Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1844-02-23
Hon. C.. b. Smith.

Oar able and most eloquent Representative in
Congress has made his debut 10 the House, in a
speech upon ,be contested seats Of me mbers from
the four States who were elected BY general tick
ct, instead Of obedience to a law o. Congress re.
our Jog the States TO be divided into Congress
sionai districts. We have waited several DAYS
with the expectation that full report of il would
be given; but none has been received we pub
'ish the following brief notice Of il from letter
OF the correspondent, Of the Cincinnati Gazette
"Mr. c. 3. Smith Of la, continued the debate
HIS style OF speaking was most impressive, and
his speech commanded the attention Of the grea,
body Of the members. lie expressed his rcere,
that question Of SO much moment should be
discussed upon party grounds. He regre,ted, too
that the Congress which had PASSED this law
should have been abused as it has been for so do
ing. II had been called many hard names; bu,
the time would come when the ,umult Of preiu-
dice and excitement had passed away, when a
candid people would decide justly upon its nets
So far as regarded the law in question, Mr. S
could heartily approve it, and approving j, he
should proceed to defend ii. The idea tina: TN.
law was unconstitutional, was no, only absurd,
but ia violation Of both the letter and epri, Of
the Constitution.
MIR. S. said that one gentleman (Mr Jones)
had taken the extraordinary position that Con-
gress had no right to distric, the States. Ano,h-
er (Mr. Woodbury. had taken the extraordinary
ground that this power merely a conditional
power. Nothing could be moro strange than eli.
Their OF these positions, and he imagined there
were very few me mbers even 10 this House W no
,L-~.
bers here from the four States he would say that
they were here not only wilhou, right, bu, with
on, The color Of right. He said this w,hou, anv
feeling Of dsrespect for the persons here, bu, be-
cause they had come here in violation of the la "
Of Congress. Mr.. s. said also, tina, bis name
vas no, upon the Protest Of tho minority mem.
bers presented at the commencement Of the SEES
SION. but It was not there only because he was
not in the city at tho time the Protest was signed
he heartily approved Of all the Protest contained
Mr. S. in conclusion made another inciden,
tai defence Of the Wing Congress and "Ihe one
hour rule. This hour rule had been denounc-
ed upon the stump as a gag, an infringement Of
the rights Of speech and the freedom Of debate.
1t was degraded as the &C. Of called Coon
Congress-" buta Democratic Congress had shown
their respect for this very Coon Congress by
adopting the very rule. Mr. S. remarked in con-
c'uslon that he supposed the hour rule did
not require every man who addressed the House
to speak one hour, aud he therefore should say
no more.
Mr.. Smith spoke about thirty minutes, and
before closing his remarks alluded to the sudden
conversion Of Mr.. Woodward of S. c. who boast
ed Of having been converted ia favor of the Cen
sral ticket system very suddenly while on his
way 10 Washington. His conversion was as sud,
len az that Of Paul between Damascus and Jeru.
'alen, bu, the fruits did not seem to be very a.
1undant.