Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-02-13
QUESTION OF PRIVILEGE.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, FEsnuArr 8.

Mr. DOUGLASS, Of Illinois, rose to question of privilege
he said that he regretted to be compelled by sense {
duty to bring before the House matter which deeply aece
the personal privileges Of the members well the
character OF the House a deberative body His object
submitting the resolution with which he to close thes
remarks simply do an act of Justice which he con
ceived to be due to vRdcate the House from what
TO caumny on the whole of its members, perpeated b.
who were privileged by the permission of the House
occupy seats in that hall. '.
The Daily Union, paper published in this city, PROCESSES
to give to the public in its columns full and repor
OF the proceedings of the House from day day. which shou
form complete record and history of its proceedings to b
deposited IN the Congressional Library, and transmitted
Postenty as just and fair representation of what done
and said by gentlemen that floor Now, in the Union
report Of the proceedings Of Saturday last Mr. d. found
statement which utterly false and uniounded, and which
contnned by implication gross calumny upon the members
the House, calculated bring the House into disgrace
public contempt
Mr. D. protested against being by any personal il
VIII either to the Reporters Of the Union the propeors
the paper lie knew but portion OF the reporters and with
them he terms Of good will while with the proprie
tors OF the establishment he stood in relations Of friendship
and familiar intercourse.
As preliminary that portion of the report which he con-
dered as peculiarly obnoxious he must refer the recollection
OF gentlemen to what had taken place the admission
of member Of the House from the State Of Arkansas On
that occasion interesting debate had occurred the ques
ton presented new and with the exception of Mr.. d.
remarks the discussion upon had been of unusual
ability All this discussion, with the exception alone, the
speech of honorable gentleman from South Carolina, Mr
| WooDwARD,) was wholly omitted. Mr.. ID. did not complain
OF this But it seemed that this interesting debate had been
omitted for the purpose of making for higher and
important matter And what that The whole space
allotted to the proceedings taken up by professed
count OF what had occurred in relation to his colleague Mr
WENTwoRru) Mr. D. would invoke the attention of the
| Speaker to portion Of the language employed:
"Mr. WENTWORTH then and said Mr.. Speaker ,
rise to privileged question Cries Of Sit down p Bah
occupy the attention OF the House only about five
minutes. Bah Bah = and cries Of No. no, sit down =
.oh mol will only delay the House for few moments.
Bah ''Bah = and cries Of Oh = q object and con-
| sion. !"
And in this style the report proceeded great length
to what took place in the House In then ecitng what
had happened after the House had gone into Committee of
| the Whole the following language used
| "Mr. WENTWORTH. In regard to the bill for the re-
lief of the heirs of Thomas Wshar have but few words
to say Bah Bah y The paper which hold in my hand,
Bah Bah y by its title and wish have it
published For making a speech - r Good ironical
laughter and cries OF read by its title put in apaper,
Sci"
tempt and personal insult often thirty times in the
pass of one short report.
The report represented that when member Of the House
in his place to speak to bill then before the House, OBJ
serving that he meant to submit few remarks that BILL
the other members of the House cried insulting and
disodery manner, bah bah " And the presiding officer
permitted this outrage order and decency continue that
the Speaker had occupied the chair and far took part in
this gross violation of order permit expressions of this
kind be repeated again and again without calling those who
used them to order.
So, when the House in committee and the honorable
gentleman from Kentucky MIR. DAvIs) had been in the
chair he too suffered the member from Illinois, who said
he should detain the House than five minutes
be insuted in this low and BLACKBOARD manner without calling
him order and that Mr.. D. and the other colleagues of
the member thus nsued had silently by without raising his
voice remonstrance and the whole House permitted the
dsgracefu proceed Mr. d. protested against any
such report of what happened in that hail. He had himself
though present all the heard such expressions of
tempt And he felt confident that would here
and hisse have been BLACKBOARD enough thus
insult member who in his seat to speak bill open
for discussion before the House. He had heard such
camaton as BAH uttered during the whole proceeding
and he should like to know if there member here who
had None responded .s
Mr. D. did pretend say that there had not been any
confusion disorder in the House, did be deny that his
colleague had called order he certainly had been,
and Mr. ID. had since told him that he was not in order
But when he had been caedt order the first me the Chair
had decided that from the course OF Mr. remarks thus
far it could be told whether he was in order not That
suppressed in the report When he called to order
second me the Chair again said that he not yet out
of order This too suppressed His colleague had then
explained the connexon of his remarks with the BILL with
view argue the relevancy This also suppressed And
when the House laughed at this attempt to show his remarks
to be relevant the report said that the laugh ronca
Mr. d. said honest report Of what took place
contained the suppression of material facts that did
and the positive assertion Of what did And all this
for the obvious purpose of degrading member of the House,
and with the less obvious effect of degrading the House
itself IL represented the members Of it many black
guards and their conduct here fit for garden than
| or the hall Of the House of Representatives.
Mr. LEAKE, of Virginia. here say that he had just
been informed that neither Of the regular Reporters of the
Union present at the time, but that the report made
| by a assistant sent in for the day.
| Mr.. DOUGLASS said he most happy TO hear il.
Mr.. g. J. INGERSOLL here say that the rules
required that, when member had resolution to offer, the
resolution should precede the speech not the speech the
solution.
The CHAIR said the gentleman from Illinois had risen to
question Of privilege, which question he speaking
| Mr.. INGERSoLL. The gentleman said he had a
solution to efler.
| Mr.. DOUGLASS said he would relieve the gentleman il
ne uneasy by sending the resolution TO the Clerks table,
and he that he should demand the yeas and
upon it.
The resolution, was read as follows:
Resofued That the Reporters Of the Union newspaper
published in this city be expelled from this House.
| Mr.. HOUSTON, of Alabama. Very WELL We will give
you the yeas and nays. You shall have them.
Mr.. DOUGLASS said he hoped there would be no dodg
ing, but that every would vote yea or nay.
i Mr. HOUSTON. None in the world. No lodging at
all We will give you your yeas and nays.
1 Here the CHAIR called to order.
| Mr. DOUGLASS, resuming, would say to the gentleman
from Pennsylvania Mr c. IsaERsoLL that he had acted
in this matter from feeling Of He bad
this deliberately, and without consulting with mortal
There had been lint individual who intended
to offer the resolution. He had acted in the from
solemn and conscientious Of duty As to the personal
matter between his colleague (M WESrwonrn) and the
had nothing do with the matter urge both parties
quit it, would do neither Of them any good and tended
only nure the Democratic party and give aid comfort
N Tho / A yotca IN Mpyico