The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-07-04

In HOUSE, OF RErRnsEsrArryrs. july /


to move to take up the special order-the reports
OF the select committee on the Galphin case
when
The SPEAKER stated that the motion of the
gentleman f.om New York, (Mr. p. KMe,) to
postpone that special order for two weeks from
Monday next, had precedence of the motion of
the gentleman from Georgia, as that was pending
on Saturday when the House adjourned.
Mr.. BURT withdrew his motion to amend
that proposition by introducing ssuntil'' Monday
next, in lieu of "until two weeks from Tuesday
next" the adjournment on Saturday having rem
dered that announcement unnecessary.
Mr.. BAYLEY moved to amend the motion of
the gentleman from New York, (Mr. p. KINe1
by striking out the words "until two weeks
from Tuesday next" and substituting for them
the words, 'sunt tomorrow"
Messrs TOOMBS and BURT consecutively ex.
pressed themselves satisfied with the amendment
of the gentleman from Virginia, [Mr. BAYLEY.l
Mr.. BURT called for the yeas and nays on
that motion to amend; which being ordered, it
was agreed to yeas 1O5, nays rs.
Mr.. EVANS, of Maryland, declined voting on
this roll call, having paired off with Mr.. HoAG-
LAID.
The SPEAKER next announced the question
on the amended resousion-when ..@
Mr. POTTER moved that it be laid on the ia
BILE, .....
But the SPEAKER stated that the effect of
that motion, If it prevailed, would be to lay the
whole subject on the table,
Mr. POTTER remarked that he would with
draw it; his purpose being simply to get it before
the House this morning.
The SPEAKER, in reply, stated that that
could best be accomplished by refusing to agree
to the amended resolution.
The question again being on agreeing to the
amended resolution,
Mr.. TOOMBS demanded the yeas and nays
upon it.
Several members.) "Oh, no! oh, no."
Mr.. r. withdrew the demand for the yeas and
nays
Mr. BURT renewed it; but at the solicitation
Of gentlemen around him, he, too, withdrew it.
Mr.. GENTRY moved to lay the whole subject
on the table.
Mr.. TOOMBS appealed to him to withdraw
that motion; which being done
Mr.. DOTY renewed it, and the yeas and nays
upon it being called and ordered, it was not
agreed to-yeas %, nays 1877
So the House refusing to lay the Galphin re-
ports on the table, the question required on
agreeing to the amended motion.
Mr.. PRESTON KING asked the yeas and
nays, which were not ordered; and then the said
amended motion was not agreed to.
The Galphin case reports being then before the
House,
Mr.. BURT, Uhe chairman of the committee,)
who made the majority report called for the read
ing of the resolutions appended to his report on
the subject. These being reported to the House
from the Clerks desk,
Mr. B. announced that he entertained no design
of going into the merits Of the at this time At
present, he was willing that the should go
to the country, so far as he was concerned, on the
argument embraced in his report. He desired at
this time merely to correct the many misrepresen-
tations of those writing for the press from the
House, who had flooded the country with injuri-
Gus reports concerning the facts in the case. He
trusted that these misrepresentation were unin
tentional but, whether or not, they were GER
tainly injurious. 1t was necessary, under the
circumstances, therefore, that he should state that
the determinations to which the majority of the
committee had come, as expressed in their resolu-
tons, were drawn from, and wholly based on, the
testimony which embraced in the report. In
presenting that testimony, as in drawing conclu-
sions from it in the resolutions, the majority had
acted with great deliberation, and only after due
examination in a spirit of perfect fairness-being
determined to do justice and nothing but justice.
He would not now essay to make an argument
upon the merits Of the He would postpone
that duty to the time when it would be his place
to close the debate. Then he would reply to the
adverse arguments to be adduced in the course of
the discussion. He had only further to add, that
his examinations and replications upon the case,
occurring subsequent to making his report, had
served to strengthen him in the conviction that
his resolutions were in all respect justified by the
circumstances, and proven to be enacted.
Mr.. TOOMBS next obtaining the floor, re-
marked that the question was now different from
the simple character it had when Mr.. Crawford
addressed to the House the request upon which
the proceedings of the body had been founded.
He then detailed the history Of the action Of the
House in the premises. The committee, after
being directed to investigate only to the extent of
Mr.. Crawford connection with the matter, had
applied for power to enquire, virtually, into the
nature of the claim, as well as concerning the
action of former government officers on the sub
ect. 1t should be his task this occasion to
prove not only the justice of the debt, but that
the payment of both principle and interest was
sustained by law as well precedent In so
doing, he would rely wholly upon the facts as
reported to the House by the majority of the
Select Committee, to the truth of which he cheer
fully bore witness.
Taking up the former speech of Mr.. Books
of N. Y, on the case, Mr.. T. insisted that that
gentleman had twisted and perverted his accounts
Of the cases (precedents) upon which he had cast
cast himself in order to sustain his excuses of the
Secretary of War.
In the Of the late Mr.. Monroe, Mr.. L. ar
gued, that the reason inducing that distinguished
IN refrain from, od;,,d;