Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-12-09

dience the laws of their Stltes, and cepefatey aP
healing TO Heaven to bear witness TO the deed Tbs,
their putlc and most solemn act, was, in that paper,
branded as "aN less and revolutionary DID not ths
look little like prejudgmant OF the case : But Inc
ga per only pejudged the merits OF the case IL vas
moi in its and language respectful, or to say the
least not kind gen'. bt eving, as they did, That
thew came here matter of right and IN obedience to
an authority they bound TO respect. Their re-
spectve State Legislatures III their judgment and DIS
creon hud semnly said 10 The Id, that they did not
held themselves bound by any law directing them TO
district their States for the election of members OF Con-
uress In those sentiments Mr. II entirely concurred.
Whatever might be his private opinion as TO the expe
dency of electng by districts in preference 10 general
ticket he would here say, and he was prepared 10 stake
Whale yer little amount Of reputation he might possess
upon The truth of the sentiment, that he believed Inc
enacting Of what called the apportionment law, al
tempt ng direct sovereign States to lay oil eif TEL
rtory into districts for Congressional electons was SO
plain and pal pabe violation OF the constitution OF
The u that IT would bear the light tor one mo
ment He epsated that in that paper gentlemen com.
ing here in obedience to State laws, were not tfea,eo
| WITH that respect and kindness which was ever que
from one man 10 another. They were not even spoken
of as members of the body; they not recognised
"a such in any sense nor they much as call
ed gentlemen. To be sure, the document did no,
exactly refer TO them " those fellows but 1t spoke
of them as athcse persons, and il charged them with
committing n palpable violation of the Constitution
The gentleman from New York had just declared in so
many words his place here, that they were on TINS
floor not only without title, but without even color OF
title and yet he had been asked to receive them here
az his equals No. he had not been asked to receive
them as his equals, and when Mr. III. asked him TO do
81, it would be quite tine enough for the gentleman to
refuse No they there asking no man to receive
them; they came asking favors OF no man. they came
demanding what the Constitution of their country gave
them and they asked New Hampshire was
but small State, insignificant in point Of numbers,
but strong in her support of the Const tuition; and
he must take leave here to say, that should New
Hampshire be DISTINGUISHED, any impeachment OF
her rights be permitted here, it would be blow
not SO much upon her, upon the Constitution OF
the whole country. Whence did she derive the right
to be represented here at al' From an act of Con-
gress' No. She got her right from the Constitution.
Her right there, aad no power on earth, could
deprive her of 1t without trampng at the same time,
upon every sacred principle of the Constitution. Her
Representatives, placed the question there, and all they
asked this time that nothing should 20 upon the
1 Journal of the House which went to put them below
an equality with the gentleman from New York
himself He believed that the House would be guilty
Of an act Of great injustice should they permit thus
paper stand upon their records Mr. II protested TO
know but It'll. of Parliamentary tactics, but he did lay
claim to little common sense and common sense
told hun that If the House had power to protect its
archives from being burdened with documents which
it did not choose should appear there, it high lime
its rules were amended TO give it that power The
House ought not to be made 10 appear as giving It's
sanction what il did not approve. Nay, IL seemed 10
him the very height and perfection Of absurdity that
while the House in the act of discussing whether
certain paper should should not be allowed TO upon
its Journal its Clerk, mere subordinate officer and
agent of lis " should have the power TO decide the
question for House, and put the paper on its Journal
before the decision of the House gven 1t reminded
him of what he had once heard OF in little Justices
court in the country, where plaintiff brought before
the squire charge of assault struck the justice the
side of the head, and nearly knocked him down, TO
show how the assault had been committed. So here,
while the very question was submitted II the House,
whether the Clerk should enter certain paper its
record the Clerk ran ahead of the House and entered
it whether BY sort of legislative legerdemain
the House had been lrcked into having this paper on
its journal. New Hampshire had been The ninth State
of the Coniedeacy u adopt the Constitution, and had
in fact started the wheels Of the present Government
and from that day I, this her devotion u the Const
had been tested by the best blood OF her sons ON
every battle field. lie asked in the name Of justice,
whether that House would consent TO have on lis re-
cords premature condemnation OF constitutional act,
by which he considered himself one of It's members
at present.
| MIR. HUGHES said that he should not have spoken
word upon the pending motion, but tor what had tall
ed from the gentlemen from New York (N1r Barnard)
aud North Carolina, (NIr. Rayner,) whose course on
this occasion seemed TO him To he marked by liberali
~ Had there not been attempt To PREJUDICE their
case. he should not have opened his mouth. But the
gentleman from New York had raid that they
there "without even 4 color of title" On that point
|
Representatives Of the sovereign people. The gen'-
very modestly declared, that If matters could 60
according 10 his mind, they would not be allowed to
participate in the organization OF the House, nor was
he prepared to recognise them as his equals When
Mr., H. asked him 10 do so, il would be time enough for
him 10 refuse. Mr. IL came here a Representative
of The sovereign people of the Stale of Missouri and be-
eyed e had just much right under the Constitution
of the country seat that floor us the gentleman
| himself.
Az haro IN rpad In he n
of the protest. which the gentleman had presented
here, and wished t, get upon the Journal and he
would say, emphatoay, that the paper was in lis
language highly disrespectful, so much so, that he
felt the gentleman if he bad reflected for me-
nen,, would have put his name to 1t Here Ar.
H. quoted the paper, and asked whether tins was re-
specful language gentlemen who honestly and con-
scienliousy believed they had right TO their seats by
the Consultation, and, SO believing, had sworn to sup
port the Constitution lie INSISTED TINT it was not
This not that respect and courtesy which was due
froma to his neighbor, such rs he had right
to expect here His object to get rid OF that paper
from the Journal OF the House. There were two modes
by which this could be effected the motion now
pending, and another And if this should finally FAIL
he should Introduce resolution to t1p"nge this erty
from The Journal of the House He not willing
that the question Of the rights OF himself and his col
leagues and other gentlemen 10 their seats here, should,
in this manner, be prejudged
Mr.. HARRISON, of Georgia, observed, that as
representative VI tue Peopie VI oe
permitted 10 express his mind, when gentleman
rose here in his place and told him in many words,
that he did not consider him his equal. lie had
been ild by the gentleman, that the paper which ne
had offered addressed more particularly to men,
bers coming from States who tscted their Represen-
atives by general ticket and tina. it expected by
some that they would retire hearing powerful an
argument and attempt to participate in the organl-
eaton of the HOUSE. Now, if this true, IT consll-
tuted Of the best possible why the docn-
men, should not go upon The records of the House If
the pa per was, indeed, intended but sort of private
friendly letter of remontrance intended to prevail on
gentlemen not to insist upon their seats hereto lul
Them to sleep and charm them into forgettnlaess o.
the rights Of their constituents, that one of the
strongest reasons why The paper should not be received
by the House. spread at large upon its archives
The gentleman had produced one of the best reasons
tia, could be assigned against the success OF his own
motion 10 place his paper the records Of the country
Mr. H. had great and serious objections to IT. appear
ing there It's language, in the first place, was not re-
spectful TO those on whom, according to the gentle
mans stitement, it was intended 10 operate. II he
shond be permtted (and especially the per