The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-02-04
CONGRESS.


On Wednesday, in the House, Mr.. Adams
stated briefly some of the grounds on which he
would base his defence He left it to the wisdom
Of the House to determine how long the consi-
deration of his case should be suspended, in or
der that he might obtain the documents which
he deemed necessary for his defence. MIR.
Summers proposed an amendment referring the
whole matter to a committee for a report. Mr.,
Gimer then obtained the floor, and proceeded
10 argue in favor of the resolution he had offered.
On Thursday, after the presentation OF some
petitions and resolutions, and among others one
from Mr. Adams, calling for part of the infor-
nation from the State Department, which he had
before required from the Navy Office, Mr. Gil
mer, who was entitled to the floor, continued
his speech. As preliminary, he observed, that
he was willing TO withdraw his resolution, pro
vided Mr.. Adams would withdraw the petition.
Mr.. Adams replied that he had presented the
memorial under the conviction that he was per-
forming an imperative duty. He could not
withdraw it.
Mr.. Gilmer could not, therefore, withdraw his
resolution, and continued his speech. He de-
precated the reference of the matter TO a commit
tee. Nothing would be gained by sucha course
but evasion Of the question: or delay of action
on the case, with the prospect Of prolonged bit
lerness of discussion, when the committee should
report. His resolution is simple, and the point
it proposes may be soon decided. The question
under consideration has no connection whatever
with the right Of petition. 1t does not affect the
rights of the memorialists-it extends only to
the gentleman from Massachusetts in his repre-
sentative capacity. He urged the necessity ola
unanimous vote pronouncing the censure, in or
der that the world might see that there is de-
termination to frown unhesitatngly on every
attempt, however feeble, to dissolve the Union.
One important object to be gained is not to
suffer the idea of dissolution to become fama-
rized to the pubic mind To refer the memorial
to committee would give it too much mpor-
tance-and it is uncertain what report might be
made by the gentleman from Observation-Disclosures
would depend on the mood he might be in at the
moment it was written. Suppose he would
furnish an able argument against the dissolu-
ton; the argument is unnecessary. The vast
mass Of the people are friends of the Union,
they want no reasoning in its defence. The
forty six men of Haverhill appear to be the on
ly ones who require such argument.
Many members sprang on their feet together
when Mr. Gilmer concluded, but the floor was
yielded to Mr.. Adams He repeated the charges,
that he conceived had been made against him
Abiding to the imputations which had been
cast upon him, he was led to refer to the memo
rial from Georgia, which he presented the other
day, praying that he might be removed from
the head of the Committee of Foreign Affairs.
He announced that some change had taken
place in his impressions with respect to the au-
thencity of that memorial. His attention had
been called, by Mr.. Johnson, from Maryland, to
the fact that the petition was on Congress pa
per, and that the signatures were mostly, if not
all, the same handwriting. He was, therefore,
now induced to suppose, that the petition orr
gnated in the House, and he called on Mr..
Johnson to disavow all knowledge Of the affair.
Mr.. Johnson made suitable reply, but it did
not suit Mr.. Adams, and another and rather in
dgnant rejoinder was made.
In the course of his remarks, Mr.. Adams al
iuded also to a movement made by some Of the
Committee of Foreign Affairs, and he accused
Mr.. Gllmer of tampering with Mr.. Gushing to
dlspace him (Mr. Adams,) from the chairman
ship OF the committee, and putting Mr.. Gushing
in his place. Explanations were made by Mr..
Gushing, who denied the truth of the declara-
ton made by MIR. Adams-Mr. Glmer uniting
with him in the denial. Mr.. Adams persisted
in maintaining the correctness of his impress
sions. After reading a record of some of the
proceedings of the Committee of Foreign AZ
fairs in confirmation, as he conceived, of his
asseverations, he then read letter purportng
TO be from North Carolina, menacing him with
death for his vilanous course and exhibited
caricaure, as we understood, representing him
aboh,onist, accompanied by the couplet rel eat
ed by Mr.. Gmer some days since. Much
laughter was produced by his observations, but
he Immediately launched into the serious and pa
thetic, abandoning argument entirely.
In the Senate, afterl the presentation of pc
titons, Mr. SIMMONS moved that the Commit
tee on Manufactures be authorized to employ
a clerk, and upon this question debate arose
upon the subject of the tariff and retrench-
ment of the expenses of the Government;
brief outline Of which will be found in another
column.
EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS.
The President is frequently assailed, on vari-
ious grounds, for his appointments to Office
In e. L