The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-03-03
CONGRESS-.

After the reading of the journal on Tuesday,
Mr.. Bolts moved an amendment of the journal,
and it was amended accordingly. The journal
stated that the amendment of Mr.. Campbell to
the resolution of Mr.. Bolts was substitute,
both gentlemen stated it was intended merely
as an addition The regular business pending
was the motion of Mr.. Pendleton to suspend the
rules for the reception of the following resolu-
ton:
RESOLVED, That the Constitution " ordained and
established" to form perfect union of these States,
and that Congress not only has authority to take
any measures for the dissolution of the Union, which
it thus created to defend and protect but that it
is the paramount duty of every department OF this
Government and of all the people of these States,
Indignantly to frown upon the first dawning OF every
attempt to ALLEVIATE any portion Of our country from
the rest, to enfeeble the sacred ties which now
link together the various parts.
Two-thirds did not vote for the suspension,
and therefore the motion did not prevail.
The House then resolved itself into Commit
tee of the Whole, and Mr. Briggs was called to
the chair Mr.. Bidlack proposed to pass by the
appropriation bill, and to take up that fixing the
apportonment His motion was decided to be
out of order, and an appeal was taken but the
Chair was sustained In the consideration Of
the Civil Appropriation bill, the amendment OF
Mr.. Davis, of Kentucky, was carried. Mr. Nc
Keen moved to reduce the contingencies of the
State Department from 1875, 900 to $4,000. The
motion was lost.
In addition to his previous amendment, Mr..
Davis offered the following:
"And all other job-printing binding, and statione-
ry in any way touching the public service, should,
in like manner be let in the same way by the officer
having the charge of the same; and the laws of the
United States and all advertisements and other print
ing pertaining to the public service to be done in any
newspapers, shall be printed and published in the
newspaper or newspapers Of the place where said
publication may be made having the largest number
of subscribers to be verified by the affidavit of the
editor or editors of the paper making such pubica-
tion and also of the editors of such other papers as
may propose to make the same
On this addition to the resolution debate
arose, in which Mr.. Davis took prominent
part In consequence of an objection made by
Mr.. Fillmore, he substituted the words, 'De-
partments, or in any manner connected with
them," in lieu of the terms "pubic services" in
the first sentence of the resolution. The sub
ject Of the discussion was, whether the amend
ment was in order The Chair decided it was
not and from the decision Mr.. Davis appealed.
During the debate Mr.. J. G. Floyd observed,
that there was evidently no quorum present and
moved that the Committee rise. The vote be-
ing taken the fact was defnitively learned
and the Speaker resumed the Chair A call OF
the House was ordered and the roll being called,
one hundred and sixty-fve members answered to
their names.
Mr. Morgan offered resolution to the effect
that the Clerk of the House should furnish the
printer of the House with the names of all alb
sentees on the first calling of the roll, objection
being made, suspension of the rules was
moved but the motion was lost
Mr. Davis then offered the following addition
to his former amendm ent:
"And provided that nothing herein contained
shall be construed to repeal the provisions of an ex-
listing law which authorizes the Secretary of State
discontinue the publication of the laws in any news
paper for cause and which forbids again the employ
ment of the proprietor of any newspaper 80 dlscon-
tinued to publish the laws of the United States"
The debate on the point of order was re-
newed The Chair had decided that the
amendment was not in order in an appropria-
ton bill, because it went to change existing
laws. Mr.. Wise advocated the correctness of
the decision of the Chair. The amendment
either sanctioned existing laws changed
them. If the former it was unnecessary, if
the4atter, 1t was out of order. Mr.. Gordon and
Mr. McKeon, and Mr.. Hopkins followed on the
other side. Most of the days session was con
sumed in this debate.
Mr.. CLAY addressed the Senate for more than
two hours, in support of the resolutions hereto
fore submitted by him with reference to the
Compromise act and retrenchment and re
form, brief sketch of whose remarks will b,
found in another column.