The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-04-23
From, he .Nsu York Tribune.

Il IuhE.-CATHA pESoiON NALbEb.
sEEAFE-sPEcIAL ORDER.
The Canal bill coming up for third reading
| Mr.. MANN moved to postpone indefinitely.
| Mr.. BEEKMAN moved to A p. m. Lost 4
l6. Messrs Beekman, Mann, and Carroll, votin!
in the affirmative; all the negative, Wings.
Mr.. MANN stated that the minority desired Il
remain here during the remainder of the session
and help to pass the bills before us, but II THU
motion failed, then the maj ority must bear thu
responsibility if those bills failed.
The motion was lost, to Is.
Mr.. MANN then said, "Mr. President, | now
transmit to you, as the presiding officer Of thi'
body, the resignation of myself and eleven othe
senator's" Mr.. NJ sent il up to the clerk.
| Mr. Cook asked who were those that had re-
signed IL 1T was proper he would like to hea
their names.
The Chair stated them. They were all Of the
opposition-Messrs Carroll, Crook, and Bran
dretb, only retaining their seats on the part o.
the Locos.
Mr. Cook called for the calling Of the roll.
| The Clerk called it. No quorum beingspre
sent, Mr.. Cook moved call Of the nate.
| The Sergeant alarms (Mr Geo.Ls Garlick,,
was directed TO summon the absent senators
| All having been found and summoned, the cal
was suspended.
| Dir. BABcocK moved recess till l2 o'clock.
| Mr.. DImMIcK hoped it would be granted W.
were PLACID in peculiar position, one unpre
ced0tedSh our ppitical annals. He trusted
| that the recess of two hours would be allowed
for the responsible majority to decide what nc
ton should be taken in this crisis. Carried.
Recess till Ia o'clock.
| IL o'clock, M
| PRESENT Messrs Babcock, Beach, Beck.
man, Brandreth, Carroll, Colt Cook, Crolius
Crock, Cross, Dimmick, Geddes, Johnson, Mil
Ter, Morgan, Owen, Robinson, Schoonmaker
Upham and Williams.
| The canal bill was taken up.
Mr.. CARROLL moved that tho bill be post.
poned until after the appropriation bills and all
other bills were ordered to third reading and
disposed of. The object Of it was Mr.. c. said)
| to have these bills passed. The course pursued
| by senators who had resigned this morning, met
his full appreciation, but it was deemed best to
attcmps this last overture. They would not in
any case be party to the passage of the act.
| They all deemed it unconstitutional, as did he
but he wished to afford the majority an opportu-
nifty of accomplishing the necessary business il
they saw it If they did net see fit to do so, let
the responsibility rest with them
| Mr.. BABcocK said: We are placed in peculiar
and extraordinary circumstances which never
before occurred. The strange course pursued
here was raver before witnessed in this State or
in the Uaited States. We have before us a
high handed attempt of the minority to control
| the actionsof the majority of this legislative
| body. II is conceded and admitted by some OF
those who have this morning taken the step,
which could not believe they would have
taken, that this is an appeal to the 4higher
law"--to revolution. The senator from the
25th (Mr. SrAEroN) yesterday foreshadowed
| it, and this morning the senator from the 10th
| mr. MASN) did the same; but was not pre-
| pared to credit that 30 hlgitious proceeding
would be enacted. What is its character! 1t
has not the excuse of being the only step which
could be taken to prevent violation of the
constitution, If such violation was contained
in the bill. IL the bill is unconstitutional, there
is another tribunal to Judge of that defect, and
decide that question, aside from this senate.
Hence hst objection must fall, for Of all created
beings capitalists are most pecu iarly careful
and discreet and not dollar would be invested
by them uhtl, if the point was mooted, they
had satisfied themselves perfectly, by the opin.
ions Of all the legal talent in the State. They
would never begin the work until it was de-
cided past doubt that it was constitutional.
But, again, the whole question was open to the
LEGAL tribunals Of the land, and there is no ex-
cuse. No apology exists for any action such
as the extraordinary course TINT has been pur-
sued, for If 1t is unconstitutional-ifiti tits Illegal
il can be remcdied in a legitimate and legal man
ner. Now the question for the responsible ma
inrity TO answer is this-Shall we be deferred
from performing our duty by the threats Of the
minorityl Shall we be deferred from doing
our duty because Others have failed 10 do theirs
This is question for each one to decide for
himself. My course is perfectly clear. five
were TO yield to their threats, we should put
ourselves in no enviable position. This is nm
appeal TO the higher law, and as long as the
courts are open for redress and remedy, an APP
pc / TO the ahigher law" Is no revolution. II
10 blocking the wheels Of legislation; and shall
we, when bill which was fully discussed in
the assembly and passed by large vote, and
which has been before us for three weeks. comes
up in its usual course for our action, entertain
resolution which in effect postpones it indef-
nitelyl If so, the same thing can be done with
any bill that comes up. We are here with a
bare quorum, and the senator from the 18th,
(Mr. CARRoLL,) says,'if we do not abandon our
position and yield to his commands and injunc-
tons, he shall leave the results TO follow as
they may. Shall we yield 10 his threats p
Never
Mr.. CARROLL said that the responsibility must
rest with the majority. The senator from the
3lst (Mr. Babcock) bad himself moved IL for
ward out Of its usual course ahead Of other bills,
and II those bills fail, Il is bis own fault.
Mr.. ScHooyMAKER responded to some remarks
which fell from Mr.. Carroll concerning DIR.
Scboonmaker occupying his seat after he had
been elected a member Of Congress. II seemed
10 trouble the gentleman exceedingly. He did
not know how il happened, unless II arose from
the fact that he OR. CsrrolD was not SO sue
cessful in being elected as he (Mr. 81 was
What were the opinions Of Mr.. G. last fall when
he was canddaiel What did he tell his con.
-tituentsl Why he told EN- that IL made no
difference with bic holding the State senatorship,
for his Office rs member Of Congress would not
commence until after his Office Of senator had
expired. What had changed his mind He wa.
now Of different opinion. He contends that 7
am member Of Congress elect How can the
appropriation bill be passed even IL we allow the
canal bill TO go overt Whereege the three-ffthsl
II AN not senator there are only nineteen.
Their own doctrine proves them 10 be respon.