Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-04-20


be that here is
Mr. KING. the Senator intends to discuss the question
of Order he must appeal from the decision of the Chair In
the absence any such appeal the decision Is binding upon
the Senate and every Senator is bound to acouiesce in IT,
The Senator from Missouri, therefore, if he is dissatisfied
with the decson must take appeal before discuss
the point of order.
Mr.. BENTON. What say is for the Senate. and not
The VICE PRESIDENT. Does the Senator appeal,
MI. BENTON. am speaking merely to the Senate, and
not by way of appeal am speaking the proposition sub
mitted by the Senator from Kentucky and give my
reasons-vey poor ones to be surewhy it should be
adopted take that to be in ORDER
The VICE PRESIDENT. Yes, sir
Mr.. BENTON. Well, have learned something IT.
cannot teach, can be teached Yes, here is PROPOSE
tom which called amendment that the Senate does
deem necessary 10 express in advance any opinion, give
any instructions either general specific for the guidance
Of said committee. Now, here is declaraon very proper
perhaps to be adopt in caucus, but belonging the
Senate at ALL by which the Senator asks that the Senate shall
itself off from its parliamentary rights Of offering amend
menis to bills and resolutions while going through the body
All this might do in caucus but it will do in the Senate
The Senate does not deem it necessary (why deem it
necessary to give any instructions at all any subject
The committee 1t is committee, is frequently proclaim
edthough its appointment is not yet entered the jour
nacomposed Of distinguished and leading men, and it may
be that they have all the wisdom of the Senate in their hands,
and that when they nothing will be left behind and the
rest of the Senate put together give them information
Ali this may be SO, but it is the first time that the Ameri
II is not to do it in advance. Why not do it in advance
Has the Senate been the practice of giving instructions
committees from the foundation Of the Government the
present day Is it not done in regard to all committees
whenever Senators choose And was proposed before
tie up the hands Of the Senate by previous declaration
that they will not give opinions in ADVANCED They may give
them afterwards and may to what may be done, but
beforehand the body of the Senate do nothing II
give any Instructions either general specific for the
guidance of the said committee Sir the objection is well
taken by the Senator from New Jersey that this goes beyond
the amendment which have offered and which is before the
Senate II goes beyond what is before the Senate and de-
claes that matter what amendments any Senator
may have in his BOSOM matter what may be offered the
Senate will consider them This sir, is declaa-
ton be made in the American Senate, and Of those
which, if 1t passes will pass after going through such para
mentary forms will mark it epoch in parliament
tary history Sir, method ofappyng the previous
question: question never applied in this body 1t is new
method of applying the gaga thing done in this hody
It is way Of stuifyng the whole body Of Sena.
tors except those who out the committee Sir all this
new; and is it not asimpoent as it is new Suppose it
adopted Suppose the Senate resolves itself into what seems
to be nothing than and adopt this resou
ton. What next The momeat they have adopted it has
not every member here parliamentary right to offer amend
ments the spot regardless Of what the Senate has decided
upon The attempt is impoent We have right to offer
instructions after instructions, and when offered the only
way for the Senate to do, if will adopt them is
to refuse them that s to vote them down when present.
ed. That is the only way-the only sensible method.
If the Senate adopts this resolution, that it will not give
We have the right, every of us, while remain
Senators, offer propositions for instruction. And
presume there will be enough offer those instructions and
test their parliamentary right to do and Senators will be
brought the point each instruction for ITSELF while there
enough to call the yeas and nays vote each for itself
All this be apparent And now, sir, why pesevere in
endeavorng get declaration from the Senate which is
cut off parliamentary proceeding, when you cannot do it
will end in impoency of gentlemen may rest assured
the first time that such thing attempted in the
American Senate II is cutting off from deliberation.
cutting off from right of instruction, and it is FORE
staing debate 1t assumption the like Of which
before was known in this body.
Now, sir this great communicative have had their
in the newspapers though they have no, yet been elected by
the Senate Grant that they have all the wisdom Of the Sc
nate, and will carry out with them the Senate not to
declare upon this proceeding that could give them no in
struction They not to adopt resolution which admits
that the Senate cannot enlghten them at all is not for
the Senate say that they would sit here in Egyptian dark
ness until the committee in and Eliminates the cham
her, And no if il should be the fact that every thing
ready that the report is ready and that the committee have
nothing to do in the world after goes out but to come back
agan-like the French king who marched up the hill and
down aganf such should be the case, would it better
become the American Senate that should be Produced and
let have the illumination from at Would it not
be better produce the report and act this bill for
the admission OF California as II came along
Sir, the going out of that committee from this chamber
might excite alarm throughout the country. What do we
suppose if we physician fastening to house Why,
that somebody is sick there but yet alarmed
difficult And if we four, five, six, doc
tors collecting at the house, conclude Immediately that
somebody is dying at that house. Now, if this great
number of political doctors sit the body Of the
public, what will the country suppose but that the poor
public at the last gasp, and that takes thirteen doctors
set upon the and the patient Sir it is to alarm
the country tell you from this proceeding there must be
Alarm there must be laugh. One the other there
must be. From the sublime to the ridiculous is only
step and what in this have convulsed the country
in the beginning, has got where step would
with rdicule. Sir, suppose this committee goes out and
back with report and suppose is nothing
lees than this Senate into the old blacksmith shop
at Grena Green and making them join parties together
whether God sanctioned it suppose the COM
pose joining California four FIVE which the
Senate and the House have been talking Of for four five
months past suppose they bring back nothing but what
already prepared and which upon all tables, in what
position will this great committee be We have read Of
the mountain that in labor aud that delivered Of
But it at least live mouse, for the fable says
But here seems that gentlemen bring
thing that has been lying tables long that dead
combination of which have been SO long born
that they lying helpless in their cradles Sir there
medium The country if not alarmed, must laugh. But
against making what equivalent to proclamation de-
caring the country in danger The sending oH OF such
committee as this precisely equvaento the Senaes max
ing proclamation in solemn form that the republic in
DANGER and then almost giving the dicaoa Of seeing
the republic sustained to committee am against making
this proclamation do believe the republic in dam
ger to-day. believe there has been danger. But
that danger haspassed by and be providing remedy
would be the providing of remedy for what is past do
not hold that the country in danger now and do not
think that ought undertake alarm the country by the
solemn form Of setting thirteen physicians consult the
critical and dying condition of the State and to come in with