Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-02-10
TwENTY-sEyENTH coNGREss-.ad Session.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE
Thursday, january 81, 1912.

"Mr. ADAMS makes the point Of order, whether the
House has the right TO entertain this resolution, because
il charges him with crimes OF which this House has
jurisdiction and because, it the House entertained
the jurisdiction they deprive hun of rights secured to
him by the Constitution of the u. >.
To the inquiry above addressed by tie Speaker
Mr.. ADAMS replied that lie was DESTROYS of making
the question of consideration from conscientious con-
viction that the House had right to try him. twas
proceeding against which he must protest, as deprv-
ing him of him right and for that reason he had been
wiling, when the motion was made yesterday to lay
the whole subject the table, IT 1t should prevail, IN
order TO finish this Improbable, this worse than unpro
itabe debate, the gentleman from Kentucky MIR.
Underwood had denonna,ed ii and which he (Alr Al
could not be more painful 10 any member
than himself. He (Mr. A was DESTROYS, if possible, 10
dismiss the subject; and, as TO the five hours nyec-
tive, in which the gentleman from Firginia Mr. Wise
had INDUCED personally against him, he (Mr. A. was
content TO let it pass, without making any remark
whatsoever lie wished, therefore, that the subject
should lie dismissed, because, taken INTO considera
ton debate of al least three weeks would follow, ana
the most important business OF me country "ouu uut-
ing that time, be set aside.
| The SPEAKER here in,na,ed to Mr. Adams las
the Reporter understood) that if the gentleman with
drew hls motion, the Speaker would ieel compelled To
give the floor TO the gentleman from Kentucky Mr..
Underwood if he desired II, who had risen TO point OF
order before the point raised ny the gentleman lrom
| Massachusetts.
Mr. ADAMS did not intend to withdraw my pro-
position cannot withdraw il, because the House has
no power to try protest against ii, because be-
Ieye as have said, that If broacheG, debate
Of three weeks inevitable So far am personally
concerned, far concerns the cause for which
am 10 suffer- il al all have desire for conceament;
on the contrary am desirous 10 give to the House
and the nation all my thoughts. But this is not the
,ime-this is not the place. have an account to set.
tie with my ccns',uens-and call upon them here to
attend 10 every act OF this House, "a well nine,
this subject shall prefer going directly 10 them
| The SPEAKER, interruplng Mr. A. here remarked
that the gentleman from Massachusetts, that
this question of consideration was not deLatable
| Mr. ADAMS. Well cannot Withdraw the ques.
ton of consideration II the House choose 10 consider
the resolution let it be their act All the consequences
that may follow shall BE- the act Of the House. lie.
them be charged to the House, not 10 will be
accessory arrestng the action Of This House upon the
public business ut this time.
Mr.. FILLMORE rose and said that there was some
misa pprehension what the question
The SPEAKER. The question IT. 'Wlll the House
now consider the resolution OF The gentleman from KY
Mr.. Marshali'"
Mr. FILLMORE said he understood the gentleman
from Massachusetts Mr. Adams 10 raise the question
of the constitutional power of this House; but he u
derstood the Speaker 10 decide the question lie un
der the 9th rule, will the House now consider; Now,
he wished distinctly to understand whether The question
was, simply whether the House would now consider
the resolution not whether il was, had had
The House the constitutional power, II necessary
the House should know what the question
lie might be of opinion that the House possessed the
constitutional power to entertain the question: yet he
migh,be opposed to the proprc'y consdering now
After momentary conversation w Messrs BRIGGS
and MARSHALL
The SPEAKER said that the question was, whether
the House would now consider the resolution the
set forth by The gentleman from Massachusetts,
EMr. Adams
Mr.. RHETT wished to understand the question.
Mr.. ARNOLD submitted that the question was not
debatable.
Some conversation followed 10 the question before
the House. in which Messrs. RHETT, MAXWELL,
and the SPEAKER pas.icipated.
Mr. RAYNER desic'd the Speaker 10 state distinct.
ly what the question was. The gentleman from Massa.
chuseits as he (Mr. understood, took the ground
that the House had jurisdiction, and the Speaker
said that the question was whether, under all the cir
cumstances) the House would consider the resolution
Of The gentleman from. Kentucky
The SPEAKER said the question was, viii the
House now consider this question privileged ques
ton not, as alleged by the gentleman from Massa-
chusetts that was, with reference to the amendment
of the gentlema from Kentucky, Mr. Marshall, not
of The gentleman from Virginia, Mr. Giner.j
"a conversation followed between Mr. Adams and
the Speaker in relation TO the form i'll which the ques
ton on the point Of order should be put 10 the House,
when, on the suggestion Of the Speaker, Mr.. A. con-
sented that should be put the form of considcra
ton, to wt; 'W' the House consider Ne resolution
And this question the Speaker said wal not debatabe
Inquiries were put to tha Speaker by Messrs. WISE,
(who no, knowing the precise to vote
at ullD SLApE, GREEN, CUSHING, SMITH Of
Virginia and RAYNER.
And the latter gentleman gave notice that he would
TO- morrow morning a correction Of the Journal.
The vote was al enc,h announced-Yeas lie, nays
IS.
And the Speaker SAID: 80 the House decide that
they Ths w SPEAKER nGw Ss 10
He addressed the Hid be al some length, and was fol-
lowed By other speaker&
MIR. BOTTS said htVhad listened with very great
pleasure to the a patriotic remarks Of the gen
tleman from Kentucky, ENr. Uatcra ood, and should
have been perfectly contest - have submitted the
question to the House a. this i'ne but that he differed
so widely from the views Of III majority Of this House,
as indicated BY the votes Ia I'm, and 50 widely from
large majority of his. collSs cues upon this floor,
and The Southern dcless;on in general, that he did
no, feel himself at Liberty to have the question taken
without submitting hiskiews on this important sub
j,ct: and in doing this he did not mean TO become
,edged TO defend the general course Of the gentleman
from Massachusetts, The gentleman had said and done
MANY things on this uc which did not meet his appro-
baton and in saying THIS lie meant disrespect to
the gentleman from Massachusetts. lie must lose all
respect for himself before he could bring himself to
wound the feelings Of that venerable man and nd
he meant no imputatlon On any Other 81 'man lie
had piyen some evidence al these nniigs. Nhen
the gentleman had asked on Saturday last to defend
grant permission. When he thought the gentleman
had trespassed and abused tc courtesy ct the House.
he withdrew that leave and yet 10 was prepared 10
make many apologies for his courss FROM what he
had seen of that gentleman OIL this floor ne was IN
clned to believe that he expressed very many sent-
men,s in the irrtabilty Of the weight OF years that
hunr oil him. which his own calr reiieSton would
condemn. There was enough on this foor passing
under mis- immediate observation to provoke the gentle.
man, and, if he nigh, use the express'on to "bedeSi
him.
What was the question before the House? And what
was the offence committed by the gentleman from Mas
ssshuse,s The gentleman had sssns sdoa to ' as
House petition not asking that shouu us
solve this Union by an act Of legislation, but that Con.
aress should devise measures by which the peaceful
dissolution may be effected The gentleman from Mas as
sachuse,,s standing here as one OF inc patrols .. ,e
for half century, with one foot s,andng--he would
say if the gentleman would pardon mIon The verge
of the grave, asked that the petitOlmg DC referred
to committee, of which he woul1 ro1rs~' IN com
mon conresv he n,occd 4, the head he might have