Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1843-12-09

] "ee
against every oi which he had always voted The hu
rule ct them, the ious, had voted retain Ihat
Ia" had voted agsins II iton the first intro
daccd because was an abdgmcn ot the power OF speech
and he proposed add amendment strike
what he had said the first abrdgment OF the power
speech the part the members Vt the House. which ht,
j been adopted June 1t. 1870
II contained principle which principle that
Jor'y at this House. ANY might suspend the rule
which required .tirL a measure; and
they the power To suspend the rules nv simple nIaon
they unlimited power the majority thu.
House always suspend the rules because there sway,
would be Tor going into Committee OF this Whole
the oi the Union, and member who chose
pend the rules for that purpose had nothing do but make
the motion. Ii struck rule gave the
power dissolve rules under the sspendng them
Such had been it, operauon lac had opposed when had
been first proposed and It when the majority in this
House ct the party the present MAJORITY, and
object abdge the freedom 1t speech ri the mnOr
~. From that time them had been fact rules ct the
HeIse-no rules which required two-thrds
-urcs' bot ~ had always been IN the power oi majority Ia
suspend debate hy 20 into Committee OF the
Whole the OF the Union. lie hoped. therefore that
might be swept away, with the addition, which
~ improvement made aft, rGrs by the last Congress-
put an the power OF mSlonty 10 dissolve all rules.
Mr.. WISE accepted the amendment OF Mr.. AnANs a
modification 4" hs proPoson and asked division OF tue
quefon rs some gentlemen might be opposed To Noic Tor the
who would not Vote for the other lie hoped that both
Of the provisions would be stricken
MIR. HOPKINS was opposed to IN. modification ct the
rule He had had some h,ie experience here and
S the Inconvenience OF allowing third at the
members Of this body control the body itself in relation
disposition ITS business, ntSt rules ad httn
tested 10y eNp"nencr and rested the suppOsion that the
majority the House waSresponsibe the conduct OF the
business III the House. II It the majority ought 10
have the night and discharge the
Whenever they though, proper II they did
both branches oi the rule they stood theN put the
power Onc-tn OF the House To keCp subjects in commit
oi the whole long they thought proper For one,
he had got along very well under the former operation OF the
rule. aud hoped would he III" Pleasure oi the HOUSE now
shstain It.
MIR. CAVE JOHNSON said, when they 90, into ON.
ni'tec OF the Whole, this rule stricken cut, they
compelled sit until every man had debated long
he pleased; and since he had had the honor ot
this House lac had frequently sa enNe thirty hours
listening useless speeches. Suppose they wanted
into Committee ct the Whole on Il money hill for e1an.
pie, aud third objected; they ;s had control ct the
action OF the House, and that te most important bills
What objection, them there 10 the majority at IN,
House having the powtT into Committee o the Nhoc'
There could be no reasonable and It they allowed
bills remain committee ti member had spoken
who chose they never could get any ont u midnight "r
daybrcak.
Mr.. RlIETT said matters had turned out pretty much
a. he had feared. The majority, having the power, would
always he in favor OF using H. When, tle last Con
g, the opposite party had possessed the power this
too they had thought proper adopt tins rule. aud his
opinion Il one Ut ther worst acts, Mr. X.
understood To saw because It lad introduced the Con.
gresS ct the United States the arbitrary the
ui MINORITY governing without any regard o the will oi
the minority II the seats they occupied We're their
1t what they said simply confined to themselves, It
would be a Ncn small how thcy ruled; but
when they recolccted that every who had seat on
this floor represented 10000 people, who him
here represent their feelings and Interests itsruc him
that in free country, which regarded the liberty oi the
press and the freedom Of debate, they oIgh b. allowed
speak and speak freely. Ii 10 had been the practice
ancestors suppress debate the will OF a majority.
Mr. r. doubted they would have been standing here; be-
cause, OF all the brough, down by our An.
GoSaNun auccstOrs, freedom OF speech ui the
primary principles.
Ills friend from Tennessee Mr.. Johnson had said J.,
impossible carry the business the House with
out these rules. Lei him ask the gentleman IT, la English
history, he had read at such rule the british
House of They had css than hundred and
fifty members, ami the House oi about hum
bred and that monarchy liberty speech r..
spected. They had gone from Revolutionary down
TO the presont-at least down the last Congrrss-and
when had it been that this arbitrary proceeding
against the night OF speech should be proposed Never;
and mad been proposed by Democratic congress,
but by those opposed them; and when introduced
il had been for special measures-o carry through the
o the session. lie had ANTICIPATED then
that mat which temporary rNpedient for a temporary
purpose would bee permanent and ne mad then
ed, what they saw, that when the Democratic party
got into power, winch he was confident they would 10 thai
they who that time oppressed by the operation
this rule would bC M favor lie had SAID then.
ever his lot t. put s foot upon th- floor A. member
al the majority ne would resist and FIRMLY any ra
nbudge the freedom speech aud he said now {.
his Democratic friends, now Won have the power use
II with generosity and magnanniy, with srot regard o.
me rgis Of ' people, and Jet not be SAID that tins
"i your opponents is O. be- adopted by you and
adopted by you i, the .aw oi tile next and ,i
every succeeding congress
What tho evil whIrn the gentleman from Ttnn &c
complained Of Why, that the, nigh, be- Kept up nghti
that they might hear dav longer debates upon this
floor Well VII" suffered there Was 1t their persona.
convenience which was 10 be the reason why they o.
strike down the night Of debate u the consideration Of
few thousands 10 be spent by le longer sessOn' Were
such paity considerations 10 interfere with hs freedom Vi
debate night eeAu1. t. tAC country aud
It's iberties Did they not believe that come
when tyranny might put az upon ts floor and the
minority with rod OF and hen tell them had ghi
o. rule, sud would !.e. a. this freedom u he UgEl
the press guaranteed 5y the Constitution did ou fore
father think that the freedom Of speech y be
preserved inyloiae' Should the pal.s b. argued
the county long any lawy.i might desire and
should they, who discussed the greatest questions affecting
The Interests and prosperity VI the whole People be depn,
Of the freedom ei speech
Mr.. K trusted that TIM Coagress you'd l5t cAny our
TINS policy. Aat they would gave ~ L.ll opponents What
their opponents had lasn from them tha they would
store back Co. hem Tie rglt dorsed iae ancestors
the unrcsiTeted freedom " 5pee-a.
Nj CHARLES J. INGERSOLL beg-.5 @. add G
word n support Of the gentleman from Mrs-asl u-at1 NJ
Adan- who "a 10 ia'or ui tHs proposition g III gentle
man from Virgins tMr We" ~ ld0pf Tie amendment
lie wished 10 7ay ord NOT O. DO. Drss question CO ag;
which had been so4usuiy, l.a, - thought cuesy..
iy nrF,'d iy the gsnneman from south C-rJ.na .AIs
kheu bur on the question ~ policy. IL found h. Hf
iIe book holding is hand O copy I'D the Ku-s y. tie
House Of Repre-entaiIye- rule No Ia. lt vas within
hs recollection when eight rIe- comprised oil tie
regulations Necessary Tor th Haivheu ihe PR. iyuF
outrageous abuse Of M pnyiefs OF occurred And
what had been th inevitable result Of the which -
D ~
Thing u tie Kind, restraint yegai te necessity further
restriction esefg rpnquenng power 60 on ts could
stop. Al these res were thIs description; aud
/ beyond hi- iricri from South Clru.ua Hf
Rhcu and sliI though 'y had Dictator o1d physical
force before they Aal moral force superior ile -pJs.
nothing rprOacLill, bui it spike OF fact Wl.u he
asked u hiTc act VI thl lat Congr,.s Ou
the statute book Wlnrh had not Bcfn carried Dol,
tie previous question: And what the previous que,-
uon better ihsu file q" gcHdlrmere Ilr thought Ju, aa-
oil dissgrecabe than the other They there.
fore, had arrived 90 period when they fr-t
principles. Ono party. n power to-day, abused power
no doubt nnd obliged i'm o. ct mp a night and hear idle
speeches thai pariy O.'rDu and g might suy here
10 parr'l'si, mat bee tery'd that great reason ~
these frequent enormous rcy"u.us u publ. and
Oscrrow- OF psr', "as that ih people were not satisfied
with those who came here. fue gentleman from South
Carolina ha- scry properly said ihcrrse,Cs
but trustees "a represent The rights aud Interests OF 9th.
efs. and the other party, their torn 300 the ascsudeucy,
tlcted on 'f opponents in The minority the injustice
aud opp, sUls i!s cDncuued only with the gentle.
man from Masnciusett. Mr. AD,ss' aud the gentleman
D d H..