The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-03-15

rights due TO her. of the rights which she and
the respect due to hera higher and deeper sentiment
than courtesy Now, IN the first place there Is
desire, expressed or minated by the honorable men,
Der whose interests at stake for further delay and
1t 10 most extraordinary that either MS colleague or
any other gentleman in the Senate should argue this
il there such desire or intimaton upon his
part Ii is most plainand naor reasonable
man, entertain the slightest doubt
Mr. DOUGLAS wish the senator would allow me
to say that do not base my course OF action IN the
slightest degree upon any such desire OF my colleague
that we should postpone decision; take my
from what believe to be due from 10 my State,
and not from any intmaton from my colleague. On the
contrary, said yesterday that should have urged It
with force perhaps, than did, bat for the appeal
he made allow the Senate to take its course
My desire, therefore, for posponement, because firm
y believe from my knowledge OF the state Of things IN
teen years the Offices be has held IS eligible and be-
cause firmly believe that his eligibility could be
proved if this matter should be postponed until the next
Mr.. WEBSTER Then it comes to this: the senator
asks US to consent to posponement although the party
most interested does not deem it to be useful to him.
Mr.. DOUGLAS. l do not admit that he does not thnK
| it useful to him.
MT WEBSTER Or does not wish that we should
Mr.. DOUGLAS. | do not admit that He says that
he will ask the Senate to postpone their decision but
will leave the Senate to take its own course, having his
own opinions to what will be best for him.
Mr. WEBSTER Then am obliged to take il for
granted that if the honorable senator does not ask Tor
this to be postponed is because he does not wish to
Mr. FOOTE. beg to say single word in eYplana-
ton. Had not supposed myself tacitly sanctioned IN
the course have pursued by the honorable claimant
should not have adopted it,
Mr.. WEBSTER | cannot take it for granted that the
course of the senator from Mississippi is sanctioned, di.
recy in opposition to his own avowal apon the floor of
the Senate Sir the honorable senator claiming this seat
from Illinois has taken very manfu and proper course
| in acquescng in the decision OF the Senate.
been citizen Of the United States for nine years. in my
judgment. the 4th day of March last He produced
certificate OF naturalization dated in October $40; and
therefore he had not been citizen of the United States
Tor nine years when called upon to take his seat here on
the 9Th Ct March. Therefore the election was VOID as
ow s pss
49, whether he has any expect that his parents
were naturazed 80 far back in his minority that the
cation OF the He has inna,ed such thing, and
apprehend there is no such thing Now, sir. what is
the duty OF the Senate to the State OF Illinois! 1t
appears to me as plain turnpike road. The State
OF Illinois has sent gentleman for senator, upon
whose qualifications it has been duty to pass
Judgment and 1t has been stated to be the case, by
way OF compliment civiy, ana a mark of respect
to the honorable member ttat no person has come IN
the character OF remonsrant from Illinois to object to
his holding his seat agree TO all. But them if every
man from Illinois here to-day in his own proper
person. and they should all desire to allow him to re-
tain his seat according to the constitution and according
to duties it would be impossible for us grant it
And now, under these circumstances what is proposed
That we should leave it undecided AMI leave IN the
power OF this gentleman to resign not as he shall Ind
the State of Illinois is to decide this reasonable time
and to let her know decision in reasonable time.
that she as a State may then take her own course.
and her own time, to fill the vacancy That ap-
pears to me, sir to be the respect due TO the Stale
OF Illinois She has right to expect that at
our hands It is the most respectful course to heT
low it at Sir, should be willing to show
tesy to the honorable member to any other honorable
are now acting very responsible pat-perormlng high
duty II we entertain the opinion that he is not eligible,
we should say SO have come to that con-
clusion should think that the true mode of showing
respect to the State of Illinois. shall therefore vote
against the postponement, AT the same time, am quite
able senator from Maine. Mr. BRApsunY] going to show
that the honorable member claiming seat not quail
6e to enter upon the duties of his Office upon the 4h OF
March.
| Mr.. HALE shall occupy the attention of the Senate
but very few minutes. shall vote against the post
ponemen unless the honorable senator who claims his
seat or some friend speaking for hun, says unequvoca
y and plainly, that there may be mistake about 1t,
that he does expect by the postponement to alter the
state OF the facts as shown here's because he does not
expect to make any such CHANGE ought to vote upon
the facts as they now appear Ii they are such as TO
satisfy US that he is not entitled TO seat is the easiest
thing in the world to say willing TO give him
as long as he wants-one, two. or three years. am
not opposed to the fullest and frees investigation of this
and OF every other question have commended, on
ting subject And if this is proposed to be hung
up until another session, with the expectation or
hope that the state of the facts be altered in their
But sir, unless the statement shall be made by General
SHIELDS, somebody speaking for him. plainly and I'M
equvocay that they do expect TO alter the state OF the
facts the panes duty of the Senate to vote upon
as it is now presented do not concur entirely in the
| suggestion Of the senator from New York my right
He says that he has as little respect for the political Wis
dom of this provision of the constitution as anybody In
the Senate Permit to say sir, that have more re-
spec for that provision of the constitution than perhaps
the constitution sir and read the history of the past few
years, can find very few provisions OF the constitution
| in which power and party have not tramped rough.
shod them. This is one of the green spots in
the constitution upon which the iron heel of party
has not fallen; 1t Is green spot, and would
preserve IT. God knows that there few enough OF
them left; and when here and there we find one of
these provisions which has not been ramped under FOOT
let us preserve it.
Mr.. SHIELDS rose to address the Senate, but yielded
| to
| Mr.. CALHOUN, who said Mr.. President, | hold
nothing to be certain than that General SHIELDS
not senator OF the United States of right he
become SO. The constitution is explicit tina, no person
shall be senator unless he has been nine years a
citizen of the United States If. them he is senator
now, there is vacancy; Illinois would have but one
That proposition hold to be conceded by every in
i advance.
That he is not senator is clear because he cannot
perform one duty belonging to the senatorial Office unless
the nine years have expired previous to the time
OF the commencement of the senatorial term Thus
thinking, Mr., President think it is due, in the first
place., to the State of Illinois, that the question
should be now settled And if General SHIELDS
shall alege that he has evidence, which will in all
probability be satisfactory to the Senate that the term Of
nine years had expired before the 4th of March-upon
such an allegation upop the part of General SHrIDs