Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-09-14
POLITICAL.
= 7"7777 = : ? : =
I E'rom the Globe. !

We invite the attention Of the country to the admit
rable letter of the Hon Robert b. Rhett TO the Editors
of the National Intelligencer. The reports of these
Editors in doing injustice TO Mr.. Rhett, have done
great service the country, i'll calling out the fine ex
position of the OF proceedings III The House oil
Representatives, which has marked the degeneracy
which this session has brought upon the egsla
tive principles OF this body.
The wretched instruments of the injustice TO MT
Rhett shrinks from the duty of opening ITS columns to
redress the wrongs which they employed TO inict
Never before, did any paper reporting the proceedings
of Congress, hesitate TO allow member TO 90 hlmse
right where the grossest Misrepresentation au peeh
INDUCED traduce him. under the form of congress
sional report: The covering OF the National lntelli-
gencer under this explanation, and lis recoing from
the performance of a duty universally acknowledged
BY the press holding the relation theirs does to The
House of Representatives, proves that they perceive IN
this letter something that must work most fatally for
their party and themselves
HOUSE, REPRESENTATIVES,.
August IS, ISL.
AIessrs. BLAIR s RivEs:
Gentlemen: AS the Editors OF the National Inell,.
gencer refuse 10 publish the enclosed communication,
you will oblige me by giving It an insertion in your
columns. Your OBJ servt,
@'''''''' r. B. RHETT
To the Editors Of tho National fnteiiiseneer:
Gentlemen In your report of the proceedings OF the
House of Saturday last the 2st inst, after recording
The grounds which asked To be excused from voting
on the resolution offered by Mr. Sergeant, proposing
10 take the Bank bill out Of the Committee of the
Whole on the state of the Union, con Monday next
You state
sAcr Mr. Rict had read IN protest tie resolutions and
lucs,ed that IT be entered upon ,h record
Davis Of Kentucky and asked him if he had voted
o similar resolution TO The one under consideration duns the
IL session OF the last Congress
sir Davis r. oined would then read the record upon Mr.
Re objection being made Mr. d. not allowed 10 do
l hy Mr. Clifford that The rules relation to
The order Of bsnr, b. A. 70 enable nm !" move ihe e"
~pt
suspended II The Whole House
III. mon be discharge, % .c consideration No
y. ,ros.ic ID" the collection, >af Keeping
cr and disbursement "i ii- public revenue, from and after
Monday next, unless the shall be reported earlier day.
ana that SAID bill with such amendments II any, as shall have
adopted, taken NJ The House TUESDAY al 10
"'ci"ck, H. NJ and be The special oTdcr until inai disposed a.
sand committee the night according IL the rules otc
The question put Mr. Chlods unticn "Susrcnd
Yea leo nays s. Among the were Mr. Rhe and
=, Mr. cmiards resolution Yeas 4 NAYS Is Amoms The
yeas s!r. Riet, aud democrat IN the House
Thus, gentlemen, it appears that when you profess
to report the proceedings Of the House. you hold your
selves at liberty to ntersperse them with matters which
do not occur at the time in the House. The former
opinions conduct Of those opposed you politically
may be introduced for the purpose Of weakening their
positions, for far inferior purpose-to lower
them personally in public estimation by effort to
convict them of personal Inconsistency. If you had
thought proper to report only what said on this
occasion, you might have better represented my reply
TO MIR Sanly have noticed my request to the House
10 allow Mr.. Davis to proceed. If the resolution had
been read hy Mr.. Davis, II would have given me the
opportunity desired Of showing what asserted, that
/ had voted for any such resolution as that
against which protested. Since you have thought
proper virtually to make this charge in your report Of
the proceedings of the House, l claim the privilege
through yonr columns of reiuting IT,
In the first place, you have not quoted the whole
journal You say: "The question WAS put upon Mr.
Clifords motion TO suspend the rules. You should
have added: "T,co thirds voting in the affirmative the
I.d fha t,,,c Oh
STOP may be inferred by reader unacquainted with
parliamentary rules, that mere majority suspended
the rules; and, therefore, in this respect, that the
lutions OF MIR Clifford and Mr. Sergeant were alike
THIS is not 4 rule Of the House, in conformity
wh an express standing rule existing lmmemorially,
believe, only be suspended BY vote Of ttcohirds
and on this occasion this vote was obtained.
In the second place, you say "Amongst the yeas
were Mr. Rhett and every Democrat in the House
An inference from this statement nigh, he made, that
Democrats only voted for Mr.. Clfford's motion TO
suspend the rules and afterwards for his resolution
and that they carried those propositions. This is
so A large number of the Wings, without whom
neither the resolution could have been car.
ricd, voted for them with the Democrats Amongst
them, Mr. B,dde of Pennsylvania, Mr.. Briggs
and Mr.. Calhoun of Massachusetts, Mr.. Underwood
Il Kentucky, Mr. Chinn of Louisiana, Mr.. Joseph
Williams OF Tennessee, Mr.. Randolph of New Jersey
aud many others. Ii the motion resolution had
been contrary TO Parliamentary usage, an infringe.
of the rights of the minority these gentlemen
would have been amongst the last who would have
voted for or carried them.
The distinction between this resolution and the re.
solution Of Mr.. Sergeant, against which protested
kept out of view in your reports this The resou.
ton Of Mr.. Clifford resolution TO suspend the
rules which only he carried by vote of two-lhlrds
of the House Mr.. Sergeants resolution not OF
this character BY standing rule Of the House, made
for the protection Of the minority all rules are, and
always existing as rule Of Congress, the regular
course of business cannot be altered changed but
by suspension of the rules. This regulation
made expressly 10 protect the minority against the
caprice tyranny of the majority II supposed,
with this guard TO their rights, requiring co-opera
ton of the minority itself TO suspend change the
rules by vote OF two thirds, their rights safe
imposition or oppression by majority impossible.
But how Is II now with the rule introduced al
this session for the first time, into Congress, and in
pursuance of which the resolution proposed last S,ur
day passed: Wps 1t resolution to suspend the
rules, requiring the assent of the majority by vote
of two-thrds to make it operative. 1t was simple
resonton-"That, at O'Clock this day, ALTERED af
forwards TO Monday nextO all debate in Committee
of the Whole on the bill No. to incorporate the sub.
scribers to the Fiscal Bank of the L. S shall cease
&c Ii was an enforcement of rule which had bee n |
made standing rule Of the House, expressly ordain
ed 3y the majority get rid of the inconvenience OF
the thirds hitherto required to suspend the rules,
and empowering mere majority TO stop debate al
any time in the Committee of the Whole, and force
bill through the House by the aid Of the previous
question Ii against this and yrannical rule,
which ordained expressly for the purpose of put
ting aside the ancient rule, in conformity to which, Mr.