The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-04-03


large portion of them and disagreed TO another portion
They transmitted the bill back 10 u.s. with a message sla-
ling what they had done. Then when we had the pa
pefs insisted upon amendments which had been
disagreed 10 by the House
Mr. SMITH The honorable senator will permit me
10 stale that The papers not here They IN the
Mr. BELL shall come 10 that presently; honorable
senator's are anticipating me Then we sent The papers
TO The House and asked for conference Iha. was the
INST step Now, II any gentleman correct me IN this
beg that he will do We sent message 10 the House
10 this purPor and they that they agreed 10
that conference. The committee of conference met and
made certain ecommen 10 their respective houses
The Senate agreed to the report and the House disagreed
10 IT, which they had perfect right TO do The Senate
then having agreed 10 The report OF the committee OF con-
Terence, and sent message 10 the House TO lna erect
sending the papers with the message, and the House
having theeupon disagreed TO the report OF me commit
and Tue step the bill was to be taken by
the House Ii could either have adhered TO It's disagree
ment 10 the amendments OF the Senate and lei the oi
fall. Insist upon lis disagreement to the amendments OF
The Senate aud ask a second conference. lbey nave
tax the latter course, and what IS that lhey ask
second conference in good temper far as the message
eonceDed and think Is the duty OF the Senate 10
accede to what is asked
| agree with the honorable senator from Indiana,
Mr. BRIGHT that il would be better Tor us TO reconsider
our vote agreeing the report OF the committee OF con-
ference though that Is not essential or material We
have it in power To rensst our amendments, and
agree the second conference asked for; but without
vote OF reconsideration, were to agree 10 the con-
ference now it might give The House an advantage on
second conferences It might as II the conerees were
limited 10 the consideration of the disagreeng votes
standing after the report OF the first committee OF con
ference If the Senate agree to second conference the
whole subject ought to be open TO second committee,
only in regard to those poiRs which form the differ
between the two houses the report OF the com
mee, but the whole subject, including all The amend
OF the Senate otherwise the House could narrow
us down by bye and have committee upon every
separate amendment
Mr. DAVIS. The whole subject will be open 10 the
second committee.
| Mr.. BELL. OF course say so; and think ought
hnu. haf nnHn
ond committee but think il would be BETTER in order
10 have the proceedings appear in correct form, that we
should Con the vote Gy which we aFbe re- 70 ne
tor from Connecticut Mr. SMITH, the papers have not
been sent up by the House. do nothing but grant
or refuse a second conference Regularly the bill and
amendments ought 10 have been sent TO the Senate with
the message asking second conference
/ Mr. PETIT. This seems 10 be question OF Dig
nifty OF form between the House and the Senate. Ii
it is question of dignity, beg leave say that do
not think shall add to our dignity attempting TO
override traRpe upon the House, do think that,
by yielding their demands, shall degrade lessen
/ ourselves either in their estimation. As
il is question of form, beg leave 10 say the Senate,
have, and always have had an utter contempt and scorn
This whole argument and whole debate have reminded
me of anecdoe which heard OF old General Ethan
Allen the hero of Ticonderoga and other well fought
fields and after having told that, | shall take my seat.
After the revolutionary war; AS have been informed,
General Ethan Allen having been lawyer before, had
a case OF considerable importance in the State OF
Vermont 10 attend TO- Thinking that he observe
all military form, he approached the sanctum of justice
the bench, with his chapeau, bis epaulets, his sword
and all the regaa of soldier He commenced his agu-
men. {" May il please your honor" The judge ordered
him stop, and said 10 him. General Allen, il is not
custom to suffer ourselves to be addressed by military
men, or men in military attire" " Oh, WE'LL said
he, al very particular about IT," But said the
Judge, " 1t not matter of very great importance in it.
se but it is question OF FORM. 81 will then, said
General Allen, comply with the request" With that
he pulled of his epauets cut OF his military buttons AMI
said be, !" submit, bu, forms were made for fools"
MIR. WALKER. MIR. President, il understand tbi.
subject, il somewhat different from what ii argued
by the senator from Illinois He said that the House had
placed itself in position where II could not get through
the difficulty, and that take the initiative in
der enable them TO get along. Now, what have the
House doBes The senator says that they have6sasreed
10 the report OF the committee OF conference and that
motion being made TO reconsider that vote OF disagree
ment. that motion laid upon the table. Well, sup.
pose they cannot take up the report suppose they cannot
get two-hirds vote 10 consider II, they do this
They have reported that they have done what il
equivalent 10 insisting upon Their disagreement to ou
amendments and they have asked another committee o
conference. Now, think we can do one OF severn
things. We can nss and do nothing more. We can
rensst upon our amendments, and 20 no further We
need appoint committee IN response TO the request
Of the House; bu, einsist the matter will go back
to them, and II will not then be question with them
whether they get two-ihirds vote TO take up the
report hut the question will be insisting receding
from their disagreement TO our amendments. Suppose
they should insist upon their Disagreement they could
ffn that message here, and could insist again, and
thus could keep the bill passing back and forth until
one house shall have adhered, Tor That procedure Us q
technical An adherence has a very different
ing from insisting. We may exchange messages
declaatory OF insisting until The other house
adtercs and we are informed OF thst. When house
sdheres that puts end to the matter Here is what is
said in work on parliamentary law, which proves The
position which have taken:
"When either house, &, the House OF Commons send
bill the other the other may pass IL with Amendments
The regular in this is that the Commons
disagree amendment; the Lords insist ~ the
Commons insist theic Engagement the Lords adhere to
their the Commons adhere Their
ment Tho tym OF insisting may be repealed as often
they choose keep the question open But the nrst adj
heence by either renders for the ether TO
adhere also when the is usually suffered
fall-u0 Grey liS) Lsuerly, however, there in
Of their having gone 70 second adherence There
be absolute conclusion Of the subject somewhere,
oherwise transactions between the houses would be-
come epdies-(3 Hats Dos 27U) The OF insisting,
troduced into parliamentary usage by tue B)fds.-C1
Gray, 81 certainly happy innovation, as II null
tpes The opportunities Of trying notifications which may
bring the houses Either house however
the first Instance 0 Grey, li6 Bat II Is not respectful
10 the other In the ordinary parliamentary course here
conferences at least before adherence-tl0
Grey, 40
agree bill fectde from their disagreement the
amendu ent and the absolutely, with un
amendment For here tie dsas and fecedtng de-
soy another ard the tubect stands before the dis
sgreemeni."-( EtynEe %. Grey, 470)
| Now il anything is TO be done. think il will be best
for US insist upon amendments and lei the House
hear from us and then whether or not they
are disposed insist Tor does not require vote OF two
thirds for them TO Try il again IL Is Tor them 10 insist
and send message and, II they please, repeat their
proposition for second committee OF conference While
/ wis 10 drive the