The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-05-21


Ae3optsd fot the government OF the caucus. and
Z believed that If the resolutions were submitted
as Independent propositions, when they could
b. 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 60 out at the same
time. ! think, however, gentlemen who were
there, will sustain me in saying that they were
invited to remain and vote upon the resolutions
as substantive propositions, but they refused to
do So
Mr. OUTLAW. | ask the gentleman to
allow me to say 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 unnecessary
collision, insist upon my right to the floor. |
am anxious that the facts should be made to APP
pear az they really occurred. feel quite con-
hden. that when | state the facts in relation To
the matter, no one present on that occasion will
attempt to controvert them.
have not the slightest suspicion that any
gentleman has intended to make untrue state
mems in relation to this matter; but, you know,
Mr. Chairman, that there is great deal in The
manner of stating a truth, as to the impression
TO be produced by the statement.
Now, heie 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
tional convention would be beyond the egti.
mate powers and duties of that Congressional
caucus; AID that it would be usurpation of
power which had not been delegated tn them
by the people. But it is also true, that when
pressed my resolution upon him with some de.
gree of yehegnpce, he, responding, | dare say,
somewhat prompted by the kind feelings he en-.
tertaned towards me personally --alihouah 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 were in favor of such
result
said that saw gentlemen uron the other
side were beginning to be sleepy, and that by
the time we had resolved ourselves into kind
OF debating society upon the resolutions offered
by my friend from Kentucky Mr.. MARSHALL
and myself, gentlemen would begin to have an
appetite for their beds. laughter dare say
We might have passed the resolution. But il
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 beggarl,
account Of empty borss," and another fraud would
have been played upon the country like that
played at the beginning of this session of Con-
gross, 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 by my friend fro n
Georgia, Mr.. IlnLYER] Oh, that caucus re
solution. beg gentlemen to excuse me from
speaking up,n that subject Great laughter I
Gentlemen say, that ii those of us who retired
from the caucus, upon tn" proceedings of which
my colleague has animadyerted, the resolution
offered in that caucus by my friend from Ken.
lucky, Mr.. MARSHALL, or that offered by my,
self would have passed. affirm, in reply, that
if passed ut all, it would have passed by South
ern votes-Norihern members being absent, or
present 10Th mental reservation, as seems to
have been the case in the Congressional caucus
at the beginning of this session of Congress,
Now, there is the whole of it. These resou.
tons were ruled 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 ]
1t is also true that the chairman did say, that
business Of the evenirg, if We choose we could
resolve ourselves into debating society, and
discuss the subject. Laughter But it is still
further true, as said, that rs 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 a 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
apolitical organization extending over the whole
country, North and South.
Mr. DOCKERY. Will the gentleman allow
me TO make one more remark!
Mr. MEACHAM. | rise to a question OF
order,
(Crles of" No ~" No ~" Go on !"]
Mr.. MEACIAM. desire to know whether
the gentleman from Tennessee Mr.. GENTRY
has right to let out the floor to. whom he
pleases?
Mr.. GENTRY. 1t all comes within my hour
and imagine am entitled to that
Mr.. DOCkERf. Since the Wing 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. CLINGMANl has no right
under the rules, to take the floor, yield it to an
other gentleman to make a Speech and still re
tain it for himself. When, however the gentle
MN asked for the floor for that purpose, the
Chair announced that it 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 the point Of order rails ed
by the gentleman from Vermont, Mr.. MEAcH
AM.
Mr.. GENTRY. If am trespassing upon
the indulgence Of the gentleman from North
Carolina, will yield now.
Mr.. CLlNGMAN. Not at all. only wish
to retain the floor.
Mr.. COOKERY If the gentleman will al.
low me, in connection with this subject wish
it to be distinctly understood by the House and
the country, that my friend from Florida, Mr.
CABELIn upon 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 well