The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-04-04
CHARGE OF MUTILATIDN OF THE JOURNAL

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fighting against God.
CHARGE OF MUTILATlDN OF THE JOURNAL.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE.
TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 1850.
I The Journal of yesterday having been read
Mr.. Raymond asked the unanimous consent of
I the House 10 offer resolution.
Mr.. tnge called for the regular order Of bust
ness
Mr.. Preston King offered the following resolu
ton, it being privileged motion:
RESOLVED, That all debate in the Committee of
the Whole House on the state of the Union on
the bill to admit the State of California into the
Union, printed by order of the House, and now
under consideration in said Committee, shall cease
at - O'Clock on -, (if the Committee shall
not sooner come to a.conclusion upon the same J
and the Committee shall then proceed to vote on
such amendments as may be pending or offered to
the same and shall then report it to the House,
with such amendments as may have been agreed
to by the Committee.
The Speaker stated that the resolution, in the
form in which it was offered, was not in order as
q privileged question. A resolution to close de-
bate on the message of the President, transmit
ting the Constitution of California, would be in
order, but resolution to stop debate on the bill
not in order, because that bill had originated in
the Committee of the Whole on the state of the
Union, and therefore the House had no cogni-
zance of it. Any matter referred to the Commit
tee by the House. the House had cognizanoe of
but the House had never referred this bill TO the
Committee of the Whole on the state of the
Union, and therefore had no cognizance Of it,
Mr.. Preston King was stating his object in
moving the resolution, which was to get the mes
| 4 T. Al Nf nh
tanning direct vote on it by yeas and nays, with
out connection with other matters; when
The Speaker reminded the gentleman that de-
bate was not in order.
/ After q conversation between Mr.~Kine and
the Speaker,
| MIR. p King stated that if debate was not in
order on the resolution, he would raise question
of privilege He charged that the question Of
| order now made by the Speaker was an after
thought and an artifce to accomplish purpose.
On the 18th instant he had presented a resou-
ton similar to this His object was to bring the
House to direct vote He charged that the
Journal Of Monday, the 18th instant had been
mutilated. He was further stating his object in
offering his resolution of the 18th instant, when
Mr.. Stephens, of Georgia, rose to a question Of
order that the gentleman from New York must
state his question Of privilege, debate being out
] of order.
was, that the Journal had been mutilated and
that he was informed that the mutilation had
been done by the Speaker
The Speaker inquired the gentleman's author
ity.
Mr. King stated that he had been so informed
by the assistant clerk.
The Speaker said that he understood the gen
tleman from New York to charge the Speaker
with mutilating the Journal Of the House by
changing a resolution of the House, after it had
been acted on by the House, and requested the
gentleman to reduce his charge to writing
Mr.. King charged that the Journal OF the
House had been mutilated by striking out a mo
ton that he did make, and inserting one that he
| did not make.
Mr.. Stephens, of Georgia, insisted that the
gentleman should state what motion he made, ana
what motion had been substituted for the one ne
did make.
Mr. Cobb, the Speaker of the House, here
left the chair, and called Mr.. Winthrop to per-
form its duties
Journal had been changed. The resolution
| which he had offered TO the House was to close
debate on the California bill and the Speaker
had inserted in place of the California bill, the
message of the President.
The Speaker stated that the Manual provided
that when the Journal had been changed, a CON-
mittee should be appointed to investigate it.
Mr.. Stephens, of Georgia, said that, before
such committee was formed, the parliamentary
rule required the gentleman to state what motion
had been effaced and what motion had been sub
stituted
Mr.. King asked that the Journal Of that day
might be brought in.
After further debate by Messrs. p King, Nc
Lane of Nd Morse, Stephens of Ga, and
Shenck,
Mr. P. King reduced his charge to writing as
follows
al charge that the Journal Of the House has
been mutilated by erasing motion that va
make, and substituting, by interneation, one
that did not make, in the Journal OF TIE l5th
instant. MY motion was to close debs.e on ,hs
California bill these words are changed, and
message substituted"
Mr.. King said that his MOTOR was to close the
debate on the California bill These words had
been changed, and message substituted. lie
thought it afterthought, and an artifce for tne
purpose Of preventing the action Of the House Oh
the California bill.
The Journal of the 9th instant was here resd
Mr.. Holmes moved that committee OF hve oe
appointed by the gentleman now presiding over
the House Mr.. Winthrop to investigate 'hs
charges made against the honorable Speaker ny
the honorable Preston King, member oil 'hi'
House.
Mr.. Richardson suggested that the committee
should consist of nine.
Mr.. Holmes accepted the modification .,,
After few suggestions by Mr. MeI Desired 70
Mr.. Cobb, of eorgia, the Spes.'''i
make an explanation of this 'naitsr ;,o,. oon.
The Speaker stated that, oy "n hs sllowsd
sent, the Speaker Of the House would De a''0Ns'
to address the House. .a,...s.d tho Uouse
MIR. Cobb then rose anu "N
81
~ ~. Jssirs to be understood as interposins
~ oh;s.s,es 70 the committee moved by the gen
49, AZ csom south Carolina but it is important,
y. = conos;ve that simple statement of what has
occurred should 60 before the public in o9nn ,ss
J finn vith the charge which has been made by .he
ssnt,smsn from New York. On the day ind,ca-
-. the gentleman rose TO privileged question,
updsr the rules Of the House, to offer the usua'
rsaolution to close the Debate on the question
| bending before the Committee Of the Whole On
10. state Of the Union. As you, sir, aud inc
House are aware, II is a resolution very fregaens
" offered and resolutions 10 terminate depa,e
In blank, are always kept for gentlemen VINO ~
sire TO offer one When the gentleman HUI