Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-04-11
PROCEEDINGS In CONGRESS.
TExrRAcrs FROM oUR DAILY REPORTS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
THE NEW HAMPSHIRE MEMBERS.

WAS referred the petition of certain OF the of Dover
in The State Of New Hampshire, demonstrating against the
right of three gentlemen returned the Representatives
Gom that this House hold their seats reported that
the asked be discharged from the consideration
thereof.
Mr. HAsIIN moved that the petition lie on the table
but withdrew it at the request Of
Mr.. CULVER, who moved the following resolution
Resolved, That the said petition be recommed TO the
Committee OF Elections with instructions inquire and
port whether the therein named holding seats
this House elected in conformity with the Constitution of
the United States and the law of Congress and then
report a resolution declaring their seats vacant
MrCULVER said that this petition had been forwarded
TO him from the State of New Hampshire, and he
member OF the Committee Elections he asked to submit
remark This petition (said Mr.. G. from for
tyfour legal Of Dover in the State Of New Hampshire
They have direct interest the question which they ask
the of Congress They complain that per-
sons claiming be members Of this House from the State of
New Hampshire elected in violation of the Of Con-
gress requiring the election to be held by single districts This
question brought before the House under different
cumstances from those Of the last Congress Then by
resolution directing the committee to inquire and report
here il is directly upon the petition Of citizens aggeved.
have looked (said Mr. CO. the report submitted
the last Congress- and through the remarks made to dis
what possible could have been urged upon that
body induced nuly law of Congress pros
the barriers Of the Constitution. In that report submit
ted by the then chairman Of the Committee of Elections, M
DoueLAss find argument against the act Of Congress
which charity would an make believe induced the strange
action of that body That this that, the snge dis
c law passed late in the year ls42, and the Con-
gressona Elections coming the States could not
ply with without extra sessions OF their Legislatures
This passed the 25th June 1912. will stop
10 consider this siatesmake objection the validity of
law of Congress but weak it was might have awaited
with that Congress But that poor apology Of oec
ton gone. -Four years will have elapsed next June
since this act of Congress became the law OF the
land Every State in the Union has had its Legislature toge
her Full opportunity has been allowed TO conform the State
legislation that act of Congress. New Hampshire, Msss
sppi, and Missouri having thirteen members on this
floor, virtually tell they do not mean to heed that law
They have elected their thirteen members by general ticket
all the other States having been dsced by law Sir, said
Mr. C.) this rank practical The MAORI
y my that the action of the last Congress
is conclusive in the deny it. This Congress is no
way bound by that action the circumstances the
The "snge district law called, passed in pursu
ance of the fourth section Of the first article Of the Consu
tion which directs that the times places and Of
choosing Representatives shall be prescribed in each State by
the Legislature thereof; but Congress may at any time 6y
Ac MAKE or such regniations. What language, in
all the vocabulary of common paance could be painer
simple, and explicit Make alter" Yes, Congress
make all the regulations build up, settle, and per-
feet entire details "or may 'saer" such State
gusons any particular and any extent it may deem
proper. The State appoints time !; Congress and
has altered it. The State declares the manner Congress
may ae" it. The State enacts that the vote shall be
Congress alters it. declaring it by ballot So Of the ge
neral and single district system.
But said Mr. CT were idle to waste words on such pal
pabe meaning OF the Constitution The report of the committee
the last Congress- and the speeches made in defence of that
report, do not in solitary instance give an authority on
that side attempted except the pse DIRT Of
the chairman and the fiat of the dominant party in Congress
while, the other hand support of that law and Of this
construction Of the article the Constitution, give you Mr.
Speaker the exposition Of Of the original thirteen States
to wit New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, South Carolina
Massachusetts, Rhode Island and last but least for my
purpose Ne,o Hampshire. Each of these admitted the pow
to be in Congress by that article and lest Congress might
improperly oPpressvey the right they asked an
amendment of the Constitution restricting its exercise but
their fears all proved groundess, and the Constitution NOT
amended No of them denied the existence Of the
The other SIX Of the old thirteen silently acquiescednit
In addition to all that, (said Mr. Co. have the expressed
and opinions Of three great conemporaneous cxpound
Of this article, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and
Patrick Henry-mcn who aided in framing the Constitution
and who 1.-TWO of hem) instrumental in adopting this
very article Mr. Madison defended il in the Convention and
alluded the very of providing by law " whether all the
should for all the member whether member
should be allotted to particular dsrust such as
the presented. Mr. Hamilton defended the necessity
Of such provision Patrick Henry opposed it. but admitted
was there.
All the authority, then, down s4a, is in favor of that
construction of the article. Bot reserved for the wis
dom Of throw all the lights of other days and great
far the back ground found that the shortest
by which get nd Of law that did favor
the party, declare unconstitutional ride
with iron heels, and nulify il.
would be uDchartabe sir but fear that party ends
and party interest require the notification Of this law Of Con-
gress If New Hampshire disrced, il is than
probable that these petitioners would have representative on
this floor who would truly reflect back their wishes and
political preferences cannot look this open barefaced
amplng down of law of Congress other than painful
evidence Of the downward tendency Of things in this Repub
lie II receives the bold sanction OF party which has sell
dom felt acknowledged the restraints Of Law Constu
ton when they conAced with party interests. might al
Jude the State of Georgia. where that party when power
refused to district State political revolution ensued
and the law Of Congress needed That party too, in
Virginia. Tennessee and in Indiana steadily refused TO al
low Senator be chosen because he would not be Of their
party So in the State Of New York the Law and Const
tuition DEFIANCE and revolution Of both branches
Of the Legislative and Of the Executive Departments
cessay before New York could be represented in the Senate
Of the United States
New Hampshire, least portion Of her people, have
Just complain The late minority there unrepre
scented here. conceive Of in which New Hamp
SHIRE with Der three members this oor might exercise
political and party power than Ohio, with her twenty
one Pennsylvania with her wenysix The two latter
States elect by single districts they may be and often
equally divided great questions while New Hampshire
with her three Missouri with her five, presents und
vided front, thus controlling the larger States.
But sir did not rise for speech but only to make my
notion and ask the yeas and and to word for that
part New Hampshire which, by this shameful act Of party
notification, has representative on this floor.
rejoice that New Hampshire tired Of waiting for this SELF
styled Democratic Congress to do her justice, has at last
resolved do herself justice thought there were good
days in store for her. II is said that the the righteous
prevail remember early hour in the session. that
eeni but aconc prayer offered by my venerable friend
from Massachusetts JoHS QuIScr ADaNs) he opened his
antreKas memorials He asked God 10 bless NeU Hnmp
shire :" Mr.. Speaker, God has blessed New Hampshire
Yes SIR the that down the night of the 10Th OF
MARCH 1896 he shed his last parting CLEAN on the summit
ca oil her White Hills behed New Hampshire regenerdfed,
,eaeemsa, dnihraed What's spectacle Can i be posi-.
hat IL