Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-01-18

if the vote the resolutions was forced He desired
vote The resolutions themselves that al might BE-
seen in their true coo,s and that the sense of the State
might be fairly tested on these important measures
The gentleman from Northampton, (hlr. Yerby,) had
told The House II was true he had heretofore engaged
in these dscn ssons, bu, he now saw the error Of his
ways, and was altogether opposed TO taking w these
resolutions He, Too, great slick,er for ecnno-
N.Y. lir desires 10 make this short session, and in
proof of his desire, MIR. H. said, he would refer the
House to the fact stated by The gentleman himself that
he came here after Chrstmas-aye-came here after
Christmas 10 make this short session. lie was not
censurng the gentleman for bis absence. There were,
hr had no doubt, good reasons tor it. But really he
thought the gentleman took the sowest make
n quick that h. had ever known-and he had al
ways been told that 10 make quick race, the start
all important
Here Mr. VERY intcrposed, to remind the House
that the speediest horses often very slowly in the
beginning of the The great horse Boston, scarcely
well the irsth heat but always made the second
and the third heat IN very quick time.
Mr.. II. said he did not know they had Boston with
them lie had thought it was Monsieur Tonson. Last
session in closing scene he believed the gentleman
had styled himself the Monsieur Tonson of the day
The gentleman had run two heats in the Federal
but he would not enter for the third. Ii he ruled
TO il, pcrho ps he might be beaten. Mr. ii. said that in
relation To the resolution of instruction senators 10
for the repeal OF the Distribution law introduced by
HIMSELF he had made the offer which had alrea-
dy been made by the gentlemen from Preston and Acco
mac TO their resolutions Toaccnmmodate gentlemen,
and 10 save precious time and money, he would agree
that there should be no discussion, if they would only
come fairly up and take Ii direct vote the resolutions
lie again distinctly made this proposition TO gentlemen
OH the other side He made TO all the resolutions,
and in behalf of The Democratic paryand if this pro-
position was not accedcd to, The country would see
whose fault il wns if there useless and prolitlcss
discussion. Bat gentlemen we are 10 have disc u.s.
sion. Here in the midst Of it. Why not then
lott m hp mai 0uTg' n fact
longed debate by the course they adopted. Under the
decison ofthe Chair, the motion 10 take up the me
rs OF the resolutions mg TO some extent be gone into
The motion 10 take up, might be renewed day alter day
and day after day this discussion might be renewed.
But II gentlemen had the nerve 10 vote on the main
question, on the resolutions themselves, the subjects
would receive their quetus at once and all debate about
them would be at end lie (Mr III desired to know,
the country desired To know, the interests OF the State
required that should be known how many there
in the Genera! Assembly in favor of, and low many
against these several measures the Bankrupt Bill the
Distribution Bill, and the Bank Bi-ior, though the
Bank was vetoed, the gentleman from Accomac had
truly remarked that '.the snake was not dead but
scoiclcd.'
One gentleman had drawn distinction between the
resolutions offered by the gentleman from Fauguer
and those submitted by himself and the gentlemen from
Accomac and Preston, and indicated that he would be
tavoraby disposed 10 take them up. In what did
the difference consist; The resolutions Of the gentle
ton OF The United Stales-to change the fundamental
aw of the and-the other resolutions were intended
10 preserve that Constitution as 1t s-to protect and de-
fend il from violation Now was it not just as i'm
portant 10 preserve IT, as it is to engait amendments
on il. Mr. II. knew not whether any amendments to
it were desirable. Much as that instrument had been
abused and complained Of le thought the very best
Constitution that could be framed for the United States
If he had the power to change it at pleasure, he did
not know of one amendment he would be willing to
adopt No, not one The evils which We suffered
under too often grew (no Of the defects Of the
Constitution but ont OF disregard Of its provisions;
and lie held 1t 10 be iar important to observe the
Constitution in good faith honestly 10 maintain rs II
is than 10 attempt changes of doubtful policy and the
effect Of which, could not be known till they shall be
tried If then, there difference between the
solutions, of character 10 affect the propriety OF Ia
king them IN, he thought IN favour Of the others,
rather than those introduced by the gentleman from
Fauquer.
The subjects to which these resolutions related
all Of the greatest importance 10 the country No one
would deny H. 1t was most important that the Sena.
from Virginia should fairly represent her them.
If they did, he believed the Bankrupt and Distribution
bills would he repealed and 10 the latter, the only
way ascertain whether they had fairly represented
Virginia in voting for it, and il they had not 10 set
them right. was TO take vote on the resolution Of in
srucon for lis repeal Surely, after the frequent in
structons which Virginia had given to her Senators,
il could not be fairly contended that these questions
were no, Of sufficient importance TO justify instruction
on them Ii seemed to him that the great, the real OBJ
ec refusing to take up the resolutions was TO defeat
them and thus TO preserve these odous measures
Gentlemen could not refuse 10 take the resolutions
on The score oi economy without orietlng tier claim
10 consstency-le did not mean now to discuss the in
con.s,enclss ofthe Wing party Chat was too wide, too
boundlcss field to he entered into on such an coca
onl-hut he meant 10 say that the objection on the
score Of economy strong heretofore as now, and
yet il was then disregardcd by the Wings II they re-
lied on the ground that ought never TO interfere IN
Federal Affairs at all, they adopted the principles OF the
old Federal party Of - and 90: they sacrificed the
principles of Virginia. and dmmed the lustre OF her
ancient fame
Their opposition could not rest on the ground that
these questions were not Of sufficient importance 10
Justify 10 the right of misunderstanding as 10 their
importance, there but one sentiment IN the coun'
try with all men, whether for or against them-and
that was that they were OF the deepest and
most peryadinr interest Then (said Mr. H. desire
that the people should know, that this opposition TO
taking up the resolutions is really and substantially OPP
position 10 the resolutions themseves-and u finally
successful will defeat them-will defeat them by a.
manGuvre, when probably It could not
be done on a fair vote He challenged gentlemen 10
try ito put it fairly TO the test.
So, Sir at last (sad Mr. II, our Wing friends, in
stead Of meeting fairly III the held OF argument,
and combating with great questions Of consiilu-
tional law and public policy, AVOID the true ISSUES by
HlanHGSIe. les, was
adroit parliamentary tactics the one sde and great
principles the other. lie asked The House, II enough
Of that sort of manGuvrlng had not been displayed
in Congress without introducing it here II was one
Of the strongest evidences OF the degeneracy Of modern
times and modern Stntesmcn-thls system OF saving
off questions By adrot parliamentary tactics, instead
of boldly coming forward 10 support their principles
and express the VIII of the people. How much more
did il become the character OF the State, and the dr.
nitv nj Statesmen To decide al questions high
grounds of principle lie hoped the motion would
prevail and that we should at cas, have fair vote on
the resolutions
Friday January H.
A communication received from the Senate, an
nonncing the passage in that body, OF the following
act regulating and restraining credit BY
merchants and others, to Students Of the Virginia MI
act providing for taking the of the citizens of