton OF the vote by which the resolution had inc,
been agreed TO- 1T MIR. lngcrsol came here as Il clam
ant Tor the seat IN question, he (Alr W. would have
no objection to his being heard the bar But he un-
derscod that Mr.. lngerso did claim r aht 10 the
seat That being the case ii was question with m
whether Mr.. lngcrso had rlgltiu claim 10 the nrvi-
leges accorded BY the resolution. Mr.. w concluded
by moving reconsideration Of The vote lust taken
Mr. MEDlLL sad that b. reference 10 the files of
the House, IT would be that besides petitions from
large portion OF citizens OF The 81 Congressional Dis
trict OF PennsS vaa, petition had been presented by
Mr. lngersoll himself, setting forth that he was can
didate at The election, and that was his firm couyic.
lon, fJhstice were done, that he would be placed in
The seat n"T occupied by MIR. Naylor. Tia, matter
was referred ty the House to The Committee of cl.c
tons and few days before the close of the last ses
SION, two reports We're made from that committee-one
rom the majority, and the other from the minority
One report stated that he sitting member was entitled
70 ms seat, ana me oiei report set forth that he had
been elected by fraud HIS committee discharged us
duty by presenting their rcwa and BY ,aknq an The
testimony they could in the cas-. Ii now therefore
remained with the House decide vi ch IN. r.por,s
correct But in the face ii all thu would tine CEN
tleman undertake 10 say iha: Mr. Iupe:.nu had With
drawn from his claim; He (Mr. ~ had seen no,hnr
whatever which could justify such a belief H.. had
seen nothing IN the public press 10 that effect nclhcr
had he heard tie least ntmntlon Of it from any quar-
ter But, moreover, MIR. lngerso now present in
the House, ready 10 claim his seat
MIR. FILLMORE desired that the latter portion of
the report Of the minority of the committee might be
read ii was read accordingly
Mr.. F. after some preliminary remarks proceeded TO
argue that any person contesting the right Of mem
Der 10 seat had right 10 lie heard. lie contended
that the right 10 be heard did not result from the fact of
man being a candidate or not, The proper course
would be To grant Mr. lScEEsoiL hearing, when lie
presumed he would be able enighien them on the
subject to whether he considered himself caimant
10 the seat or not. lie (Mr FL was in favor of Grant.
ing hearing 10 Mr.. lNGERsoLL, on the simple ground
Of his appearn. To- contest tie rght Of the sitting mem
ber and 1t did not make any difference whether the
contestant made any CLAIM 10 the scat himself not.
lie (Mr. would vote oguIns, the reconsideration.
Mr. BRIGGS hoped the resolution would not he re.
considered. He considered it would BE- manifest in.
justice to refuse nearing 10 any who here
to contest seat with a member who might be in that
seat. In his opinion Mr.. In Ierso had an undoubted
right TO urge his clam at the bar Of the House.
Mr. MASON was in favor al the resolution and hoped
would not be reconsidercd lie favor Of grant
ing every contestant 10 seat that floor, fair hear
ing He desired that Mr. Ingcrsol might be heard ms
he was DESTROYS Of knowing whether the gentleman
claimed seat in the House by Of his election or
whether he appeared only counsel for the people of
Pennsy lvana, contesting the right Of the sitting
member.
Mr. CUSHING said he was also in favor of hearing
the petitioner for the stated by the gentleman
from Ohio, and also from the reasons on which the
petition was based Mr. Ingerso IN his petition
presented to the House at the last session. riomed the
seat now occupied by Mr. Nnylor. That the re-
cord, and the present pro eedngs bnt a continual
ton Of that record The question was therefore, what
disposition should be made of the memorial of alr
Ingersol. But he Mr. c. had risen for the purpose oi
Directing 10 the form at the resolution submitted by
tie gentleman from Ohio, Mr.. Medll That reso-
luton asked that "Mr. lngcrso should have leave
10 address the House, we'll as the sitting member
Now he Mr.. & conendeds that Mr. Ma lnr, the sit.
ting member, member dr. jaco, and as such he
had as much right to address The House, the gentle
from Ohio himself, any other member In this
Of the he considered the adoption Of the
solution implying doubt on the right of Mr. Nay
lor and admitting that lie was not n member de farto
lie hoped, therefore, that the gentleman from Ohio
would amend his resolution, SO as toleave out that por
ton.
Mr.. MEDILl did not perceive that the resolution
implied denial Of the right of the sitting member. 1t
merely asked that the petitioner might BE- heard as
wtll as the sitting member. IL merely asked that t.r
lnsersol might BE- placed the footing as Mr.
Nayinr. He therefore necessity tor amending
the resolution as required by the gentleman from
Massachusetts. He hoped the gentleman would not
press it, nasmucl they were losing nnch tiiHe, ana
Mr. Ingersoll was present waiting 10 be heard.
Mr. GUSHING said he would press II Tor, IT the
words meant nothing, why not omit them; and # they
did mean any thing, their import was hard one.
Sir. LEWIS WILLIAMS complained that tie
House, BY giving the Committee of Elections power 10
a.. 81, a.,
culors instead of the judges: and he would always
contend that the proceedings of the House were mpro-
per and irregular. Bnt lac wished to know whether
MIR. lngerso intended TO appear as claimant to The
seat or attorney for the people. IL was with view
Of asccrianng this fact, that he had moved the recon
s:irration AS however, many Of his friends appear.
e,i dcsrous he should withdraw, he would do Mr.
w then withdrew the motion 10 reconsider.
Mr.. CUSHING renewed 1t, as he could not consent
10 th. resolution until the words he objected TO were
stricken out.
Mr. MEDII.L said that in order TO save time, lie
would consent 10 amend the resolution desired.
Aud there being no objection, the resolution
modified.
After some further debate in which Messrs. BAR
NARD, MEDILL, G. DAVIS, and Afford partic
patcd,
MIR. HUBBARD moved the previous question, but
Withdrew il al the request Of
Mr.. AFFORD who, after some remarks in reply TO
Mr.. Barnard, renewed il.
to whether MIR. Afford, having previously spoken
had right 10 the floor to move the previous ques
ton.
NJ. TuRNEY having obtained the floor, after some
brief remarks on the prop'I"y of rcscrsIng the me-
ri,s Of the case unit, II should be fairly before the
House, moved the previous question.
Mr.. w. COST JOHNSON called for the reading Of
the memorial of Mr. lngerspl, which was read as fol-
lows
To Tie Honorable the Speaker and Nemberse The House
of Rprcsentafires in the United States Of 7merica,
Congress assembled:
Tie memorial and petition of Charles J. lngersol re-
spcctiully shows:
That he was chosen by majority of the electors Of
the Third Congre ssiona District OF The State Of Penn
sylvania, their Representative IN and for the twenty
sixth Congress, in session, and accordingly
returned as elected BY the constitutional authorities
of the State Of Pennsylvania, whose certificates, in
legal form, here communicated TO the House Of Rep
resentatives, and are among it's records certi-
flying that your nemoriast and petitioner elected.
lie had believed therefore, that your honorable House
would, before this time without The application, have