The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-12-20

BY Mr., THOMPSON, Of Kentucky The. petition Of
Phil slaughter, asking for pay and bounty lands for ser
VICES a. N s ay bo.n @e % Of b. r. adda Pay
with Mexico Both petition and memorial referred 10
hf y Mr. hs pesdD Hawkins
BY Nh. CABELli The petition OF citizens OF HILLSIDE
%E.Se Fort f Bfooss and from Fort s1oese Key
West referred to the Committee the Post Office and
Of Leon county the State of Florida for grant of land
for purpose of experimenting in the manufacture oil
lurpenne referred TO the Committee on Public Lands
CoRREcrroN--By an awkward bunder in substituting
the name of Mr. Wick for that of Mr. Truman Smith, in
the sketch of the debate the amendment OF the rules
of the House, which appeared in the "Unon" of Saur
adv evening the former honorable gentleman made
express views entirely opposite to those which he en-
forced in his speech The has of course been cor
rec,ed in our Congressional Register but it is due to
Mr. Wick that the report of what he did say should be
given here
Mr.. WICK said that debate in this hall has OBJ
jects than one In the first place, 1t has reference to
effect upon the minds OF members of the House, and To
the decision of questions before them. Observation
had convinced him that discussion seldom, if ever
changed the views or opinions of single member in
reference TO any grand principle measure. The most
which could be expected that facts might be elected
and presented to the minds OF members, that hasty
opinion determination upon question of expe-
dency, involving great principle, might be arrested
With view to this object, the member who consulted
brevity would be likely TO find success than would
former would be certainly and more atenvey lis
tened to and heard than would the latter With reference
then, effect upon the House. and proper consideration
of matters OF public import here, he believed the hour
rule would be found beneficial and salutary
But dscussonn this hall, Mr.. w said, had second
obeca reference TO an actual or supposed effect on pub
lie opinion be produced by discussion here, and by the
publication of report thereof in the newspapers OF the
day This might be said to be less Legitimate object OF
discussion here than the one which he had already
stated Be that IT may, the discussion had In this
hall did to the country and 1t enabled the country to
take knowledge not only of the action of the House. but
also of the course of each member. Now (said MIR W.
the question ls shall those members whose constituents
have been wise enough to keep them here till their faces
and voices well known to the speaker and the chair
men OF the committees OF the whole, and who, from that
circumstance, well as from their actual supposed
ability to speak to the purpose have monopoly of the
discussions to themselves and shall those possessing
less knowledge of the way to obtain the floor, whose
faces and names will be to the Speaker and chair
men, and whose ability for discussion either unknown
or apocryphal be content to form the audience of the
old salts OF the House. whose right to be heard on all
members OF the House who are here now for the first
time purchase, frank and direct to their constituents the
printed speeches of the we'll known old, and able mem
bers will they prefer to make speech OF their own
and purchase frank and direct it to their constituents
Mr. w. sand he would warn those members who were
here for the first time, that if the hour rule should
be abrogated, their fate would. in all probability, be
similar to his own in the Goth Congress, when, in
his first effort to address the House, he had sat
at his desk perseverngly if not patiently, for TWEEN
tynne days, at the end of each hour making the best
effort in his power to obtain the floor. On the TWEEN
tynnth day OF his efforts, at Al O'Clock post meridian, he
at last obtained the floor the Oregon question. Argu
ment had been exhausted and nothing was left for him
to say, except to make some fun This he had done;
and certain constituents naturally of grave of char
acte not understanding the circumstances, had faued
him for testing with serious subject $40 4O'
fight. Now, this was his luck under the hour rule
What, then, could unknown member expect, if that
rule should be abrogaed' He would find, in obtaining
the floor, .'more pangs than women have"
This subject addressed itself to the proprumhe self
hood-of each member, well as to considerations
corning the effect of discussion upon the action OF the
House and the speedy despatch of business Honorable
members would do well to think OF the matter before alb
rogang the hour rule For himself, he would say that
the hour rule had no terrors although now after service
here for four years, he could scarcely be called
member He had addressed the House many occa-
sons during the last Congress, and had always found
hour afford Groom and verge enough" for the action of
his mind and the qualification of his carOetes lo9uend
He had always closed within the hour. The dreaded
hammer of the chairman had never fallen upon him, to
cut him Tor his specify in two in the middle and, lest
he might, in his wnperson, afford exempilcaon OF
the value of the hour rule to House tired of dull
speaker, he would now yield the floor.