The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-12-10

i Mr.. PETIT. supposed I was at liberty at
least TO assign the reasons why | wished to be ex-
| eused from voting.
1 The SPEAKER. The gentleman will not be
| in order until the House has given him liberty to
proceed.
The SPEAKER propounded the question on grant,
ing leave to the gentleman TO proceed and, being
ken, it was decided in the afirmatiye-ayes noes
AZ.
Mr.. PETIT accordingly resumed the floor; and, ,
rendering his sincere thanks to the House for the
courtesy extended to him, he should show his sim
cerity by occupying only small portion Of their
time. He desired TO offer an amendment, as a sub
stitute for the resolution, but he debarred from
i it, and from speaking upon il, under the previous
| question He had intended to have accompanied
his substitute with the paper which he held in his
hand-whch was subscription list, to which he had
| placed his name with an amount four times what
would be his share. But the House had debarred
him from making this proposition; and, in voting
for the resolution, he would be compelled TO vote
for an officer whom he believed to be unconstitu-
tional-compeed to put his hand into the treasury,
and rob il of money to pay the officer to be elected
under the resolution But, more than all, he asked
to be excused because he thought it more than
probable that under this resolution they would be
compelled to listen to error, wrong teaching, and
heterodoxy.
Mr.. PETIT having concluded,
Mir. MCCONNELL rose and moved that the
gentleman from Indiana Mr. PErTIrl be excused
from voting. [Laughterl
The question being taken, the motion was agreed
Mr.. CHAPMAN made similar request. He
knew that in asking TO be excused, and in giving
his therefor, he perhaps subjected himself
to the sneer Of the majority of the House. He did
not rise for the purpose of treating with any evity
or disrespect the question under consideration; but
when he called upon to do an act of this kind,
with the constitution Of the country on the one hand
and his own personal safety on the other, he knew
of but alternative to be pursued If any gentle
man on this floor would show him any authority
for his voting away the peoples money for such an
object constitutionally or otherwise, he would give
his vote for the resolution cordially any other
gentleman. But not until he found that authority
under the constitution which he had solemnly sworn
to support, for the purpose Of promulga!ng the
gospel, or any creed, would he be forced to vio-
late his own conscience by voting away the peo-
ples' money. He knew precedents might be APP
pealed to on this question, but they weighed not a
straw with him when he was called upon to do SO
clearly an unauthorized and unconstitutional act
Mr.. MCCONNELL moved that the gentleman
from Michigan also be excused from voting.
The question being taken, the motion was agreed
to.
The House having refused to second the demand
for the yeas and nays the question was taken the
original resolution, and decided in the affirmative.
So the resolution was adopted.
PETITIONS
The House resumed the unfinished business of
yesterday, viz the call of the States, in ORDER for Pc
titions:
Mr.. ADAMS having the floor on this subject, Of
fered petition Of similar character to several yes
terday offered by him, protesting against the am
nexation of Texas to the Union as slave State
remarking that, as the Committee on Territories, TO
whom had yesterday been referred petitions of this
character, had this morning made report of joint
resolution on the subject il was improper to make fur
Their reference to them. He moved to refer the petition
to the Committee of the Whole on the state of the
Union.
Mr.. MCCONNELL moved its reference to tie
Committee on Territories.
Mr.. ADAMS called the yeas and nays on this mo.
tion He repeated the reasons, as above, which had
induced him to move this change of reference, and
| said it was matter of great indifference to him TO
| what committee these remonstrances were submit
ted His only object was to have decision of the
House upon their prayer; and he only wished to
take that to pay due respect to the petition
ers, and to give them answer to their prayer.
Mr.. MCCONNELL Withdrew his motion.
| Mr. BOYD moved to lay the petition on the ia
| BILE.
The SPEAKER. This being a privileged mo-
ton, will take precedence
Mr.. ADAMS. | ask for the yeas and nays on
the motion to lay on the table.
| The yeas and nays were ordered
Mr.. &. S. HOUSTON wished to know of the
Chair fthe proposition for the admission of Texas
into the Union was not before the House--having
been reported from the Committee on Territories
this morning and if it had not been made the spe-
cial order Of the day for Tuesday next'
The SPEAKER replied in the affirmative.
Mr.. HOUSTON. And this petition is on the
subject, and the motion to lay il on the table is
to have il remain before the House with the joint
resolution
The SPEAKER. The motion is to lay the petit
ton on the table.
Mr.. HOUSTON. | presume the object Of the
hovo fta
| remain where it is--before the House.
The SPEAKER reminded the gentleman that de.
bate on this motion was not in order.
The yeas and nays were then taken, and the re-
suit was-yeays lis, nays 72-as follows
YEAs-NIessrs. s. Adams, Atkinson, Barringer,, Bsyy.
head, f Milton Brown VIM q Brown Burt cabeil Cath.
cart r. Chapman Chase, Chapman Clarke, Cobb Cooke,
Daniel Garrett Davis. Jefferson Davis Dobbin Dockery,
Douglass Edsa, Erdman, Faran, Foster Fries Garyn,
Hoge Hopkins, John w, Houston, George $. Houston,
Edmund W. Hubbard. Hunter, James H. Johnson, Andrew
Lumpkin, Maclay, Mclean Mccernand Mcconnell, Nc.
MOTIFS Owen. Parish Payne. Pendleton Perril Perry,
Price, Reid, Relic, Ritter, Roberts Russell Sawyer sed-
dom A. D. Sims, Leonard H. Smms, Simpson, Thomas
Smith Robert Smith Stanton, Stephens, Strong Sykes
Thibodeaux Thomasson Jacob Thompson, Thurman lib
bats, Toombs Treadway, Trumbo, Wentworth Wick,
Wilmot. woodward, Woodwork Yancey, Yell, Young,
IN NAYs-Messrs IAbbot John Quincy Adams, Ashmun,
Baker Benton Jas Black Blanchard. Brnkerhoa Duhng
ton, William w. Campbell John q. Chapman. Collamer,
Cranson Culver, Darragh pelano De Mott Dixon Dunlap
Ewing Foot, Gddngs Goodyear, Gordon. Order Grinne
Grover. Hamin Hampton. Harper, Ierrick f. D Holmes
Hunt j. r. ngersolI Jenkins DanelP King, r. King Nc.
esand Mseqy Msvsas Marsh MS1 Roo, r0 nSok
sawtee scammon, schenck, Seaman, Severance Truman
smith Albert smith Caleb p Smith starkweathsr Stew.
art shohm, Benjamin Thompson Tilden Vance. Wheaton,
White, Williams. Winthrop, and Woodruf-12
So the motion prevailed
MIR. ADAMS then presented several similar re
monstrances, which had the same reference.
DEATH OF HON. MR.. DAWSON.
Mr.. HARMANSON here rose and thus address
ed the Speaker:
II is indeed, Mr.. Speaker, painful duty have
to perform, to announce TO this honorable body the
demise Of one ofis most gifted members, my friend
and predecessor, General ]. b. DAWSON, of LOUISE
ann. member elect to the 29ih CONGRESS.