The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-06-01

inexperienced in parliamentary proceedings,
who participated in the Congressional csucuses
Which am discussing, seem To have understood
Mr.. Mangum's remark, that he would recsire
my resolution as a Substantive proposition, AS
being tantamount to declaration that he would
so decide il TO be in order. Mr. Mangum has
not fallen into any such mistake. He compre-
hends the proceedings of that meeting. lie
understood and now understands, the scope,
objects, and effects of bis decisions. lie has
not said or published, and think will not say
or publish, that he ever revoked his original de-
cision made at the first caucus; which was that
the powers and duties of that caucus were re-
stricted to the single matter of fixing the time
and place for holding the Wing National conven-
ton, and that everything proposing to go fur
Their would be Ieglimate--a naked usurpation
Of authority.
BY reference TO the extract made hom Mr. Ca
BELLS remarks in the debate of the 18th instant,
it will lie seen that during the debate which
took place in caucus upon Mr.. Brooks's appeal
from the decision ofthe Chair ruling my resolu-
ton out Of order, Mr. Cabel distinctly pro-
pounded the question to the Chair, whether he
adhered to his original decision that eueryhing
oM Of order except f.ring The time and place
for a National contention; AND THE CHAIR RE
Piled THAT H ADHERED TO THAT DECISION.
was during the same debate, upon Mr..
Brooks's appeal from the decision of the Chair,
that Mr.. Strother, of Virginia, responding to that
decision of the Chair, and describing its effect,
said, in substance, that it amounted to refer
ence of my resolution TO debating society, to
be formed and organized after the legitimate
business Of the caucus should be disposed of,
to take into consideration matters and things
IL Al lpf ba had
decided to be Legitimate, and "a naked usurpa-
top" and therefore out OF order in q Wing
caucus.
If Mr.. Marshall and myself had submitted
our resolutions to such debating society as
that described by Mr. Strother we would have
been guilty of the absurdity of asking the gen
temen who constituted that caucus to rebuke
their chairman and stultify themselves, because
the chairman had decided that ihose resolutions
were not within the legitimate powers of that
caucus, ard that to assume jurisdiction over the
subjects embraced by those resolutions would
be "a naked usurpation;" and that decision Of
the Chair had been sustained by large majority
of the meetiOg II there is discrepancy be.
tween Mr.. Mangums recollection and my own
as to the facts which occurred upon the occa-
sion referred to above, desire TO remind him
that was the last of those who withdrew from
the caucus, and that the last thing which did
was to make an earnest protest against his as
sumed right to deny TO the Wing members of
Congress, when called upon to fix the time and
place for holding National convention, the
privilege Of stating to what extent, and upon
what conditions, they were to be understood as
pledging themselves to support the nominees OF
the convention; and that, adopting the idea OF
Mr. Strother, of Virginia, VAS trying to draw
strong picture of that voluntary debating society,
charged with the consideration of illegitimdie
business, TO which my resolution had been
referred by the decision of the Chair; and that
while drawing this picture, Mr. Stanly called
me to order, and | thereupon withdraw from
the caucus.
refer Mr.. Mangum's memory, and that of
every other gentleman who participated in those
to these facts, to make it clearly
that it cannot be true that Mr.. Mangum,
al any stage of The proceedings, ruled, as presiding
officer that he would receive, and decide 10 be IN
order, Mr.. Marsha's resolution, or that offered
by myself, either az amendments or snbstan-
tive prep 1sitions 1t is not my object to reproach
or assaii any gentleman whose nexpercnce in
parliamentary proceedings has caused him to
misunderstood and msstate the occurrences OF
the Wing Congressional caucus. But it is my
object to make it impossible for those occurren-
ces to be hereafter missated without subjecting
him who may make such msstatement to the
responsibility of wilful ard deliberate misrepre
sentation. Myself, and those who co operated
with me on that occasion, are willing to abide
all the responsibilities which can attach to the
line of conduct which We deemed it our duty to
pursue. Other gentlemen ought to be equally
willing to abide the responsibility of their action
Al. ,;,t,,
can wish the truth to be misrepresented or mis-
understood, or rest his vindication upon such
Misrepresentation or misunderstanding. In my
opinion, it would be unfortunate for Mr.. Man
gum to permit it to be understood that he had,
at any stage of the proceedings in the Wing
Congressional caucus, changed the position
assumed ty him at the first meeting Of that
caucus--viz: that the duties and powers of the
caucus were restricted exclusively to the single
matter of fixing the time and place for holding
the Wing National convention. If he should
depart from this ground; if he admits, or if it
shall be admitted by his friends, that he changed
the decision which denied to the caucus the right
to do more than fix the time and place for hold
ing the Wing National convention, no plausible
defence can be made for his decision ruling out
of order Mr. Marsha's resolution, or that offer
ed by myself
BY 10 rule of the Senate--by no principle of
parliamentary law-could either of those reso-
lutions have been ruled out of order, unless it
was true, as the chairman Mr.. Mangum] as
snmcd, that the caucus did not legitmatey pos
sess the po,oer TO act upon them. Untenable
and indetensible as is the ground upon which
the chairman placed his decision, it will be seen
by every man who knows anything of the rules
and laws that govern deliberative assemblies that
it is the best ground which he can occupy. But
what right had he to limit, restrict, and define
the powers and duties of that Congressional
caucus? None whatever. He had no more
right to assume such power than the presiding
officer Of the Senate has to limit, restrict, and
define the constitutional rights, privileges, and
powers of that branch of the national legisIa
ture. Has rny presiding officer of the Senate
ever assumed to exercise such power over that
body? will not further discuss this subject.
No sensible man who investigates it will have
the slightest difficulty in arriving at correct con-
illusions. M. p. GENTRY.
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.