The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-04-19

Mr.LITTLEFIELD merely desired to say tina
he had not only had his fears dismissed as 10 dis
solution of the Union, but TO the dissolution o
| the Democratic party.
The resolution of Mr.. LrrrLEFIELD was read FOL
| information.
The SPEAKER said that the resolution could be
| received only by unanimous consent.
Mr.. LITTLEFIELD moved suspension of the
| rules.
The SPEAKER said that it was not in order t.
move a suspension of the rules this day, and he de-
cided that this not privileged question to be
acted upon, as the judgment OF the House was
that no action can be had out OF the regular order
| of business.
Mr. MEADE inquired whether he could not APP
peal from the decision of the Chair, as to give
the House opportunity of reviving its former de-
| cision
The SPEAKER said that an appeal could be
taken.
Mr.. MEADE took an appeal, believing that the
decision of the Speaker on former occasion which
the House overruled, was right.
MIR. HALL understood that the elections were
| required to be pipd poce.
The SPEAKER stated that such was the rule.
/ Mr. McCLERNAND asked the gentleman from
Maine to modify his resolution, 50 that the House
may now proceed to the election OF Doorkeeper and
! Postmaster.
! Mr. STEVENS moved to lay the appeal on the
table and on the question being taken, II was de-
| cided in the affirmative.
! Mr. BROWN, Of Mississippi, asked leave to offer
a resolution: That the resolution heretofore passed
by the House, postponing the election Of Doorkeep-
err, be and the same is hereby rescindcd; and that
the House proceed at once to the election OF Door
MIR. TOOMBS objected to the resolution and
| The SPEAKER ruled it out of order.
| Mr. BROWN appealed from the decision, and
demanded the yeas and nays.
| Mr.. TUCK moved that the appeal be laid upon
| the table, whereupon,
| MIR. BROWN called for the yeas and nays.
| The SPEAKER said that the resolution postpon-
| ing the election could not be rescinded in this
mode The resolution of the gentleman could only
| be entertained by unanimous consent, or by sus-
pension Of the rules of the House.
Mr.. BROWN withdrew his appeal, and asked
| leave to offer another resolution, viz:
That Robert E. Horner, the acting Doorkeeper OF
the House of Representatives, be and he is hereby
discharged, and that the House proceed immediate
| ly to the election of a Doorkeeper.
The SPEAKER was Of opinion that the resolution
was not in order.
Mr. BROWN appealed from the decision of the
Chair, and asked Tor the yeas and nays.
Mr.. TUCK moved to lay the appeal on the table.
MIR. THOMPSON, Of Mississippi, requested the
Speaker to state the grounds of his decision.
The SPEAKER did 50. The resolution out
of ORDER because it was not in the regular order of
business, and according to the decision of the
House, it was not privileged question ques-
ton of privilege 1t was out Of ORDER too, on the
ground that i proposed to go into the election of
Doorkeeper, whilst there was resolution the
journal appointing the election for particular day.
After several questions had been asked and an
swered--
Mr.. BROWN withdrew his appeal, and modified
his resolution so to read:
Resolued, That Robert Z. Homer, the acting
Doorkeepcr of the House, be, and he is hereby, dis
charged
The SPEAKER ruled the resolution out of order.
Mr.. BROWN appealed
Mr.. FOWLER moved to lay the appeal upon the
table.
The question was taken, and the House--by yeas
so, nays s5-refused to lay the appeal upon the
table.
Mr.. TOOMBS made few remarks contending
that the resolution had not precedence over the
other business of the House, and that the parlia-
mcntary rule, and not an unbridled majority,
should govern. This not privileged ques
ton, or a question of privilege; if 30, the Speaker
and other officers might be dismissed in the sum-
mary manner proposed.
from captious spirit towards the acting Door
keeper He offered 1t because he believed that there
were charges against Mr.. Horner, which, if sus-
tanned, would justify the House in removing the
present incumbent. He then read follows:
"Mr. BnowN, member Of the House from Mis-
sissippi, makes the following charges against Ro-
bert Z. Horner, Doorkeeper Of the House of Repre-
sentatives:
al. That said Horner made false certificate, un-
der and by virtue of which his brother drew pay as
officer of the House, at time when his said bro
Their WAS notoriously absent from the city of Wash
ington, and held Office in the State of Wisconsin,
the duties Of which he was discharging, and for
which he was receiving salary from the United
States.
y.
Of this House without cause, and in his attempted
justification made a false charge against the said
page, calculated to disgrace him, and subject him
TO a criminal prosecution
ss3 That said Horner has made false statements
in regard TO the manner of discharging his official
duties"
Mr.. BROWN asked for the appointment of a Sc
lect committee to inquire into the charges. II he
bad not thought them to be true, he would not have
preferred them.
NJ TOOMRS annea led IN The srartl.,,,, - A., ,,,;, Ia
draw the resolution and refer the charges, which
must now be made question of privilege.
Mr.. BROWN believed that the dignity Of the
House required an investigation. He wished TO dis
abuse the minds OF members who supposed that he
had been pursuing the Doorkeeper out of unkind
motives, by saying that he voted for him, thinking
well of him at the time. But he had changed his
opinion. He wanted the charges inquired into.
II they were not true he would wish TO retain him.
At the suggestion of the gentleman from Georgia,
(Mr. TooMBs,) he would withdraw the resolution.
[Cries f"No! no!''l
Mr.. MCLEAN, of Maryland, concurrcd in the
views expressed by Mr.. ToomBs to the parlia-
mentary law; and asked Mr.. BRows to let the
charges stand question of privilege.
Mr.. BROWN withdrew his resolution and SUBJ
mitted the charges LAS above given.)
Mr.. AVERETT. would ask whether one of the
charges has not already been matter of investga-
ton by the Committee Of Accounts.
Mr.. BROWN. Not by direction of the House.
committee OF five was ordered to be appointed
Mr.. BROWN asked TO be excused from serving
on IL.
The following named gentlemen were appointed
members Of the committee, viz:
Messrs. Obs, Newell, PHELPS, LErFLER, and
CALDWELL Of North Carolina.
PROPOSED INVESTIGATION INTO THE OFFICIAL con-
DUCT OF Tue SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR.
Mr.. RICHARDSON asked leave TO offer the fol-
lowing resolutions, which were read for informa
ton, viz:
Resolved, That a select committee of nine be ap.
pointed, with power TO send fer persons and pa
pers, TO inquire and report TO the House whether
Thomas Ewing, Secretary of the Interior,
opened and paid 10 G.. w. and w. g. Ewing a
claim against the Treasury of the United States Of
S77 900, after the same had been adjudicatcd and
rejected by the proper officer Of the Government
before said Ewing was indicted into the said Office
OF the Interior; who we're the agents and attorneys
for said claim; what clerk in the office of said De-
partment of the Interior had interest in said claim;
and how said interest, il any, was acquired.
2. Whether said Ewing re-opened and paid in
terest 10 the amount OF $3l, 900 ON the pension
granted to Commodore James Barron for services
rendered. In, he Vir0inio during the revolr.