The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-08-15
The House of Representatives.

The House of Representatives.
motion was made yesterday morning, in
the House Of Representatives, to proceed to the
consideration Of the business on the Speakers
table. Had it prevailed, the bill to adjust the
Texas boundary would have been reached and
| taken up; but it failed by pretty decided vote,
| and the House then went into Committee of the
Whole on the state Of the Union on the Civil
and Diplomatic Appropriation bill. By a resou-
| ton adopted few days since, all debate ON that
bill ceases on Friday next, after which, on each
amendment that may be offered TO the bill, a
speech of five minutes duration in its support,
and one of the same length in opposition to it,
will be admissible under the rules
1t is not at all likely, therefore, that the
Texas boundary bill will be taken up during
the present week.
We might venture the expression of the
same opinion in regard to the California bill.
Nor is it at all likely that the Civil and
Diplomatic bill will be proceeded with, for the
present, to final passage.
| Before final action shall have been had upon
either of these three important bills, the expert
ment will, no doubt, be tried, as to the power
| of a small minority Of the House to dictate to
the majority the course of its proceedngs-to
prescribe the order in which the business shall
be taken up and acted upon-to delay indef-
nltely the adoption of measures Of the greatest
public exlgency-and even to obstruct the or
binary operations of Government by presenting
the passage Of the necessary appropriation
bills, unless the House will first take up and
| adjust to the satisfaction of the said minority
the territorial question: question of not the
slightest practical Importance to the country
generally, and the adjustment of which should
naturally and necessarily follow that of the
Texas boundary question:; for, until that bound
airy be. established, how can territorial gov
eminent, with any proprety, be established for
New Mexico?
We adverted yesterdays to the resolution
adopted at the Southern meeting last week, de-
clarlng that 1.-THE representatives of the slave
holding States will resist, by all usual legisla-
tive and constitutional means, the admission of
the State of California, and the adjustment of
the Texas boundary, until settlement of the
territorial questions.
This is sufficiently explicit.
| The writer of communication published
| yesterday in the Southern Press, the organ OF
the minority of the House to which we have
reference in these remarks, after arguing that
the passage of the Senate's California bill by
the House would certainly be followed by the
secession from the Union of Georgia and South
Carolina, and perhaps other Southern States,
suggests "resort TO the delays which the Con
stitution sanctions for arresting the measures
the California bill, sc. and stopping the sup
| plies"
Now, we deny that the Constitution does
sanction for any such purpose the delays con
tcmplated by the writer and his coadjutors OF
the minority of the House Of Representatives
1t provides, indeed, that 4" the yeas and nays
Of the members Of either House on any ques-
ton shall. at the desire of one-ffth of those
present, be entered on the Journal" but the
object of the provision having been once eff
! lected by the calling and recording Of the yeas
and nays on a question, the immediate repeti-
ton of the call, not for the purpose Of ascer-
tanning and recording the votes Of members. but
solely with the view Of delay, though parlia-
mcntary, can only be justified when the delay
thus sought for is reasonable both as to its dura-
ton and the purposes for which it is sought. 1t
could never have entered into the imaginations
of the wise and patriotic trainers of the Consti-
tuition, when they inserted in it this provision,
that they were thereby putting it in the power
of one fifth of the members of either House u
rule the other four lilhs; or, in the event Of the
majority's refusing to yield, to arrest all legis-
lation, put stop 10 the supplies, and entire
ly obstruct the operations Of Government
To call for the yeas and nays on motion
to adjourn, is the Legitimate exercise Of a
constitutional right, but we maintain that
continued repetition, for an indefinite pc
Rod. of that and other frivolous motions. fol
lowed in each case by call for the yeas and
nays, by a small minority, for the purposes we
have just enumerated, is not only not warrant
ed by the spirit Of the Constitution but it is sub
versive of that instrument, and in its tendency
and effect essentially revolutionary. II could not
be carried into practice without overthrowne
the Government.
We shall, therefore, watch the progress Of
the proposed experiment with some anxiety, il
is true. but with confidence, at the same time
that, II attempted, it will signally fail, and
bring down upon its authors the full weight Of
the public Indignation.
II is to be hoped that nothing but serious in.
disposition will prevent any member Of the
House Of Representatives from punctua and
pected ''crsis" take place.
The Hon. JoHN J. CRIrTENDEN, of Ken
lucky, Attorney General Of the United States,
arrived in this city on Tuesday night last, and
took lodgings at Wizards.
The Hon. L. M. T. MckENSoN, Of Penn
! /