The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-12-21
THE UNION.

admltted 10 the privileges OF this h0or He here
public guest, and was specially invited to public re-
cepon in this hall He was received at time desig-
mated by HIMSELF and the Senate adjourned 10 permit
members 10 pay their personal respects him. to whom
egner IN the country
More than that, sir II is without precedent in the
history Of the nation that the privilege OF admission 10
the bar OF the Senate shond be granted II you look 10
your rules you will find that even the President OF the
United States and the heads Of departments are not ad
m,ted 70 the bar Of the Senate They may upon the
resolution admits this individual into the bar of the Sem
ate--a privilege which has never been conferred even
upon the most illustrious citizens, in Office out Of
Office. Washington himself, the Father OF his Country
was not entitled TO be admitted within the bar of the
Senate.
A SEsAToR. Did he not deliver his messages here !
from the desk or in the lobby Now, sir consider it
sufficient that member of this body-any member OF
t b eodyany one member Of this body has expressed
presence OF this gentleman as a privileged person
upon this floor. This is not the hail OF the majority
hall i the hall OF the gentleman from Alabama.
only entitled but obliged TO be present. and which not
even majority have right to authorize any individual
70 enter who may be obnoxious TO him. Il is my floor,
other man, and no majority have right to control it,
shall therefore vote decidedly Tor the motion to lay upon
MI BADGER renewed his motion 10 lay the resolu.
Mr, HALE called for the yeas and nays; which were
ordered.
MI. CALHOUN. Not supposor that The yeas and
nays would be called for have absiained from making
any remarks upon the question. II the Senate will
du1Es ~ VIZ Y P IsM W., Z,
sent Of the Senate the gentleman may proceed
Mr.. CALHOUN. Mr.. President, intend to limit my
remarks simply y the question of laying upon the table
to justify the resolution We are therefore to make
precedent Of this for let our vote be either arma
tive or negative, i is precedent Now, sir, setting
make precedent It appears to me that the Senate
itself ought to come to the conclusion from this very
debate, OF the improperly Of making this precedent
sion which, far the gentleman is concerned who is
the suhectmatter OF it, must wound his feelings much
more than the compliment would heal them The Senate
the united invitation Of this body, Il must be a
divided vote. The compliment, if il be passed. will be
weakened; and submit tito every senator, whether it
will not be acceptable his feelings lay upon
make precedent, than to vote for it diyidedly
The senator from Louisiana behind me, Mr.. DowNs,l
extraordinary that the occasion is peculiar, and can
scarcely hereafter be repeated Sir the very fact that il
extraordinary, is motive for not making il precedent
bst camun, Y ~ ease VIII ss,aosn me
you vote airmavey upon it; il will draw after il train
that it will be impossible resist You may refuse this
make precedent then, when you 10 object here
after 10 resolution OF this kind, it becomes question
OF merit Now, sir, gentlemen know, upon question
OF merit how difficult it is to decide
Sir, must say that in many respects, do notfe.
spect ourselves as much ought There is not
parliamentary body in the world that extends comph
ments OF this kind In the British Parliament high
honor to be introduced by distinguished member Of
either House privately No foreigner or other man ought
to expect such a compliment from the United States.
We owe more to ourselves than to give it and especial
ly as this goes far beyond any oheradmng him with
in the bar OF the Senate Sir do hope the Senate will
pause before they give an affirmative vote. hope they
will consider IT, and settle it, that compliments OF this
kind are not to be expected from us.
Mr.. FOOTE. Mr. President. | have been very forci.
bly, struck by the remarks which have just fallen from
the honorable senator from South Carolina, Mr. CAL.
HoUS and from the reasons stated by him in opposition
10 the resolution under consideration feel constrained
To ask OF the honorable senator from Wisconsin, (Mr
WALKEs,l with the unanimous consent OF the Senate,
which cannot doubt will be yielded, that he will with
draw his resolution Ii is evident that il cannot be
adopted unanimously; and if adopted by simple maiori
" il will DO bu! little homo, to the reverend gentleman
IN whose favor II was introduced
Mr.. WALKER Mr.. President, have already said,
SIR that in offering this resolution, did il only regard
ing the individual to whom refers reformer in the
temperance cause very little anticipated this debate
had idea that such debate would grow out OF il
and do not expect 10 be more surprised at any debate
during this session OF the Senate. Gentlemen speak Of
the danger OF misconsruction OF their position have
been the subject OF msconsructon, but il has not yet
gone 10 such extent 10 win TO the conclusion
that upon any occasion that arises here must not act
upon my own judgment Gentlemen upon the one side
may charge me much as they please with voting an
abolition voe and upon the other side they may charge
me as much they please with casting pro slavery
vote in offering that resolution. II is matter OF
tire indifference 10 me from which side the charge
comes. | stand before the country in the position
OF having shown some little disregard to mscon.
strucon occupy that position. care not from which
side misconstrucion comes. hold that no man, by
speech here, can make me occupy position other than
that in which place myself II the senator from New
York Mr. SEWARD has said anything calculated 10
barrass gentlemen, they know whether they occupy the
position in point Of fact which he has ascnbed TO them
or not II upon either side speeches have been made
placing gentlemen ia position they do not like 10 occu
py, is for them to consider whether they occupy or
not
My ideas Of duty are these: No gentleman has right,
by his speech, TO place me IN one position another
would be very willing 10 withdraw this resolution il the
debate had not come upif nothing had been said OF the
character 81 the remarks which have been made but
nounced that he is anti.sayery, or that he is not
sufficiently pro-savery. look upon Mr.. Mathew
philanthropc reormer temperance advocate; and as
SUCH he has certainly done good in this country
than any other While, therefore, occupy that position
myself, care not in what position others may, by their
speeches, think proper 10 place me- propose that reso
luton a compliment TO Father Mathew as great TEN
dorse his philanhropic course; and hope il will be
dorsed by the Senate OF the United States hope now
that the Senate will not understand intending TO
place them in unpleasant or embarrassing situation
and hope every one will disembarrass himself by the
consciousness that he is doing right, in whatever posi-
lion Others may think proper to place him.
The question being then taken upon the motion to lay
the resolution the table, il decided in the mega
hye-yeas 10, nays 81. as follows:
YEAS-Messrs Aichison, Badger Berien, Borland, But
Ter, Calhoun, Clemens, Davis o. Mississippi Dawson, Hun
er Mason, Morton, Pearce. Phelps, Rusk, Sebastian Tur