The southern press., 1852-05-22

as independent propositions, when they could
be supported upon their own merits, and not as
amendments subject to the rules of order, they
would be much stronger This was at the time
those gentlemen were leaving-I mean some Of
them, for they did not all go out at the same
time. think, however, gentlemen who were
there, will sustain me in sdying that they were
invited to remain and vote upon the resolutions
as substantive propositions, but they refused to
do so.
Mr.. OUTLAW. I.ask the gentleman to
allow me to say a single word.
Mr.. GENTRY. | have but few words to
say and then will yield the floor. desire to
state the facts in this case myself and fearing
that my friends may fall into an unneces slry
collision, insist upon my right to the floor.
am anxious that the facts should be made to ap-
pear as they really occurred. feel quite con-
fident that when state.the facts in relation to
the matter, no one pl esent on that occasion will
attempt to controvert them.
have not the slightest suspicion that any
gentleman has intended to make untrue state
ments in relation to this matter but, you know,
MIR. Chairman, that there is great deal in The
manner of stating a truth, as to the impression
TO be produced by the statement.
Now, heTe is the fact: The Chairman never
did in any way revoke his first decision, which
was, that anything beyond the mere matter Of
fixing the time and place for holding the ma
tonal convention would be beyond the legiti.
mate powers and duties Of that Congressional
caucus; ard that it would be usurpation of
power which had not been delegated to them
by the people. But it is also true, that when I
pressed my resolution upon him with some de-
gree of vehemence, he, responding, dare saw.
somewhat prompted by the kind feelings he en-.
tertained towards me personallv-allhouoh he
would not be Inconsistent with himself, and re
verse his decision, he nevertheless said that it
would be competent for the meeting, if it should
so choose, after IL had disposed of its legitimate
business, to entertain that proposition, and that
his own personal wishes We're in favor of such
result.
said that saw gentlemen uron the other
side were beginning to be sleerv, and that by
the time we had resolved ourselves into kind
OF debating society upon the resolutions offered
by my friend from Kentucky Mr.. MARsHAtLl
and myself gentlemen would begin to have an
appetite for their beds. Laughter dare say
we might have passed the resolution But it
would have been passed by Southern votes with
the help of those few Northern gentlemen who
were willing 10 co operate with us. The Senate
chamber would have presented but bepparly
uIcVuH ~ tWPy ODGSo, anu dilOtlleT ITuuQ WOnlQ
have been played upon the country like that
played at the beginning of this session of Con.
gress, and which has been made conspicuous by
the votes of members who acted in that caucus.
upon the resolutions recently offered To the con
sideration of this House ly my friend fro n
Georgia, Mr.. IllLLYER Oh, that caucus re
solution! | beg gentlemen to excuse me from
speaking upon that subject Great laughter.
Gentlemen say, that ii those Of us who retired
from the caucus, upon the proceedings of which
my colleague has animadverted, the resolution
offered in that ctucns by my friend from Ken
tdcky MIR. MARSHALL" or that offered by my.
self, would have passed. | affirm, in reply, that
if passed at all, it would have passed by South.
crn votes-Northcrn members being absent, or
present tUM a mental reservation, as seems to
have been the case in the Congressional caucus
at the beginning OF this session Of Congress-
Now, thera is the whole of il. These resolu.
tons were fuled out Of order by the chairman,
and that ruling was sustained by the meeting,
both upon my resolution and that offered by
the gentleman from Kentucky, Mr.. MARSHALL |
II is also true that the chairman did say, that
after we had got through with the legitimate
business of the erening, if we choose we could
resolve ourselves into debating society, aud
discuss the subject. Laughter But i, is still
further true, rs | said, that "a soon as we had
resolved ourselves into such debating society,
gentlemen would begin to get very sleepy, and
there would have been no one left but ourselves
That would have been the practical effect of the
whole matter. The great object in introducing
that resolution was TO get Northern Wings to
meet Southern Wings upon principle of action
which we deemed TO be important to the peace
and harmony Of the country and the preserva-
ton Of the Union, and an indispensable means
of maintaining the unity Of the Wing party as
aPolitica organisstlo extending over the whole
country, North and South. ...
Mr.. DOCKERY. Will the gentleman allow
me TO make one more remark
Mr.. MEACllAM. | rise to n question Of
order.
GCries of" No ~" No !""Go onml g..
Mr.. MEAClIAM. desire to know whether
the gentleman from Tennessee Mr.. GENTRYl
has right to let out the floor to whom he
pleases
Mr.. GENTRY. II all comes within nv hour,
and imagine am entitled 10 that.
Mr.. DOCKERl. Since the Whig caucus Is
assuming some importance in the county
The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman will al
low the Chair to state, that the gentleman from
North Carolina Mr. CIIsGMASl has no right.
under the rules, to take the floor, yield il TO an.
other gentleman TO make speech, and still re-
tain IL for himself. When, however, the gentle
m IN asked for the floor for that purpose, the
Chair announced that il could only be done by
unanimous consent and there was no objection,
and the gentleman from Tennessee was there
fore recognized by the Chair Upon this ground
the Chair must override tha point Of order raj. ed
by the gentleman from Vermont Mr.. MEAcH
AM.
Mr.. GENTRY. If I am trespassing upon
the indulgence Of the gentleman from North
Carolina, will Weld now.
Mr.. CLlNGMAN. Not at ALL only wish
TO retain the floor.
Mr.. DOCKERY If the gentleman will al.
low me, in connection with this subject, | wish
il to be distinctly understood by the House and
the country, that my friend from Florida, [bir
CABELL, pou the meeting of the first caucus,
moved that the rules Of the Senate be adopted
for the government Of that body; which motion
WAS agreed TO-.
Now, sir, some Of us who are not very we'll
vcrsed in parliamentary law, ard the rules of the
Scnatc--who never have been, and probably
,.stI l.. 4 A - a