The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-02-22
[coMnuSIcATED.l
To The Editors Of the Republic.

IcoMnuNIcATED.l i
70hs Editors Of the Republic.
GEsTLEmEs: am constant reader Of your pa
per, pleased with its course and sensible Of its ab
ity and its accuracy. Though credit for ability
may be given to its article of yesterday, headed
''rHE BEcIssIso OF THE EsD,' yet | fear that
praise for entire accuracy cannot be bestowed
upon 1t. fE
In proof OF this assertion, will first preface a
brief argument, by some extracts from that article
which throughout appears TO proceed upon the
sumption, does also editorial in the Union Of
day before yesterday, that the course Of certain
gentlemen from the southern States is to be APP
proved, upon the ground that they were gagged
by of the previous question: and that the re-
solution ought TO have been offered unconnccted
with that question, and thus have been left open for
debate.
The following arc the extracts:
ssMuch as we abhor . mere factious resistance to
the will of majority, it must be conceded that
the minority had as good an excuse for the char
acter OF the opposition they presented 70 the reso-
luton, was ever furnished by the journals Of
Congress. 1t was in the last degree unfortunate
that an attempt should have been made to gag
through the House resolution of this Importance
byhep Of the previous question, tsifhout debate Of any
Kind, eithevto or against IT,"
Again:
..Now, we respectfully submit the propriety of
gagging resolution through the House icithom
debGte which would essentially commit il TO
proposition which would require or admit Of two
months debate when brought forward in the form
Of bill? Why not haze DE debate at once? espe-
cially when to precipiate decisive vote, by in
uoking the rigor of coerciue parliamentary rule,
was only adding fuel to a raging fire."
Again:
'.Indced, we do not know how the debate upon
the admission Of California State could be
brought ON in form 80 acceptable to its friends
as upon preliminary resolution of instruction
addressed TO a committee of the House,
More extracts might be given, but these suf
6cient; they all proceed and founded upon the
idea that debate might have taken place upon the
resolution if Mr.. DoTY had not moved the previous
question; il the House had refused to second that
question.
This is entire mistake; on resolution Mon
day" debate ,chatspe take place, ,clefher the
precious question be n,0ped n0tthis is in virtue of
the 26h rule of the House of Representatives which
is follows:
2G. All the States and Territories shall be called
for resolutions on each alternate Monday dur
ing each session of Congress; and il necessary
to secure this object on said days. all resolutions
which shall give rice to debate shall lie for
discussion, under the rules Of the House already
established; and the whole of said days shall be APP
propriatcd to resolutions until all the States and
Territories are called through. 6, 1885,"
II, then. the previous question had not been
moved, the vote would at once have been taken
ithout debate, upon the passage of tho resolution,
unless some member had "objccted," or had given
notice of his 'desire to debate the resolution in
which case it would have gone upon the calendar
at the foot Of the resolutions heretofore offered dur
ing this session, and would have been taken up for
consideration when resolutions were reached upon
the calendar, and after the consideration Of those
which have preceded it; event which any
Der Of Congress, at all experienced, knows would
- 4 r
Hence has arisen the practice of moving the pre-
vious question with resolution, because that
ton prevents objection" ''iactious'' other
wise, from sending resolution over" or, in other
words, from killing off entirely It is, moreover,
the practice invariably pursued practice which
has grown out of necessity, since spleen, desire to
embarrass, personal dislike, might otherwise
prevent the adoption Of the most innocent mea-
sures.
So far, then, xcuse may be asked for those
who by parliamentary tactics wore away the
twelve hours of Mondays session, it must be
sought elsewhere than in the pretence that debate
was cut off by the gag Of the previous question
In truth, and in the opinion of the writer, the
reasons of that action lie much deeper, and are
founded upon the desire permanently TO exclude
California, or at least until line shall be estab-
lished from the Rio Grande to the Pacific ocean;
allel further NORTH with recognition" or "guar
antce" of slavery south thereof and the acknow-
ledgment of the right Of Texas to all the territory
east of the Rio Grande, and west Of what was for
merly the line between the United States and
Mexico.
IL the vote had been taken upon the passage Of
Mr.. Doty's resolution, and any attempt had been
made to prevent debate when the bill had been re-
ported back to the House, il any attempt had been
made TO pass that biH sshen reported back the same
steps could have been taken that were resorted to
on Monday and, in the opinion of the writer, they
will be taken, irrespective Of any gag debate.
whether limited or extended.
The editor of the Republic says: 1--WE need not
inform our readers that we in favor of the adj
mission Of California State. with the consttu-
ton and boundaries the people have set up for
themselves"
II was with view TO hinder that which the editor
favors that the steps of Monday were taken; steps
which, if necessary at all, had BEEN in the opinion
of the writer better reserved for the occasion Of
the attempted passage Of bill admitting California
State; since they were taken, not "because de-
bate was cut of by the previous questions state
ment erroneous in itsef-but because there is set
tied and determined purpose to exclude California,
at least until all the questions which by possibility
may spring out of the territorial question: the ques-
ton of the District Of Columbia, and the question
of the rendition Of fugtives from labor, shall be
"settlcd" upon some basis which the writer appre-
bends is not yet matured, much less presented
Among other reasons which have been given by
representatives for their ON Monday, was
the alleged improper interference Of General Tsy-
lor with the formation OF the government of Cali
fornia. and the exclusion Of slavery from that terri
tory, by reason Of that interference. This reason
has not been quoted by the Republic; II has, how
ever, much foundation that Of the "gng Of the
previous question:" How far southern Wings,
unimbucd with any "factous" desire to embarrass
General Taylor's Administration, ought to act in
a common course with those who avow such
son, is measure for serious consideration.
FipELrs
The ALABAMA LEorsLAruRE.---Thc Legislature
Of Alabama adjourned ON wednesday, the 18th Of
February. Sixty thousand dollars have been APP
propriated to rebuild the State-bouse at Montgom
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