New-York daily tribune., 1844-02-16
PROCEEDINGS.
pY THE REPORTER OF THE sEw-roRK TRIBUNE

BY THE REPOkTER Or The NEN-IoNa iiNApSt'A-'
WAsIIIscroN Wednesday, Feb. H.
The proceedings in either House to-day nave
been marked with Importance and interest IN
the Senate, the bill TO refund Gen Jackson's fine
| having finally passed, and needing now but the
Presidents signature to become law; and III
the House, the question OF privilege terminated,
and the validity Of claims to seats OF the members
elected bv general ticket declared, although in
direct defiance Of the solemn law of Congress-
passed in compliance with the forms, and author
lied not only by the spirit but by the very letter
of the Constitution. How sad to be obliged to
admit the requirements of that instrument prac-
ticay of so little binding force when brought in
conflict with the passions or supposed interests of
party. What an example thus set upon this high
platform before the nation and by the law makers
themselves, of contempt and notification OF the
law Of the land
In the HOUSE, Mr.. DOUGLASS Of Ill. (the au-
thor of the majority report occupied his hour IN
defence of its DOCTRINES and in reply to various
counter arguments, descending into at least un-
becoming personalities toward Mr.. Barnard and
other gentlemen
Mr.. WELLER successful among about fifty
competitors for the floor, as was determined IN
Caucus he should be) moved the previous ques-
ton: which was seconded and the main question
ordered; Yeas l29, Nays GA. :.
The majority now, however, in the pleniss
tude of their power declined boldly to meet the
question and declare the district law q not lam"
and not "valid" or binding upon the States -
but set aside the reported resolution declaring thls
and adopted by Yeas 127, Nays 81 the subst-
tute Of MIR. DRoMGooLE coolly and summarlly
disposng of the matter by mere affirmation that
the members from N. H., Mo-, Mi, and Ga,
elected by general ticket and that those from
the % remaining States have been duly elected
and are entitled to their seats.
Great confusion and excitement PREVAILED
On the branch Of the proposition with reference
to the members from the % States, MIR. SCHENcK
asked to be excused from voting as being lrregu-
lar, and utterly unprecedented if not directly
against the rule to affirm by resolution the rights
to seats Of members where there was no question
concerning them. Mr. ADAMS made like re-
: quest on the ground that he did not know the
fact that all the members were duly elected"
Nor did the committee for they had not exam
ined the credentials of all they had returned his
unopened. Moreover there had several members
taken their seats since the report of the Commit
tee and others were to take their seats, whose
elections might be contested. Was not this an
unprecedented prejudgmcnt ofthe case, which had
been so loudly decried in case of the protest ?
Mr.. J. CAMPBELL objected to voting upon the
same ground None of these requests (not be-
inc pressed) were granted. Mr.. VINToN showed
from the rule an express prohibition of the right
to vote of the members from these States, lrnmc-
diately interested as they were; and refused to
vote. This branch of the proposition was car
ried Uhe Wings mostly declining to vote; j Yeas
| 126-Nays 2.
The question then came up on the case of the
general ticket members, (they being prohibited
by the SPEAKERS decision from voting in their
own cascs,) who were voted on individually and
all Of whom from n FL. and a portion from Ga.
some seven or eight, (by as many sets of Yeas
and Nays, consuming about two hours,) were de-
clarcd duly elected &c. the votes standing,
Yeas l2S, Nays 6S; l20 to &c; III to 63, &c.
gradually decreasing as the members dropped OFT
one by one to dinner.
Leaving about half of the General Ticket mem
bers still to be voted on, the House adjourned at
near six O'Clock.
In SENATE, Mr.. HUNTINGTON, from the Com
mittee on Commerce, reported bill requiring
Collectors to give bonds immediately on entering
upon the duties of their office
Mr. HENDERSON introduced bill regulating
fees in the U. S. Courts.
Otter some other unimportant business, the
bill to refund Gen. .Jackson's fine was again
taken up.
Mr.. PORTER and Mr.. WOODBRIDGE declared
themselves opposed to the bill and their in
tention to disregard the instructions of their Le-
gislature (Mich.) in favor of it, the latter, espe
cially, examining the doctrine of instructions
and clearly and torcbly exposing its unsound-
ness, its incompatibility with that independence
and freedom of action contemplated by the Con-
sttution, &c. With the amendment, they would
have supported the bill.
Mr. HUGER favored the bill, although friendly
to Judge Hall, whom he had known personally,
and of whom he spoke III high terms, he did not
think Gen Jackson had acted improperly, or that
the Judge was justifable in inflctng the fine.
The bill (simply refunding the fine with inter
est was passed Yeas 80, Nays l6, as follows :
YEAsMessrs Allen, Atchson, AtheEt99, Besby Barrow
Benton, Breese Buchanan Colquit Fairfield Foster Francis
Fulton Hannigan, Haywood, Henderson, Huger, arnagin
King, McDufe Mangum, Ryes Semple. Sewer Sturgeon
NAys-essrs. Archer, Bates, BayaId, Berrien Choate
Clayton, Dayton, Evans, Huntsgt9n, MeIIick Miller
Pea1ce, Phelps, Porter, Simmons and Woodbridse-l6
The bill to settle the claim TO the ea-Patch
| Island after some farther conversational discus
sion, and the adoption Of an amendment was laid
| over.
The bill appropriating for the improvement of
navigation of Red River was ordered to third
reading.
The Senate adjourned at an early hour.
ARGUS.
uI,s~