The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-03-22
CONGRESS.


IN the House, on Monday, some time was
.,ept in preliminary business Of disposing Of
roo bills in relation 10 the United States courts
West Tennessee and Arkansas, and of re-
ceivng some memorials The pending subject,
hsioq the resolution to amend the rules, by elk
inc the time when the Committee OF the Whole
should be discharged from the consideration OF
any bill referred TO it," was then taken up.
Mr.. Clifford moved TO lay the resolution on
the table, and called for the yeas and nays Mr..
Anterior, however, interposed molion that
the rules be suspended, and that the House go
into Committee Of the Whole. The Speaker
pronounced the motion out of order, and MIR.
Atherton appealed, and called for the yeas and
NAYS The decision of the Speaker was affirm
ed, and again, the vote being taken by the yeas
and nays, the motion of Mr. Clifford was lost.
The question then required on the adoption
Of the resolution, and it Was adopted by vote
Of los to SO.
When this business was thus disposed OF, the
reception of resolutions was continued, begin
nng at the State of North Carolina. Among
others, Mr.. Andrews, of Kentucky, offered one.
which received several notifications, so as to
request the President to inform the House of
Representatives what members Of the 26th and
9th Congresses had applied, either in person or
through friends, for office, and for what office.
Mr.. Giddings offered the following resolu-
tons:
Resoiped, That prior TO the adoption Of our Federal
Constitution each OF the several States comprising
nj In,n c,aI f,lI nd avclu IN cti,n
over the subject Of slavery within its territory,
and possessed full power TO continue abolish it at
pleasure
Resoired, That by adopting the Constitution no
part of the aforesaid powers were delegated to the Fee
lera Government but were reserved by, and still per-
tain to- each of the several States
RESOLVED That by the 9Th section of the LIST article
of the Constitution, each of the several States
rendered to the Federal Government all jurisdiction
over the subjects Of commerce and navigation upon
the high seas.
Resoiped, That slavery b. ing abrilgment of the
natural rights of men, exist only by force OF posi-
tive municipal law and is necessarily confined 10 the
territorial Jurisdiction of the power creating IT,
Resolped, That when ship belonging to the clti-
zen of any State of this Union leaves the waters and
territories of such States and enters upon the high
seas the persons board to be subject to the
slave laws OF such State and thenceorth are govern
ed in their relations to each other by and
BILE to, the laws of the United States.
Resoped That when the brig Creole, on her late
passage for New Orleans, left the territorial urisdic
ton of Virginia. the slave laws of that State ceased
to have jurisdiction the persons on board of said
brig, and such persons became amenable only to the
laws of the United States.
Resolved That the persons on board said ship, in
cung their natural right of personal liberty violated
law of the United States, incurred no legal penalty,
and are justly liable to punishment.
Resolved, That all attempts to regain possession Of
to re-enslave said persons unauthorized by the
Constitution laws Of the United States, and are in
compatible with national honor.
Resolved That all attempts to exert national in
iuence in favor of the coastwse slave trade or to
place this nation in the attitude of maintaining a
" commerce in human beings" are subversive of the
rights and injurious to the feelings and the interests
of the free States, unauthorized by the Constu-
ton, and prejudicia to our national character
A motion was made to lay the resolutions on
the table, and decided in the negative-ayes So,
noes lbs, many Of the majority assigning as a
reason for their vote wish to have direct ques-
ton on the adoption of the resolutions. The
vote was next taken on ordering the previous
question: and was decided in the alternative
ayes l22, noes 81. Several members begged TO
be excused from voting, assigning their reasons
therefor Mr.. Gushing characterized the resou-
tons as a British argument on question now
the subject Of negotiation between the two coun-
tries, and approximating to unreasonable view Of
the subject.
Several members having appealed to Mr.. Gid
dngs to withdraw his resolutions, he proposed
doing So but objections were made. The Chair
decided in favor of his right to do So from which
decision an appeal was taken by Mr.. Andrews.
The appeal however was Withdrawn, and MIR,
Giddings withdrew his resolutions. Mr. Bolts
then offered resolution declaring the presenta-
ton of the resolutions by Mr.. Giddings to be an
unwarrantable act, and deserving the censure of
the House. A suspension of the rules was ne
cessary to receive this motion, requiring two
thirds vote, and it was negatived-ayes 1913,
noes 6S.
After the presentation of several resolutions,
by members from Ohio, Mr.. Weller submitted
a resolution similar to that offered by Mr.. Bolts,
upon which he moved the previous question.
Mr.. Giddings asked time to prepare himself for
defence, and moved that the resolution be post
poned until next Thursday week. Upon this
motion a question of order arose as to the effect
of the previous question, which was debated by
Messrs. Shields, Wise, Fillmore, Pope, and
others, when, without taking a question, the
House adjourned.
Mr.. Huntington addressed the Senate yester-
day in favor of Mr. Clays resolutions in relation
to an increase Of the tariff and dimnution of
the expenditures ofthe Government.
THE ESTIMATES OF THE DEPART
MENTS.
We have heard with surprise that objections