The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-01-23

yson BY which the officers OF the House hold their Offices
un me election OF their We had adopted the
whole ease. because the House had bound itself 10
me execution o. Us duty under the rules. and we had
ns sAo s be executed At
therefore, that coud perform The solemn duty OF
electng these officers, imposed il by the rules until
ss aom oo s had been admitted
Doorkeeper (Mr Horner holds the Office by suferance
And the gentleman from Tennessee [Mr. SAvAoEl had
insisted his right 10 require that the person now acting
as Doorkeeper should be excluded from the privileges Of
the floor When the gentleman and insisted his
right il appeared to be but proper that the House should
adopt of action in accordance with this sug
geston What did the gentleman from South Carolina
propose by the resolution which he had submitted His
object to provide for the contingency which, in the
the opinion OF the gentleman from Tennessee, had been
created II the Doorkeeper held his situation under
the rules, he could only be approached through the rules
But il he did not hold under the rules, but only BY
Invested him Of his title by sueance, and the House was
bound to provide for the contingency thus occurring, as
clearly one Of privilege identical with the action OF
Mr. TooMBs said he rested his position on the act Of
1885,
MIR. McLANE trusted the gentleman from Georgia,
would forget that the House had already repudated
that authority. When the gentleman from Georgia pre-
scented his views the subject OF the election OF Clerk
Of this House, and rested his opinions on TINS authority
he would remember that the whole Househe would not
say the whole House, but large majonty-had cried
down the effort So that in presenting the act OF 1882
the ground of his argument in the settlement OF the
question Of privilege, il was not sustained by the opinion
Mi. ToOMBS said that when he made the attempt to
address the House, there were no rules IN existence and
he did regard the decision OF the majority on that oc
Mr.. McLANE made reply, which was not audible on
the bs ne
the House to elect had been postponed was In the
power Of the House to provide temporarily for these Of
hoes He submitted that the House had ruled that the
question OF privilege to the election Of Clerk embraced
al the other officers necessary to the organization OF the
M ScHENcK stated that the Chair had made de.
csion when similar resolution had been formerly sub
mitted, that ii of order the House could only
elect its officers by uiUa vocs vote.
Mr. McLANE reloined, that not to the point; Tor
the question before not whether we should elect
On all hands it agreed that the election was post
poned to March, 1851 meanwhile who shall perform
Doorkeeper Of the last House OF Representatives or shall
it be Sergeant aArms, elected by this House at
MI. SCHENCK expressed his intention to sustain the
view which had been thrown out BY the Chair IN Its de-
cision
sustain the Chair by his vote this question and then
they would rule that the Sergeant at Arms some one
else, Mr. Hornsr himself, perhaps. should perform the
Mr. BURT begged permission to refer to the act of
1885, in order to show that did not contemplate the
election OF Clerk but that the provision related to the
authorize the House to elect a Clerk, but merely to
administer the oath to the Clerk.
Mr. McLANE then called the attention of the House
the dates of the proceedings to show that the Clerk
had been elected already when this act was passed He
did not understand that the act referred to any other
officer than the Clerk, and only to provide for swearing
him.
Mr. ToOMBS said his point was not how the Clerk
created He had only meant to show that the law
Mr. MCLANE understood the gentleman from Georgia
Mr. TooMBsl as now resting the question OF privilege
At Ii h.J. Jod
that the House could not proceed to business until aCerk
had been elected
Mr. BURT made remark, not audible, relative 10 the
being sworn to keep secrets as It was under
Mr. McLANE said that, when he had referred to the
gentleman from Georgia, he did understand that he pre-
the question Of privilege Il such was not The case then
the reference TO the act was not pertinent at all Why
was i tina. the Of privilege as % cnoos
ing of the House for the last six or seven weeks was
because the constitution of the United States provided for
to he election Of Doorkeeper The House had not said
ii would not comply with the acquisitions OF this rule
but had merely fixed day. at remote period, for the
in the mean time should execute the duties Of the office
There could be difficulty in the decision OF this ques
ton 1t was agreed on all hands that the present Door
keeper only held the Office by suferance. Now, per-
feclly competent for the House say that he shall no
longer continue TO hold the situation The gentleman
from Tennessee mr. SAyAoEl had wiped away the whole
determine what shall be done.
Mr. HILLIARD made a few remarks, mperfectly
heard He was understood quoting, in opposition to
the declaration that the present Dcokeeper held the Office
by suferance, the resolution adopted by the House
thorzing the Doorkeeper perform certain duties TO
the admission OF persons the ladies' gallery Here the
Doorkeeper recognised by the express authority Of
Mr. MCLEAN asked leave to call the attention Of the
what the Doorkeeper was required to do, but who
was the Doorkeeper or, until his election who shall
perform his duties
Mr. billiard admitted this. but stated that the ques
tion to which he addressed his remarks whether
the Doorkeeper was here by suferance. He had been
created Doorkeeper by the authority given him by The
House. ....s
wished I, 10 be decided by vote to-day, not who is
these duties until the House elect in March, 1851.
M Mel said he cared nothing in this discussion as to
who should eventually perform these duties the question
should now be settled whether the title by suherance
should be acquesced in by majority OF the House; ii
not the objection OF any member would leave the House
without boorkeeper whenever and often as the OBJ
lection should be raised hence again, the question was
one of privilege or priority.
Mr. HALL moved that the appeal be laid on the table.
Mr. McLANE moved a call OF the House; and upon
that motion the yeas and nays having been asked and or
Mr.. BINGHAM inquired what would be the effect OF
agreeing to the motion TO lay the appeal on the table
The SPEAKER replied that II would be equivalent to
sustaining the decision OF the Chair which would bring
the House to vote on the resolution OF the gentleman
from South Carolina, Mr. BUR-, directing the Sergeant
alarms to perform the duties Of the Doorkeeper in addi
ton his own, until Doorkeeper for this Congress be