The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-01-22

believe that they will at once confer majority OIL
their suifrages upon me.
i has been shid by those who differ with ME In pol
cal opinion that Florida sa democratic State. Well
acknowledge myself whig. II Is true tliati few
months ago, the democratic party swept Our entire
State u is rte that members OF that party were
elected 10 tie various State Offices by very large
majority and that the member elect TO this Con-
gress Mr.. YULEE, since elected senator Of the Uni
ted sntesl was returned by majority Of about one
togra ~ the entire vote. il Is said that took the
democratic party by surprise; that | caught them
/ mapping. But they WIDE awake now and
propose that before they 60 70 sleep again should
90 back 20 the people, and let them decide our
respective GLAZING The gentleman can accept either
OF lhese propositions lhat he may choose and if
either is accepted, there WILL Of course, be no fur
ther necessity for the action of this House.
MIR. BROcRENBROUGH rose and said; The
question before this House not what might
have been the cause why so much larger vote was
given to his opponent than was gwen to the gentle
man OF the same political party al the previous
election. He was willing TO concede to the House
that II the transcendent abilities Of the gentle
man contrasted with the abilities Of the previous
eanddatei although many Of the people OF his State
had said II was not owing to this cause but TO the
transcendent fasehoods Of the political press which
had sandered him (Mr b. when his back was
turned, and he was at so great distance that It
was Impossible for him 10 answer them. But he
had done with that.
Was II any great matter, The asked, after he had
clearly proved before the COMMITTEES Of this House
that he had such a majority as had been shown,
notwithstanding all the technical objections that had
been raised-was IL matter OF particular courtesy,
OF particular generosity or friendllness, for the
gentleman nov TO come forward and offer this prop
osluon to him' In the very printed document
which his competitor had thought proper 10 lay be.
fore the House, he had declared out OF his power to
give him Mr. notice of the grounds on which he
meant to MET him In contrasting the election; and in
the committee room, well as in this paper, (for he
spoke not alone OF what took place in the COM
mltteerOom,) after he (Mr. By had proved his
majority, the proposition was then for the first time
lntmated by the gentleman to lay the subject be-
for the people. Afler much time had been spent
after arguments had been made before the commit
tee, II was said, TO save the committee any further
trouble let us refer this question back 10 the people
: to whom il properly belongs His (Mr. B's)
prompt reply was, that "a the committee had already
had the trouble Of the investigation, 1t was as well
TO save the people the trouble Of election, az
1t was 10 save the committee and the House the
trouble Of deciding this question, which had been
thus presented To them. Florida whig~ paper
brought here the information as soon as the mail
could bring il, that that proposition was made by
his competitor, and by him Mr.. b was promptly
rejected adding insult to the committee and To the
House. II was said that il was promptly rejected
by Mr.. BRocKEsBRoUGH because he had rather trust
to a "ocofoco" committee, and ''locofoco" House
Of Representatives, than TO 60 before the people
He could not see, then, that his competitor could
claim 10 have been particularly generous in thi
matter. II the gentleman was, as he alleged, so
hurried to come here To perform the duties which he
owed TO his constituents that he could not find the
time to state to him (Mr. B. the grounds upon
which he meant TO meet the issue, he asked him.
what had he done since he had been here that he
sas now willing TO deprive the State Of Florida Of
her elected representative Had he fortified her ha-
borsp had he projected her consta had he regulated
her land SYSTEM What Stupendous work had he
done, that lie should be willing TO leave that State
for several months Of this important Congress with
out a representative, when he had been in such
hurry To come on here, No; these were very in
genlOus moyements-movements which showed
part Of the ability by means of which he (Mr
b. had come so near being defeated. The gentle
man might be willing to abandon scat proved to
belong TO him, mir. B, but he [Mr. B. could not
abandon the duties which he owed to his constitu.
eTts here.
The other proposition of his competitor was tina,
the proposition Of the gentleman from South Caro-
lima Mr.. SINS should be adopted, and that he [Mr.
CABELL should be retained in his seat in the face OF
the majority which he (Mr. Q. had clearly proved
both by the report of the minority and the majority
, Of the committee, while he Mr. B was despatched
the Quixoic expedition to Florida to try 10 find
out If there were not some returns which, by some
possibility, might give the election to his oppo-
nent.
Mr.. Speaker (sad hey l have brought forward ali
have brought forward all the returns verify be-
Iieve, which have come TO the Office Of the
secretary Of State. asked for ALL | demand.
ed all; | am in capable of having demanded only
part The gentleman insinuaed (Mr. B. con-
tinued) in his printed address, that he (Mr.
b. had asked only for such part of the returns as
were favorable to him. but the gentleman had not
asserted 1t, because he knew that he (Mr. b. was
incapable ofsuch an act, and because he knew that
that officer was incapable of lending his aid to any
such scheme If there were any precincts in Flori-
da which were yet to be heard from he was not ac
r quaInted with them officially his competitor said
there some still to be heard FROM but the gen.
ueman could not even claim that these votes were
sufficient to overcome his Mr. B's) ascer,uined ma
jorlty. Now, he submitted the gentleman from
South Carolina, If the position which he had taken
In his resolution was not strange and extaordna
ry one The very ingenious gentleman from India
ma, Mr. McGAUGHEY admitted that there were
doubts as to the election of his competitor and the
gentleman himself admitted it. He (Mr. By had
never doubted as to the result of the election But
doubts had arisen on the mind of the gentleman
from Indiana. Whyi Because he (Mr had
proved that he had majorty and if he had proved
that he had majority, where the inference that
he was not elected' Was it not novel proposition
that after he had proved an affirmative he should
now go forward and prove negavei Was il not
an anomaly in all rules Of reasonngi
| Mr.. b. having thus stated his reasons for decli-
ming to accede TO the propositions made by Mr.. Ca
BELL, proceeded to a general investigation of the
i case, and vindcaton of his claims to the seat as
representative from Florida.
The report Of his general argument is deferred at
his request. '.-
A motion to adjourn was then made; which, hay
ing been agreed TO by yeas and nays, ..
! The House adjourned.
| The following petitions and memorials were pre-.
sened under the rule, and referred to the appropr-
ate committees; .. ... ... ~
| BY Mr. JENKINS The petition Of Elijah Brown for the
payment OF revolutionary claim: referred to the Commit
tee on Revolutionary claims The petition OF Elizabeth
GIinne for pension: referred to the Committee Revo
utionary Pensions. The petition OF sav Aoores for
pension referred 10 the Committee on Invalid Pensions
BY Mr. WIN. g. BROWN: The petition Of Joseph g.
Ill., OF Virgnin praying Congress to relieve him
payment oil certain single bill therein named, the
ground that had been executed to the United States
through mistake. Also the petition OF Abraham Brown
asking the same relief -
By Mr. L. b HOLINESS The petition of Mr.. SAINT Angelo
in regard to tho Mexican indemnity: referred to the omm
| tee on Foreign Affairs
nty Mr. - - NJ.