The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1843-12-22
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Prayer by the Rev. Mr.. liNSLEY.
The Journal read by the Clerk when
Mr.. ADAMS said he was called to order Tor ofen-
sve remarks from the reading of the Journal 1t was
for irrelevancy, and not for offensive remarks and
he wished 1t amended
The CHAIR said the gentleman from North Caro-
lima, Mr. Saunders, had called the gentleman to Or
der for irrelevancy, and the Chair decided the gen.
tleman was out of order; but afterwards the Chair
had called him to order for what he conceived i'm.
proper language.
MIR. ADAMS said he admitted that he was called
to order for irrelevancy, but not for improper lam
guage and that what he wanted to correct.
Mr.. SAUND ERS said that he had called the gen.
tleman IRON Massachusetts to order for irreevancy,
but that the Chair had called him to order for disre
spectfu language
The Journal was so amended as to make it appear
that he first called to order for rrelevancy, and
not for dsrespeclful language.
MIR. SMITH, of Indiana, made some remark in
relation to the Journal, but it was naudble.
Mr.. FRENCH rose and asked the unanimous con.
sent of the House to make explanation, to which
the House consented.
MIR. FRENCH said that he wrongly reported In the
Intellgencer and that he would explain to the House
his remarks of yesterday in very concise manner {;
which he did, denying the report of the lntelli-
gencer.
Here several members attempted to submit pro-
positions to the House which decided by the
Char to be out OF order.
Mr.. ADAMS sal the Speaker would recoect
tnal on yesterday TWO hours OIL tne ucCu
consumed on very interesting character upon ques-
ton which not before the House, on PROPOSE
ton of the gentleman from Virginia ref rring the sub
jees whicu he had presented to select committee
Objection made by sew, raj members.
Mr.. J. r.: INGERSOLL asked leave Of the House
to present a resolution in relation to the resolution OF
the Legislature of Massachusetts, presented yesterday
by Mr.. Adams, which was refused by the House
Mr.. THOMASSON moved that the gentleman
from Massachu setts be allowed to give his views at
large upon the subject embraced IN the resolution OF
the Legislature OF Massachusetts,
Objected to.
Mr.. ADAMS continued, when
Mr.. CAVE JOHNSON moved to lay the subject
on the table
MIR. BELSER asked the Speaker which question
had the precedence?
The SPEAKER said the motion to lay upon the
table.
Mr.. BELSER, therefore, moved to lay the resolu-
ton upon the tabl,, and demanded the yeas and
nays.
A voice in Sleepy Hollow: 81 am entitled 10 the
The CHAIR decided the question was not de-
bateable.
Here there several gentlemen on the floor, to
a question of order
The SPEAKER answered them that the motion to
allow the gentleman from Massachusetts to proceed,
was Withdrawn, therefore it was not before the
House.
Mr. DAVIS, of New York moved that the gentle
Massachusetts
Mr.. BELSER withdrew his motion to lay upon
the table
Here there was great confusion, it being impossi-
BILE for the CHAIR L. decide by division.
The question then was demanded by yeas and nays,
and The following is he result Yeas 1913, nays 40.
So the gentleman from Massachusetts was allowed
10 proceed.
MIR. ADAMS said, that yesterday there was
also motion made TO refer the resolutions OF The
Legi -laure of Massachusetts. to the Committee on
= I.I, - IIa a
not wish to consume the time OF the House but the
gentleman frem Virginia Mr.. WsE) who IS not in
his seat, and called the attention Of the Report
ers to his declaration Of war-noI here but before
the Peopl which called forth the gentleman from
South Carolina (hIr HoLMEs) who, with all his
Southern chivary assume also this beligerant aui
tude Against who This, our common coun ry
which was bound together by ties Of interest and
kindred TIE gent, man from Virginia never did a
=" w IsER" hing IN his life than coming TO he conclu-
sion which he has at last arrived Of ing his ar
against the right of pei ION this floor, which was
warning against the rights Of his cons iuents-armed
eap-a.pie. he said he not abolltionst IN the
general sense; bot In another he was Sir, Vt Tho
mas Jeferson was an abolitionst, was he. he
subs ribbed TO the sentiments of the Dec araon of ln-
dep ndence, and hoped the day is not far of when
slavery will be abolished from of the face OF The earth
a c, Inflammation which be drvouiy wished but he
did not xpect to 1t IN his day Sir It is directly
al war with the Christian religion, from which
this sense he was abotonist-but he did
not belong to any abolition society what
ever. lie was in favor of the perpetuation OF
the institutions Of the county, and he want
ed TO see il unted-one and lndiyislble-which
could only be done by the abolition Of this perniciou:
evil-aud when that shall be accomplished, IN the Ian
guage of the Christian religion the "lon would lie
down with the lamb" Sir (said Mr. A. l am op'
posed to the interference with the domestic insttu
tons Of the Southern States and the resolutions oil
the ate of Massachusetts do not claim tn right
but to the extension of slavery in other portions o.
the country. Sir, the gentleman from Ohio Mr.. Wei
Ter said yesterday that he represented the sentiments
of the people of his district upon this subject, which
he denied and called his attention to the vote o.
those fresh from the people of Ohio who had voted tc
allow him TO proceed and then he REQUIRED to the
State Of Pennsylvania, and enumerated those who
had voted against allowing him to proceed, but he
was glad TO find that the "peace-maker" was mol
among them.
He then alluded here to tho Imprisonment of gen.
tleman (O and citizen Of Massachusetts, whose
only misfortune it to have dark complexor
"by South Carolina"
MIR HOLMES here rose and explained He sale
he recollected the circumstance well and that Judg
Berrien (now in the Senate) had decided that th
law of South Carolina, was in his opinion, strlct
constitutional, and that South Carolina was right
Mr. ADAMS said he believed the opinion OF Judg
Johnson upon that subject at this day the law o
the land and that South Carolina had acted uncon
additionally in the exercise of that law. But sir,
has been said by the honorable gentleman, that, upo
this law depended the permaDency OF this Union
even after il bad been declared unconstitutional.
Mr. HOLMES said that Federal influence upo'
this subject would be the signal for dissolution
this Union.
MIR. ADAMS continued. Sir it so happens tina
South Carolina had controversy with Great Britain
in relation to this unconstitutional law, because
conHcled with existing treaties between the oni'e
States and Great Britain. Sir, according to the Law
no poor cook steward dare put his feet upon tn
soil of South Carolina without falling within the pal
of this oppressive and unconstitutional law. Sil
General Jackson, it is said, certain occasion
said he acted under the Constitution as he understoo
it. and the gentleman from Kentucky Mr.. French
on Yesterday had given learned dissertation upo
the Constitution as he understood it,
Mr.. FRENCH explained, and said that what h