The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-12-18
In CONGRESS OF THE U. STATES.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER is, ls47.
The Senate did not sit to-day.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
The Journal having been read
4Gtfft RAILROAD TO OREGON
Mr. w. HUNT [by unanimous CONSENT presented
sundry resolutions by the legislature of New York
favor of the construction, by the United States of rail-
road TO Oregon; which ordered 10 be printed and
referred to the Committee on Roads and Canals,
The SPEAKER announced the special order-he re-
port of the Committee on Rules-which was postponed
until to-day instead of Monday next as stated Yesterday
Mr.. c. j. INGERSOLL, from the committee, submitted
a few remarks in explanation of the report
Mr.. POLLOCK moved to strike out from the substitute
effect restoring the prominent feature of the hour rule,
and combining members to one hour each in debate.
ltis proper TO state that the committee having this sub
ect under consideration, have amended their report as
first presented to the House Their first report-sn
abstract OF which the reporter gave few days since
abolished the hour rule altogether.]
Mr.. 4. sustained his amendment in few remarks.
He thought there very few gentlemen upon that
floor who could not say enough upon any of the qestons
which were likely to come before them hour, both
to their own satisfaction and to the House. He had
desire to restrain the freedom OF debate but thought the
hour-rule good one
Mr. COLLAMER said he did not propose to take much
part in the discussion OF the "hour rule" far it
garded its general merit He willing that the House
should substitute the 'hour half rule" if they
should deem it expeden; but he considered important
that the member making report should have the right of
opening and closing an argument as reported by the
mittee.
the House in general remarks upon the entire sub
ject He had. long entertained the idea that some
essential and important notifications should be made
in the rules of the House,, with the view 10 Sc
cure great and paramount objects They should be
modified, and, if possible abbreviated; but the com
mittee did not deem it expedent to undertake this
work at the present time Several committees, during a
vpar "A rul and
il they to undertake il on this occasion he was
very apprehensve that the report OF the present commit
would meet the fate which the report of every other
committee had hitherto metthat they would not have
time to give the subject full consideration and that,
therefore, nothing would be done The committee had
deemed it advisable therefore, report in part only and
10 suggest several notifications which were deemed
very important-importan in the first place, with the
view to full and fair discussion of all the important
topics which might come before them In the second
place, to promote the order Of the House and, finally,
to facilitate the transaction oi business They appre-
hended that the adoption OF the amendments which had
been reported would accomplish great deal towards
curing those objects. When the hour-rue was
| first introduced at the 9th Congress, it would
be recollected that they had variety of important
tate the transaction of business that the rule adopted
by large majority of the House; But he was aware
that the rule to give scope to full and free discussion
should undergo revision and he was in favor of the
notifications proposed by the committee. He could not
agree with the gentlemen that was possible on all
to their remarks within the brief space
hour He did not suppose this question would come
before this Congress- But there honorable gentle
the laws which important to the country;
and he did not believe it was possible for any gentleman
to lay before them these statistics in single hour
Mr. POLLOCK brihy stated his reasons in favor of the
hourrue 1t had been usual for members occupy the
hour and then to write out their speeches. not for the
House, but for their constituents They to ad
dress the House, but the country No could salts
| factOrlly discuss any question IN an hour.
Mr.. WICK said the object OF all debate arrest
thought to present facts and to combine the reflections
of various individual minds For these purposes great
freedom Of debate was necessary. 1t was important
they should be freely heard Mr. W. proceeded to speak
upon the question at considerable length He gave
subject which might before him in SO brief space
hour. He had been intrusted with the charge OF
the French spoilaon bill from the Senate He spent
three weeks in investigating the subject; and disn-
guished senator occupied two days in debating it. He
would not say that he should have presumed to occupy
long time that, if he could have done it; but he
would say, that he compelled to abstain from dis
amendment might be proposed 4 the present Congress in
before them the question: and he DESTROYS that
these, and all the other important questions which were
to come before them might undergo fair ree and full
discussion. sGenemen must be compelled to acknowl-
edge that this could not be granted if the hourrule
was retained. Again it was well known that all great
measures were carried through the House, not by open
and full discussion the House, but by private CONVEX
sation He DESTROYS that the deliberave character
| of the body might be restored.
| NIr GONDWIN WOulC refer to what he considered a
msconccpton. Freedom of speech to enable private
to express their thoughts whenever they pleased
1t did not refer to their deliberations there The provision
in the constitution for the citizen, and not to confer
upon the members of that House the right of talking He
in favor of the hour-rle, because it would tend
economic the time of the House. Gentlemen seemed to
think that every member must speak If, in Bible OF
temperance society, it should be said that every
speak, they would be laughed at 1t strange prece-
dent which gentlemen contemplated-thal every member
| OF an association must speak upon question.
| MIR HENLEY was surprised that the verys same gem
tlemen who enacted the hourrule should for
them to do business. The inference plain, then.
that they wished TO repeal it, to enable them not to do
business The presumption, then was, that they were
not disposed do business They had better make the
speeches of such men Franklin and his associates the
models of their speeches; and they would find that not
one hour even requisite to discuss the most mpo
tnt questions He hoped the rule would not be repealed
If it repealed gentlemen would find it necessary to
adopt again.
Mr. COBB of Georgia, wished to add one or two sug-
gestions In reference the history of the rule, was
enacted by the 9th Congress and the democratic Con-
gress which had followed had continued it but at the
same me he together with the democratic party gene
rally, had opposed it then and since. He hoped gentle
men would not give their support to the hour rule the
ground that it expedited business 1t did not do it. He
was sure that the hour-rue operated unavoraby upon
the enlightened discussion of public business.
Mr. c. B. SMITH made few remarks in opposition
to the rule Gentlemen had doubtless observed how
anxiousy speakers sometimes watched the clock. They
were anxious speak out their full hour thinking per-
haps that if they did not speak out their full hour they
would not maintain their character Tor ability He would
not say however, that hour was not long enough
for any speaker to express his views upon important