The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-08-16

particular merits OF which know nothing and con,em
plating it in that point OF view am utterly opposed TO il
Ii is certainly Innovation upon the proceedings OF this
body Ii is certainly the first time, ii il rs DONE that il
will have been dose will not undertake to say i is
will say IS. that do not reeoisct whether has been
attempted 10 be done before. Our government has now
been working sixty years. There is no example Of 2
protest against the acts OF the body having been placed
upon the record OF the body Our government s framed
upon that Of Great Britain We have copied from u
what deemed good and suitable TO our circumstances,
form Of government, In the British House Of Lords
there exists the right of protest Each one may protest
for himself and there are cases Of single lord entering
his protest upon the journal Our government has now
been in operation sixty years, and the Senate has never
Initiated that example They have not begun with the
q acs IF hs The
stuon Of the United States certainly provided for the
rights Of the minority when gave an absolute constu
0nal right TO minority small as one fifth OF the
whole number present to have their real protest recorded
upon the Journal by registering the yeas and nays That
10 bare minority, but to minority as small as oue-ffih
part q those who are present THIS secured by con-
stitnonal enactment. 8g.t.
But more than that is secured to them and that is the
privilege OF debate. Our constitution gives the frees
privilege Of debate 10 the members Of this body No
one is TO be called in question outside Of this body for
sides the right of fifth who may be opposed to any
measure to enter their nay upon the Journal the abso
ote shi to give all ae reasons which be shqosss sss
the right 70 speak their reasons but they have the
absolute right publish those reasons and that abso-
lutte right to publish their reasons has been further per-
mited and secured to them by provision in this body
providing for regular reporters and not limited number
Of them, giving them not only commodons places IN dii-
ferent paris OF our chamber, but upon the floor ITSELF
between the members and the presiding officer; and the
debates which are thus taken down, and the reasons
which are thus given, we haye BY provision we have
adopted made sure of giving TO the public In most au-
thentic form. We have provided Tor their publication 10
two daily papers, and given the right members to revise
what has been sad order that they may put themselves
hetOra paides that a have made
provision for perpeuang these revised debates IN the
shape Of register, which stands history OF our pro-
ceedings and Tor the preservation OF all that 10 said
Here, then, the provisions which made, partly
BY our constitution, and partly by the action Of this body
for the preservation Of all that is said for and against
measures this foor and in my opinion, is precisely
enough and the TACT that sixty years have elapsed since
nis government was created, and no instance OF this
kind has heretofore occurred, Is proof that with our
fathers who framed constitution no such thing
contemplated, and we have had, at least, to wait
till they dead and gone, before have attempted the
Now sir It's not necessary argue in regard to the
inconvenience which may result from the Introduction OF
this paper IT. sufficient that we told that there
has been example OF it, and that what is necessary 10
show the opinions OF members is provided Tor by the
constitutional right of giving the yeas and nays, and by
the care we have taken to have the debates reported and
published and no member need be under any apprehen
sion that his opinions Of measure will not go correctly
before the public with all these guards to il.
But, sir where the limit 10 this Inconvenience! Is
there anything by which number Of those who protest
may be limited The constitution has limited the num-
Der OF those who may protest in the shape OF nays upon
the call OF oneffth OF the members present Now sir,
il you be- with this business, to what number will you
limit the right OF pfotesation Win you limit u to one.
nun, s ., @ dan - :, You mast do a.
they do in the British House OF Lords. single lord
enters his protest. and single senator may enter his
You have right, then, TO limit until you come down
single member and upon the same principle that one
may do il all may do it, and you may have just as many
protests entered upon the journal as there are members
Nor do see that you may limit to those merely who have
dssented from what may be done but who have dissent
ed from the reasons and arguments which have been
ss no fn
the number that may do it. Every one may DO It for
himself Then. sir. what limit will you put 70 the
length OF the documentl Each member is himself 70
Judge of what he will put in, and OF what length he will
make it. 1t all depends upon his discretion And, OF
course he presents his side OF the question and IN
vantage upon the record those who stand upon the other
side grant him all fairness, grant him all disposition
to do right and to state what Is ght ou. ne gains h an
those on the other side are not given. u fa. . ra
But Mr. President. what il questions are raised upon
h ss dsnSed arc members on the
side should get up and disagree to what is inserted
What scenes then TO take place upon this foor And
can you alter it, sl For If is the privilege OF mem
Der 10 enter his protest. it must be his protest. and not the
MT. President look upon this innovation one Of
the serious kind The consequences to result from
il al this time foresee. look upon It 10 tins
most serious point OF view; and II the yeas and nays
been asked ordered, ASK tnem
on. in oIder that may enter my protest in the shape OF
nay against Innovation upon this so novel propo
siton, and, apprehend II will be found so fruitful o
| Inconvenience. vi 8,hN. lt
MIR. DOWNS. l think, Mr.. President, that there ale
very serious questions connected with this subject and
dske see them disposed OF the hurried and unpre
pared couise oil morning business confess sr, when
the subject first proposed that was very decidedly
OF the opinion suggested by the honorable senator IRON
North Carolina, AIR. BADGER,l that there were very Sc
rious objections TO It; but feel now very great reuc
tance i'm Welding as be does to older and more expe
rienced members of this body This the rst ume Mr.
President that such thing has been proposed in the
Senate OF the United States Is this then, the time and
the occason--are perfectly quiet and safe from
doubts that may depart from the practice OF sixty
years this particular time and upon this particular sub
Iect, and this innovaonl Say, you please,
il is granting but courtesy. Do you not know that
courtesy granted to-day becomes the rule OF the Senate
tomorrow Therefore. sir, in establishing this prece-
dent, you establish new parliamentary law Tor the SEN
ate feel peculiarly situated in reference to this sub
iect | am on such terms and in such relations with
those who propose this protest. that would yield TO
courtesy anything that any senator would yield on the
subject Ii happens that, 80 far as this Dill s con-
cerned every important OCCASION when my health has
permitted TO be here, have voted with those sena-
tors II is also fact that almost all the reasons which
self adopted in the course OF the discussion here Yet
noyithstanding all that, in voting for this measure,
shall do It with greater reluctance and greater doubts
than have done In any other vote have given.
Mr. President, ii has been justly said BY several sena-
tors that the yeas and given on measure are sur
cien protest II puts the positions and the acts OF every
the journal where this protest seeks to CO. And
for the reasons these reasons are saiceny spread
before the public in the columns OF the public prints
ran fhcr ho n