Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-05-13

II he supposes that want the yeas and nnys to 80 up
: on the Journal. What is done in committee Of TIN
whole never goes upon the journal aud the res"lu'"
does net provide that the yeas and NAYS sl! 90 upon W
. journal at all
Mr.. SCOTT, of Fauquier. That of course relieves
the question from all embarrassment The purpose
the resolution is merely to obtain in this familiar way
a accurate count according the vot shall b" given
trust it will be the pleasure Of the Conyc'l"n Il
make the order
r Dir. SllEFFEY desire to hear the resolution read
The resolution was again read by the Secretary
Mr. SHEFFEY. | understand that this Is a rcsolt
lulion proposing to depart from universal usage Oh .s
SUBJECT, with the solitary exception OF precedent i"s
nlshed by the convention of 80 II proposes 10
depart III this from the universal usage that "1s
obtained in deliberativc bodies This CoGrc:;nH has
Tor the purpose of freedom Of action. of dcliera'
and Of consideration of the great questions '!a afr SUD
mtcd TO it-resolrcd itself into committee o! use
whole in order TO that free action OF the part
OIL the members Of the Convention that will enable ''
to mould, modify, and form proposition on INC sup
Ject Of the basis oil representation, thai shall p'' -
press the general will of the Convention. Inc yea
aud nays TO be called every proposition hat can
be started in the committee of the whole, aud Tor wal
purpose What is the argument that is urged III ordci
10 sustain tins novel proposition: The FIRST ai&'c.s
urged by the gentleman from FauGlcr, (llr SsoTr,)
Is mat II VIII secure accuracy. Accuracy! Ca more
accuracy DC secured by calling their n"ncs from l'c
clerk table than by requiring members 10 pass
telicrs who will be gentlemen selected from the 'Ilo-
site paroles to this controversy: Upon every question
That wi be submitted, members upon opposite si'es Of
t!s Question may and will be appointed by i!c Calr
,or TIE purpose Of counting The members the! ia's
bctwee, them. Accuracy Why, sir, when t''s fate
OF inc mon was depending in committee Of The "hoe
III Tic Congress OF the United States, and when TIE a.,
curacy Of that vote might have decided The yer, dr,tL-
mes oil the nation had any member Of that body Tie
oolulc: to rise there and say that the acrrac OF hc
count l.. the committee Of the whole in :hc House ..
W. urpttb hiatt
be take 4: on can take the vote in committee OF the
who'll :s accurately by ellers by the report q" your
! clerk
But my friend from Fauqrcr breaches another most
remarkable argument in favor 81 this propositions aha IL
IS this that ii will save time. There will he TOO much
delay Ill appointing tcl'crs count the House there
lore YOU must call the yeas aud nays in order to 81:
the time OF the committee of the whole Will ai'E one
experienced III the proceedings Of Legislative houics
Undertake to tell me, or YOU, that the House cannot DC
counted hy tcllcrs rapidly than hy call OF me
yeas and nays: But il seems that accuracy Is he
only object Ill view" and that these yeas aud nays are
not TO go upon the Journal. Where arc they 10 go;
They to go into rCur supplement part ol the pro
cecd!ngs aud deliberations OF this body Every thl;s
that Is done here will 20 into that Supplement-
Mr.. SCOTT. of Fauuier, tin his sclt) That Is part
/ OF your objection.
Mr.. SHEFFEY. The gentleman says that is part Of
ny objection Then why did the gentleman say I''>t
now 10 ob,iatc such objection, that the votes you'd
not be recorded in the journal Did he not say that III
order 10 recommend the proposition to the coto'fa-
ton ct this House, that the VOTES would moi be recorded
in the Journal And now when tell him that aiisGii III
the votes will not bc recorded in the journal yr i"cy
will DC recorded in form just permanent. n II en-
tered upon the Journal the gentlemen tells me the ven.
c urged excuse lor the proposition i ~;
objection do Oh cc To ii because II defeats me 'cf
purpose for which 80 into com!ics Of The whole
do object il bcci>c i, brin, down the iron ''llJ,
screw upon the freedom of action OF the members oi
this body III committee oi the whole. do icci I"
il because il enables members TO apply Iii, E'r''"cr.
and 10 brin. into party lines every G:cn!ira%a win
chooses 10 exercise freedom Of choice III IeaEd 10
the quant"m aud proportions that are 10 be ierniEsici
in hi, mixed basis. Why should !!n 70 un III ct'l-
it'ec Of iii" whole and perfect Ia" sri'clc II me pei
way can, according to the ordinary lt,a:" q 'c:S'
! atiyc bodies Wien YOU get INTO Convention !tu' c"i
there apply your previous Questions, ald yea, and ~.
10 YOUR heart Bat let IL II lr::>. have Tree
dem cI action in order to prepare s"',en" fnr iic
consideration of The Convention hope Tho resolution
| will not he adopted.
Mr.. HOPkINS. regret exceeding, that tbs debate
has arisen, for J can sec II" Hece>sty for IT, can
oh ccou 10 the resolution thai has been offered
here. The solitary objection that i, matte 20 II Is that
it ncricrcS with the freedom OF the action Of the com
miltcc. Taking the yeas ami nays ericrcs with the
/ freedom Of the action of Til, committee j. there
member Of this body that is afraid to have his name
| recorded upon anv proposition introduced here: II
there be any such member, let him vote against this
resolution II there be any ncn;bc. ;:rir VII" i not
afraid 10 express his opinion by III" yeas ard HAYS lei
him vote for the resolution.
will not dc.ain this Convention by entering into ~,
elaborate argument in favor of this propos!'i"n ~"
state, however, fer the information OF the Convent ION
tina: iii the former convention. where parties were ABOUT
equally divided they here upon ali The r"r
ant questions there discussed, for tn. want OF rcso'
ton Of this kind there actually mistake committee
and that mistake permitted 20 out in the proceedings
the conventions and the public would have known noiii-
ahuut il, but for the note of reporter there. Nirt
tic vote taken il WAS reported 10 be ayes A., noes
Il, when the actual vote was ayes ~ noes ~ NO"
gentlemen DESTROYS of leaving this matter open tc
mistake; Are they not rather DESTROYS that 10 :icl
mistake should be committed j. there any OF" that
would desire that single should not be recorded
in order that thereby more accuracy should br obtained
II seems to me that there is not. What evil rcsi
from il: We are told that the vote can be taken z.
we'll by the member passing between the c!cr and ihc
chair. Do We not all know that that will BIZ attended
with great Inconvenience. and long delay J.! a hail k,
this i: This hall will probably he crowded. iow are
tic members pass along when The body Of Inc hal
will probably be crowded by TIC members, while the
lobby is filled with the spectators Great delay
Inconvenience will result and mistakes will BIZ mus:I
more apt 10 occur by tcier than by the yeas amd nays
will iUrlcar entering into argument upon this s'lD
jcct. will content myself with merely saying that
have no other object ill view i'll the world i'll ocru.
this resolution than 10 obtain the very object referred Il
by Tic gentleman from Falller (lIr. ScoTr,) thai is
exact and entire accuracy III the voc that may he givcl
OH this question.
I Mr.. WISE. will say to the gentleman from powha
TAM Mr.. liorxtNs.) who inquiries whether gentlemen
are afraid to record their the committee ul tn,
whole, most distinctly that for ore, afraid; anc
will tell hin the reason why | afraid To rccort
my nallc Or rather not to record my in the com
lntcc OF the whole. When Il vote is given her.
by yeas and nays. it ought TO be upon the Journal AM
there is Journal Of the com;nicc Of the whole Ant
some years, five years. may m i'll orc year
when return home il will br said That have voted OF
a call Of the yeas and mays, thus and r, There ma,
he msprin i'll that supplement which i, very ac
curate in lis print. 1t has voucher like the clerk, 70
your journal. may appear having voted OH Il cal
of the yeas and nays III committee exactly the reverse
of what did vote. Bat admit t!. il will he reported
correctly in the supplement. and moi upon the Journal
Admit that during the brief spacc of my life may bt
able to correct any error ~ Eisrcp"c cntation of ny
vote When | am dead and gone, there will be no re
cord Of it. And am bound, however worthless il ina,
be in the view of Others o of scllrcspcct 10 take
of my reputation in tic public proceedings here
and will give vote here in committee of the whole
on a call of the yeas and nays with my consent, that i
not to 80 upon the Journal Il i, moi 10 20 upon lii,
journal according TO this resolution. Such is ny obec
! ton TO it, and therefore 20 against il.
Suppose that my vote were 10 nc put upon the jolrna
in permanent and fixed io,'n. an free to confes:
that might be compcllcd-I have often fonud mysc
in that situation during tic period of my parliamentary