Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-02-15
rWENTY.sEyENTH CONGRESS--2d Session
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATlf
Uednesday, FED ?
MR. GILMER's SPEECH on His RESOLUTION OF

II.
CENSURE
MIR. GILMER said the House would do him the JUS
tce 10 consider that he had occupied OF their time
on either one of the propositions lie had had the ho
nor without consultation-without the dctation OF
concaye--to submit the House the resolution he did,
under an imperlous Of duty. il was painful
duty to him. and he had no doubt but the subject was
painful the other members OF tins House lie mao
occupied none Of the time Of the House reference 10
these questions As The Of the proposition That
had given rise TO all this discussion, excitement, and
DELAY of the time of this House, he might have been en-.
titled had he asked it, TO small share OF the time which
had been occupied.
e did not rise for the purpose of discussing the
rous extraneous topics which had been brought into
this debate What he wished was to call the attention
Of the House to the subject ITSELF IN ITS simplest form,
as embodied by the resolution he had offered, and TO
disconnect the subject from all those various incidental
extraneous considerations heaped, day after day, upon
the simple, single, solemn question he had introduced
lie begged that the gentleman from Massachusetts iNr
Adams) would not inc Jude him or his resolution IN TIC
ann,adversion Just made that OF the gentleman from
Kentucky He (hlr g. had consulted with no cau.
cus-no conclaye-before he submitted the resolution
He waited bat a very brief space Of tme anxious that
some older, more experienced, and ADLER member oil
this House should move IN this matter
He had been appealed by the gentleman from Ken
mcky (AIr MarshalD to know whether ne would accept
the gen,iemans preamble and resolutions as 1nodca
zion of his He had not yet had IN opportunity o, re-
spending 10 that inquiry If the gentleman would adj
ycr for moment the difference between the TWO re-
solutions he would perceive he motive that would m
dlce him TO decline his overture. Ills Mr.. GS) reso
tuition was simple brief easy ol comprehension and adj
uniting of no dout II seemed TO him that i ought to
challenge the unanimous support OF The American House
Of Representatives In presenting IT. ne hat had IN we"
no party sectional puipose-no nvldouS course 10,
wards the gentleman from Massachusetts. He granted
that the preamble and resolutions OF The gentleman from
kentucky contained in themselves veryaul and sue
cnct summing up Of The reasons which would lead TO
the adopon of the resolution, but his experience, al
know that while thousands would agree and vote with
him in his conclusions, there might not be any two VINO
would agree with him in his process OF reasoning IN ar
irving n, those conclusions While he took The rSpon-
hlIy of declaring that he did not regard the PROPOSE
tion Of the gentleman from Kentucky as too harsh CEN
sure and while he willing 10 vote for IL he must per-
,is in saving he preferred that me vote should nc taken
directly upon his original proposition
He would call the attention oil the House and OF the
gentleman from Massachusetts 10 his resolution ITS ex
tent and scope They had heard good deal IN the de-
bate about trial, about censure, and about expulsion
What do I ask the House 10 do: Not to denounce
Tho gentleman from Massachusetts a traitor not to
convict him of subornaton of perjury but to nict no
harsher censure than simply an expression OF the OPT
MON Of this House. | maintain IT as duty solemniy
incumbent upon US to express censure on his conduct
though would do it in the mlldes terms the nature OF
the case will Justify that the act is not mere
y lust as it regards the gentleman himself, but that
is an act imperavey due to ourselves and TO the Anne
rican Peope in vndication of this House and OF them
sure on the gentleman from Massachusetts. What,
| saw does my resolution ask An expression OF OPT
MON. And Of what opinion: That the gentleman,
in presenting petition praying Tor dissolution oil
the Union, has justly incurred the censue OF this
House. And has he not, l appeal for answer 10
eyery mou here, individually and collectively and
will before have done make that appeal to the gem
teman himself; and the only witnesses will ask shall
be that gentleman himself and his action on this occa
sion The resolution is couched in respectful TERMS 1t
md mana tlesO
ensue from the power Of public opinion And are we
10 be told that 1t is not constitutional tor the House 10
press such opinion-to censure him or to punish
him, if necessary? appeal TO the Constitution itself
Those who know Inc we'll know that am not in the
hab, of giving to the language Of that instrument TOO
large and loose a construction; the contrary have
been reproached by some of my friends for going into
the opposite extreme call gentlemen, then, to the
the words of the Constitution itself on this subject:
UE,cb uouse NAV determine Of proceedings prnh
lis members for dsorery behavior and with the concurrence oil
two two-thrds, e3pel a member. ,
nion but the power of punishment, is vested in this
House under the Constitution. So that had my reso-
luton asked the House TO nct on HIM signal pun
ishment, would it have asked any thing beyond the
limits Of our constitutional authority: might ha pe eit
warranted in going much further; but preferred put
ting the resolution in the very simplest form necessary
10 the Houses vndcaton OF itself from the reproach
which the presentation of such petition brngsupon
this House and the nation. Would il not seem to be
in accordance with The sentiments of the gentleman
hm,ele Here to-day the tenth day since the proceed
ing has been broached this floor, the gentleman
rises for the first time and disclams his own personal
coincidence in the prayer of these petitioners know
very we'll what he said when he brought the petition
into This House. know he proposed its reference,
with Instructions to select committee, TO report rca-
sons why i. is not expedent at this time to dissolve The
Union. But if now, from motives Of patriotism, the
gentleman is constrained to dsclaim any concurrence
in the object prayed for and to express ms dsap
violation Of il by what motives of patriotism was he
sctna,ed in agitang this House by the Introduction
of paper like that : The House; That would nave
been Comparatively ,rfsg matter: but in ngitatng
This entire nation, TO its very centre DO MAINTAIN
that the rejection Of su9' reDrosch on this
-. H.. a nreat derection Of duty: and say fur