The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-02-11
THE R EPU BLIC.

House Of Representatives on the memorable
Friday, which was wasted by certain
DEMocRATlC members in calls of the House
| and motions to adjourn, for the purpose
OF preventing a vote of the. House or
Mr.. DORIS Railroad bill. These proceed
ings have attracted SO much attention il
the House, and are calculated to create sc
much: feeling in the country. as exemplifyine
the manner in which the public time is wasted
day after day, that we deem it our duty tt
give the official statement which is issued I'm.
der the auspices of the House of Represents
tives itself.
| HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
FRIDAY, February 4, 1853.
The House met at twelve O'Clock, m. Prayer
| by the Rev. James Gallaher.
| MIR. DEAN. Is it in order to move that there be
a call of the House?
The SPEAKER. The Chair will first ascertain
whether quorum be present.
The SPEAKER counted the members present
and found that there was not a quorum; which
fact he announced to the House.
M. DEAN. now move that there be a call Of
the House. an4ci IN
Mr.. CARTIER. I demand the yeas and nays
on that motion, for in that way we can as well
ascertain who are absent. t.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The question was then taken, and the motion
was decided in the negative-yeas 50, nays o.
olthe House refused to order call.
The Journal of yesterday was then read and
approved. aa e 700
Mr.. SEYMOUR, of Connecticut. I move that
the rules be suspended and that the House resolve
itself into COMMITTEES of the Whole House on
the private calendar. E aah
GRANTS TO RAILRoADs.
Mr.. DEAN. rise to question of order. Pre-
vious to the adjournment last evening, the gentle
man from Wisconsin (Mr. DoTY) moved to re-
consider the vote BY which the House refused to
lay. on the table the bill Of the Senate mo 1917
granting the right of way and donation of the
public land to the State of Wisconsin, for the pur-
pose of locating and constructing certain rail
roads In that State, and the amendments thereto
The House Immediately adjourned after the sub.
mission of that motion, go that this question could
not then be raised. My point is that that, like a
motion to adjourn, cannot be reconeidered. The
only motion for the gentleman is, to again move
| to lay on the table. He cannot move the recon
sideration OF vote refusing to lay on the table.
Mr.. DOTY. would suggest whether it would
not be time enough to raise the question of order
after / have called up the motion to reconsider?
=, The SPEAKER. The gentleman from New
slider. l.i 81 2ss1S
Mr.. DEAN. Very well, then move, as be-
lieveit is in order, that that motion to reconsider
| be laid on the table.
Mr.. DoTY.. How has the gentleman obtained
possession of the floor?
The SPEAKER. The rule declares that any
member may caliupth the question of reconsidera
ton The Chair decides that the motion to recon-
slder was properly entered on yesterday evening.
He also desires, in conformity with the decision
and practice of my predecessor, and of my own
at the last session, that it is in order to move to
reconsider; and that, if decided in the affirmative,
that motion will bring the bill before the House for
action 1t is not debaable question, and the gen.
tleman from Wisconsin, who made the motion,
cannot speak on it. The Chair further decides
that the gentleman from New York or any other
gentleman ia entitled to the floor to call the motion
up, and move that it be laid on the table, 4
Mr.. LETCHER. should like to hear how the
motion is entered on the journal. If my recolec-
ton be right, Submitted the motion to adjourn
before the motion to reconsider. would inquire,
then, how the motion to reconsider was brought
up?
rs The SPEAKER. The practice has uniformly
been, under the rules of the House, to allow the
motion to reconsider to be entered on the Journal.
Mr.. DEAN Before I yield the floor
The SPEAKER. The Chair is now deciding a
question of order.
Mr.. DOTY. Irequire, then, that the gentleman
from New York shall take bis seat.
MIR. DEAN demand that my motion to lay on
the table shall be entered. I
The SPEAKER The gentleman from Virginia
(Mr. LETcHER) submits that the motion to recon-
slider could not be made yesterday evening and en-
tered on the Journal, because there was motion
pending that the House adjourn. The Chair de-
cdes that the motion could be entered. re 81 ~
MIR. LETCHER. Not exactly that. I say that
the motiol could not be made for this reason: /
was on the floor, and submitted the motion ssthat
the House do now ADJOURN and the gentleman
from Wisconsin Mr.. DorY) could not take it from
me, and submit his motion, under those circum-
stances. ut tfke A7t., II sts
The SPEAKER. The gentleman could not de.
bate the motion to adjourn, and therefore was not
entitled to occupy the floor after submitting his
motion. s.
Mr.. LETCHER. understand that when mo-
ton to adjourn is submitted the House is bound to
act on 1t, as it is not debatable question.
- Mr.. AVERETT. rise to privileged ques-
ton. The Journal ought to represent the proceed.
lngs Of the House correctly. If the Journal be as
the report in the Globe, the motion of the gentle
man from Wisconsin precedes the motion of my
colleague to adjourn. ] was an eye and ear-wit-
ness and state, as matter of fact, that the mo.
ton to adjoarn preceded the motion to reconsider
If the Journal repres ents it otherwise the journal
represents what is not true.
The SPEAKER. The Chair understood that no
objection whatever was made to the motion to re-
consider, and that single fact was regarded by him
in making up the Journal as indicating the unani-
NOUS consent of the House. That is the only rea-
the Clerk gives for it. Be that as it may, the
Chair decides that the gentleman from Wisconsin
had the right, under the following rule, to have
his intention to move or the motion to reconsider,
ESQ When a motion has been once made, and
carried in the affirmative or negative, 1t shall be
in order for any member of the majority TO move
a reconsideration thereof on the same or succeed
ing day; and such motion shall take precedence
of all other questions except motion to adjourn,
&C., sc. 49,
Mr.. LETCHER. / desire to understand the de-
cision of the Chair.
The SPEAKER. II the gentleman will permit
the Chair to remark in that connexion, be does
not decide that the motion to reconsider may be
considered in preference to the motion to adjourn,
but that motion to adjourn could not deprive a
member from entering on the Journal a motion to
reconsider within the two prescribed days.
I MIR. LETCHER. So far as the mere matter of
fact about general consent is concerned insisted
upon the motion to adjourn for the express pur-
pose Of cutting off the gentleman's motion to re-
consider.
The SPEAKER. The Chair valves the question
of general consent. and does not base his decision
uponit. His decision is plain and direct one,
that no motion to adjourn can cut of the right of
member to make motion to reconsider vote
within the time prescribed by the rule; and the
time allowed for that 10 two days.
I Mr.. SMART. That is a common sense rule.
Mr.. LETCHER. Then the motion to adjourn
could not preclude the motion to reconsider.
The SPEAKER. The motion to reconsider could
be entered not to be considered at the time, be-
cause the motion to adjourn took precedence of it,
The following is the note to the Seth rule, which
the Clerk will read:
:sIhe practice, Of late years, has been changed.
| n a {<.A - Al =. ~ 49,