The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-12-25
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

The members this morning. They
presented themselves by State delegations and the
Speaker administered TO them the oath To support
! the Constitution Of the United States
Mr.: WENTWORTH offered resolution, that
the rules OF the House, they existed at the close
of the last session, be continued until the first Mon
day of February, and that committee of nine
members be appointed to revise the rules, and sug
gest such alterations may be deemed necessary.
| Mr.. VINTON said that this resolution would,
probably, give rise TO some debate; and he appealed
to the gentleman TO waive il, that some gentleman
might offer a resolution informing the Senate that
the House had organized, and were ready to pro-
| coed to business; and that the Executive be in
formed OF the readiness of Congress to receive any
communication which he might be pleased to make
| Mr. THOMPSON, of Mississippi. If the gentle
man from Illinois will consent, l will offer such
| resolution.
Mr.. WENTWORTH. will, if my resolution
does not lose its place in the order of business.
MIR. THOMPSON then submitted the resolution,
that message be sent to the Senate, informing
that body that quorum of the House of Represent
atiyes have assembled; that the Hon. Howell CoBB
of Georgia. has been elected Speaker, and that the
House are ready to proceed TO business.
The resolution was adopted and conveyed to the
Senate by the Clerk.
Mr.. EVANS, of Maryland, said that he held in
his hand resolution, providing for the drawing of
seats. He gave way to
| Mr.. THOMPSON, of Pennsylvania who offered
a resolutions that committee of three be appoint
ed to act with that of the Senate TO wait upon the
President of the United States and inform him that
a quorum of both Houses have assembled, and are
ready to receive any communication which he may
| be pleased TO make
| The resolution was adopted, and Messrs. THoMP
| SON, of Pennsylvania; yINToN, of Ohio; and
HOLMES, of South Carolina, appointed the
committee
| Mr.. BOYD offered resolution, that the rules of
the last House of Representatives, except the 18th,
be adopted the rules of this House until otherwise
| ordered, and that standing committee of five
members be appointed to revise them. The eleventh
rule, he SAID, requires majority of the House to
elect its officers. Unless this be excluded similar
difficulty which attended the election of Speaker
Mr.. WENTWORTH thought that the House
ought to adopt the old rules temporarily, not
tainly until all shall know what the first named
There were some which would never obtain ma
Jority OF the House in their favor.
! MIR. SCHENCK gave notice of an amendment
which he intended to offer, viz: Except much of
the said rules as requires the appointment of Com
lnitt.e on Commerce and a Committee on Roads
and Canals Instead of these, there shall be Com
| mittee on Foreign commerce, and Committee
| Commerce among the States, to consist of nine
members each The duty of the first shall be to
| consider and report on all subjects and matters
! concerning the foreign commerce of the country;
that OF the second to take into consideration and
report on all subjects and matters in relation to
commerce among the several States
The consideration of this subject postponed
until to- morrow.
message received from the Senate, in
| forming the House that they had appointed COM
mittee to wait upon the President of the United
States.
MIR. MORSE rose to offer resolution which was
customary on the organization of the House. He
said that he had been living the frontiers, (the
outer range of seats,) and had not been able to
hear whether or not such measure had been pro-
posed He wished the House to adjourn for three
days, to give the Speaker opportunity to appoint
the standing committees.
MIR. EVANS remarked that he had already given
way TO several gentlemen, and now desired his
| resolution TO be read. 1t was most excellent one,
and was adopted by the twenty ninth and thirtieth
Congresses. He moved the previous question.
The resolution read follows
RESOLVED, That the Clerk of the House, imme-
diatey after the passage of this resolution place in
| box the name of each member and delegate of the
| House OF Representatives, separate piece Of
paper that he then proceed in the presence of the
House, TO draw from said box, one at a time, the
said pieces OF paper I; and, each is drawn, he
shall announce the name of the member or dele
gate upon it, who shall then choose his seat for the
present session; provided that, before the said
drawing shall commence the Speaker shall cause
| each seat to be vacated, and shall that each
seat continues vacant until it is selected under this
order.
MIR. MEADE moved an amendment that a seat
for an absent member might be selected by proxy
| re- Oh no!'l
Mr.. STRONG raised the point that il was not in
order TO offer amendment after the previous
question had been moved and, after a few words
of conversation between several members and the
Speaker,
Mr.. INGE moved to lay the resolution on the
table.
The question was taken, and decided in the neg.
alive.
Another point of order occurred and, after it was
disposed OF, under the operation of the previous
question, the resolution of Mr.. EVANS adopted.
Members, accordingly, vacated their seats, and
gathered in the area fronting the Clerks desk. As
the names were separately drawn from the box,
gentlemen made their choice. This part of the pro-
ceedings being concluded,
Mr.. THOMPSON, of Pennsyva from the
joint committee appointed 10 wait upon the Presi-
dent, reported that they had performed the duty,
and that the President had informed them that ne
would send "a communication to the House inme-
diately.
IL was ordered, that when the House adjourn it be
till Thursday next.
MIR. SCHENCK gave notice of his intention TO in.
roduce several bills; among them, one TO regulate
the value of certain coins, and another TO indemni-
y officers and of vessels of Of the United
states navy lost by fire, shipwreck, other
atty
mir. BROWN of Indiana, gave notice that, on
a future day, he would ask leave 10 introduce
bill to reduce the rates of postage, and for other
purposes
At thirty minutes 20 three O'Clock, "A message
was announced from the President Of the United
States, and
The Presidents private secretary, Col Bliss
then proceeded to the desk and delivered II TO the
Speaker
The SPEAKER said that IL there was no objec-
ton, il would he laid before the House.
The CLERK commenced reading the annual
message, when members hurried TO the desk, ON
which were printed copies of the document
This caused confusion and the reading was sus
pended until the officers and pages supplied mem
bcrs at their desks
The message having been read, many members
applaudod.
Mr.. TOOMBs offered resolution that the mes
sage Of the President be referred to the Committee
Of the Whole on the state of the Union, and that
fifteen thousand extra copies, with the accompany
ing documents, be printed for the use of the
House.
Mr.. SWEETZER offered amendment-that
five thousand copies of the Presidents message be
printed in the German language.
Mr.. HOLMES moved that the same number be
printed in the French language.
Mr.. JONES inquired whether the motion in
cluded the accompanying documents
MIR. SWEETZER replied in the negative.
The question taken the amendment of
Mr.. HOLMES, and cided in the negative.
The amendment of Mr.. SwEETzER was then
adopted-ayes lis, noes not counted
Mr.. BAYLY moved to reconsider the vote, and
desired TO say single word. He thought that this
was the worst precedent which could be set We