Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-03-16

| this hndy without opposition, ami throw himself
upon his State 10 SUSAN him. II they abandon.
ed him, he should never present himself again
for office in these United States.
The committee had acted upon The evidence
before lhem-Ihey could not ac otherwise He
| could have explained but As he had already been
charged with indiscfeion, he forbore. He had been
guilty. oil an error in a letter 10 gentleman NJ
| mis- body, and he confessed his wrong. When
gentleman called on him, and referred to the in
| ludicious construction oil which that letter was
susceptible, he had Immediately authorized him
10 Withdraw it. Before this body, and before
Gcd, he disavowed The construction given 10 Tia,
letter. He was incapable OF such thought, OF
| menace OF assassination.
He would cali on every citizen OF The United
States 10 Iepe such an imputaton. he would
call On The gentleman himself, between whom
and that genieman's brother-in-law ne had thrust
his own body TO save him from the consequences
of an imputed crime against The domestic peace
OF thai brotker-in-law. He was now reapns The
effects OF his own indiscreioD; and he had mad.
up his mind 10 submit INCREASINGLY 10 the deci-
sion OF this body-to 60 home and appeal 10 his
own State 10 felnslale him.
Mr.. Iurney was mol satisfied with the repou
OF the committee, and argued at lens .ocSat the
constitution does not require that pe.-jn shall
i nave UteH JtdIS utIblC MS tAttllOf,
bur only before he shall lake his seat.
MI Foole was in favor Of pos,pon;ns further
action until The next session, and moved post.
| ponement OF The resolution until the tirsl Monlay
| 10 December.
Mr. Mason addressed the Senate al consider.
able length, in explanation Of the views OF The
| committee. In The case Of Mr.. Gailatin, IN 1894,
| ii appeared from the journal hat he came 10 ms
| country in 1850, before the close of the war, AMI
| before tbe constitution OF the United STATES had
been adopted.
| He resided in several States uotl October,
| 1885, when he swore allegiance 10 the State OF
| Virginia. be then removed 70 Pennsylvania,
aEG became permanent resident OF that State.
| In l1SS lie was elected 10 The Convention which
| framed the Constitution, and was seveIa! times
member Of the Stae Legislature. IN 1873 he
was elected 10 The Senate ii the United States
Dating IRON October 1855, he had mol been nine
years citizen OF The United Safes when in F..
| biuary, 1893 he was eeced 10 The Uni'ed States
Senate, but ne ha! IN December 1893, when le
| took his seat. These facts were set forth al The
tme-the committee appointed on tie subject re
roI Ell The facts 10 The S'nae without The express.
sion Of any opinion, and unaccompanied with
any resolution.
In the Se.ate resolution wa. offered that A..
bert Gallatin was duly qualified and this resolu-
lion was rej.c,ed, IL 10 IA. A resolution vas
then introduced declaring that the election OF Al
bert Galiatn was void, he not having been
ci,nen Of the United States The term OF years he
cessary 10 qualify him Tor seat IN Ihr Senate
OF The United States. This was adopted, "a %
- and The resolution now reported by The Conf
millre is al exact copy Of Thar.
Mir Douglass addressed the Senate al some
length in defence OF Gen. Shells eligibiIity,
conendins that in the case ot Mr. Gallaun me
oath oi allegiance in Virginia was not consider
e. "a naturalization by The Senale.
Mr.. Foo,e also addressed The Senate a! length
IN >uppor OF his motion 10 postpone, and IN te.
ience Of Gen Shields
Mr.. Betrlen said that The course indicated By
the Senator OF Illinois was one honorable 10 him.
sell. But so long as the Senator continues 10 &C
cupy his seat neIe he Legislature OF Illinois car
do nothing until Their election is declared vol,
they can lake 10 Steps in n, ca>e-and DELAY q
act. therefore, on he parrot ms body, he thought
| would Ub>yuci rather than promote The ohJrc
d, sired. TIE course indicated by The Senator
from Illinois himself he thought The true oEe-Io
again 90 before The Legislature Of his Stale and
lay tie whole subject before them.
Mr.. Douglass vas not prepared 10 say that the
Legislature ol Illinois had performed yoic ACT
tie ccntelded that though IL WAS necessary undri
the Constitution that a member 1T this body sEa
be thirty years Of age al The time ~ taking hls
s.ai, il did not REQUIRE thai he should be so a. h'
time 81 his rlecIlon So also N ihe present. CAS-
The COnsii!Uion says that mo ole shall Or /.
member who IS not hirly ysafs OF sse, has bera
zine years ci,lzrn Of he Unle States and an
| inhabnant OF the Sale al the time his etc.
lion" He cited several casrs, that 81 Mr. Clay,
who was eleceG Al the age II twenty nine yeas,
10 prove that such had been the construction g.
| ven 10 The Constitution heretofore.
lie argued that The Senator from Virginia
| (Mr. MasoB) was mis- aiken IN supposiue tal
contrary construction was given 10 the Galianu
case. He would b, better pleased 10 ser The car
| postponed No Inconvenience would result there.
| from, As he mex regular session oil The Hines
Legislature does not take place Until yea ton
! neIt January, ihousa an ezra session may " |
held next WinleI Nor, under H. pTecedenls r.
tabIshed, has the Governor OF thal STATE The poS
| eI to fiji vacancy o this description. lie &C. |
| MED hei hight 10 GisiIdnchIsc Slate una
! year from January next, or 10 put them Ia itt |
expense Of an extra session. BY po>tponcme1. |
they would have time 10 determine the question !
OF eligibility, after iull consideration Of all hs
! facts.
Mr.. Webster held most incon.estibly that tie /
| election was void The Constitution Requires
| that he should De eligible as Senator for ~ |
| years from the 4lh Of March-and il might |
with just as much proprlcty be said that e
! could have been elected when he had been on |.
six years citizen Of the State as when be Ia. Il
been eight years. His object IN rising, nv
ever, wa 10 move as the resolution was Ike u
10 give rise 10 further debate, that the sub e. T.
be postponed until tomorrow The moC
| prevailed, and the Senate then proceeded 10 Z
consideration Of Executive business III
| The nominations yesterday sent in were q
10 DAY confirmed; and JUST before the lermni NJ
ton of The d bate Today on the question OF Gs
neral Shields eligibility, another message wn
received from the President by the hand OF %.
Bliss, making sundry other nominations, chisf't1
unmporiant, aud relating 10 The customs, wi.
The exception of Mr. Evans Of Maine, Y,
Payne Of North Carolina. and Mr.. Caleb /
Smith of Indiana as The Board of Comms
sioncrs on Mexican aims. Adjourned