The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-03-15
INTELLIGENCE By THE MAILS.
WASHINGTON, March Is, lS40.

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WASHINGTON, March Is, lS4s.
Proceedings IN the Case of GeSerI Shtslds.
The Senaie occasionally gets Up excellent trs-
prompt~s The chamber presented, to day, Q
scene OF the mos lively Interest. Mr.. M asou, In
the absence OF Mr., Benton, chairman OF tho spe-
cial committee on General Shields election IRE.
scented the report OF the committee, which fiads
that General Shied Ids IL ineligible a seat ia the
Senate. The report was accompanied by a reso-
luton declaring the elestson VOID General
Shields rose for The first time IN the chamber and
tho Senators crowded around him, evlaclay the
most marked interest In what hs'was about to say.
Remark ing upon the fact that opposition was
raised from his own State-n0t even frout his
whig c0mpetitor-t0 unseat him, and that lr was
within the body itself the charge " lnehglblry
Arose, he went on TO say that he should aOt maze
the slightest resistance to the ad"ptonof the r~so-
luton OF The committee. He had RETAINED, add
would refrain. from saying one word 10 she Senate
m m! hls own defence. He came there with the Ger:
tihcale Ut his State lie .islature. He would
not do amy act that could be construed into a
consent to any, procedure calling that act
In question. He had lived tor seventeen
years III Illinois, and during that period had been
at various times elected to Offices In that State, re-
quirlDg citizenship: He had endeavored IN ali OF
them 10 discharge his duty faithfully to the State
and to the country He deplored mat, since ms
moment OF great exci,emeat, to exhiot ser,Ous-
indlscreton. He wished now, In the presence of
the Senate aud OF the county, to make this ad-
mission; but he called Coo to witness that the
ieea Oi assassination, threat OF which wes
charged upon HIN by his predecessor, never for a
moment crossed has thoughts. For the rest, If
The decision OF the Senate Was against his claim
10 his seat, he would take the On.y course lett
hIm-tO throw himself again upon the generosity
OF the people OF lllino's; aud he knew them too
well to doubt for one moment Ut tae result
During the delivery Of this sp.rch the pre-
foundssI attenton prevailed, aud at Its close
several Senator's advanced 10 the General, and
expressed the warnrsi sympathy aud '0dness TO-
wards him. Wine he was spe ak,ng, Mr.. Webster
Be veral Um.s expressed aloud hs approval at MS
senlIMe MIS-; and hen tie mad CONCLUDED, was the
FIST 10 shake HIM by tae hand. A rUrL ch iuga
took place the Ut the o@uate, aud the
good feeling was Increased by Mr.. Foore, who ia
a sboIt, happy and pertinent speech, made all aiu-
neral SHE ds's SERVICES Ill the H. Id, that
thrilled the audience, and prod nc the iiv,t pro-
found sensation Mr.. Foute exercised, un thus
Occ. sion, the power he possesses IN remtrk Abs
degree, Ut electriiying his hedress, aud created
emotion that could scarcely be iestralurd Ton
" ntiDg itself IN applause. The OCCASION appeared
To call to In The en-ryi-s oil the Senators ma neoro
than ordinnry degree, tor Mr. D,uy'asS followed
in mastery constitutional aryunirn mt Ia OppOSi.
ZION TO the .i-ws OF the comm,tt.e Inc gu IRON,
he argued, 10 one at much Lnpoitance. Tue ca'n-
stiiutiOn de caies that NOBODY shall ne a Senator
under The aye OF thirty years. or VINO hasn"t neon
.
not an Inh blaht vi the Sae from which ne ASSENT.
The committee hold the dOctrlne that man mast
have all IT, Ose tnr-e prerequisites at the time VI
election. Mr. DOus la coutends IN At II ID O.ly ne
cessary to have the tst Que st-c,ted. at the tuno
Ut Il. ction aud that II the member elect have the
Other Two 1T The time the duties Ot h,s OtcoOe-
vOlve upeM HIM, II IN suthcleut. He argued mat
man tw cut, nine years OF age may elected to
In. 81 nate although he may take mrs uat.l
he has attained the prescribed age aud IN support
Of tits argument, he cites the cases OF Mr.. CLAY,
elected Ia the Srnatr at the age OF t"enty'na
years, and q, Mr.. R,ndol .'h aud Mr.. King ot Ala
ba MA, elected to the House u, Representatives, at
the age Ut twent, tour, those g-"t eui-u naving
been cOnsidef red M havirs COMPLIED with the re-
qurent Its at the constitution III not taking their
oeais be tore The prescribed age. Mr. W-b.t-r-x
piesss d his unqu hed dissent from this opntOa,
and moved postponed rnt oi the debate unit to-
morrow; SD that It Is PROBABLE that ou tuinoirow
shall have a most Interesting d,scusson ut 'hs
que tlOa Il IL IT. -rst0od that Mr. C4lh.ua agrees
III OpIHiOn with Mr. Douglass. The qt-sttO0,
which is M have said, one Of great Imp ,rtauce,
aIIses cOlleteIaily cut OF this case, us IRE ieral
Sh elds has DE- clared his ueteftninatiO not to
avail himself OF any trchnIcaitle. mat might be-
raised, AID hr, to-day, enrrated his ir'rnds 10
make parliamentary opposition 10 tn. act On ct
the e. mmitee, az OF the Sroat. IL will be we'd
eeul~ thus question d. n tvely nov, II tctn be
done. There are many plrc-d-nts IA I'll 'Dr ut
Mr.. Dsus lass's view. W.. X ny. ct Alabtmt. de-
cIsIes that ne elected t.' the IL Is- ar Repre-
seBtatives ut the nge at twenty-iouf; IN re con-
suited me- 1T the ablest jursIs n III tut'y "n
he subject. ano that thy we're unanimous Ia the
opinit that he was ,ble. Mr. RindOIDh's isa
similar case. Mr. CLAW, on beng elected 10 tho
Senate al the age ct tw-nty.n,ur, consulted those
v.rs.d in const iuiOnal law, and thew d,i not -x-
pl..s a doubt OF his tiigib ltty Avery eminent
Judge Of the Supreme Cour', now Ia this city, has
oppressed a similar opinion Mr. Websrr's
opinion gu. stIon OF constitutional law. viii,
nevertheless, have great weight.
Mr. Evans, # Maine; Mr. Caleb B. Smith. of
Tnoisns; and Mr.. Paine, Of Vermont, have beea,
to-day, nominated commissioners 10 adud'cate
claims arsiny under the esty with M-xico.
They will. dOubtl~ss, be confirmed to-morro~.
There could not he u better appointment thad that
OF Mr.. Evans. The conf rmations to-day, were Of
very uRlmpOrIaD' character N