Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1853-02-26

less, without surrendering 10 the will Of the ma
jority the right of discussion which is the right Of
the people, and which is indispensable to safe and
wise legislation. Those who have undertaken to
force through measure, out of the regular order
Of business, intended to affect unfairly, and, as
many conscIennOusly believe, unconstitutionally,
an important pending election must take the re-
sPonsibili'y for whatever may result from the eff
forts OF the minority to maintain their rights
The unparalleled decisions of the Speaker have
put an end 10 the freedom of debate 10 the House
Of. Representatives, and have put it in the pow er
OF the majority, whenever they please, to put the
House In slate of coercion, and pass any meas
ure whatever, without word of discussion The
decision that a motion to adjourn is not in order
alter the motion has once been voted down, until
the House has by vote upon the question before
1t, made some progress, (or this is the spirit of
the Speakers deci>ioi,) at once destroys the in
dependence OF the House. Under such rule a
majority may concoct a measure, however iniuui-
tous, bring it into the House, and Immediately
move the ''previous question: and then move to
adjourn and vote down their own notion Alter
thai, the House cannot adjourn until the ''pre-
vlous question" and the "main question: be de-
cided, and in the meantime can discuss nothing
but the ''previous question" In this manner,
debate is as efFectnally seAced, and the minority
o( armed tronns demanded &c ,bon, =, H., -
Of their lives 10 REGISTER his ed;c,s "0 pen
This decision canno, he corroct for M m
admit that under ann circ,,,o st3nCos
the mower sbould anv;,bere ey;st 80
tlreIy the discussion upon the enactment of laws
The parliamentary rule unquestiOnaby is, that
the motion TO adjourn cannot be entertained i'm
mediately after the decision upon the same mo-
ton. Some business mpst be done or some nro-
gress made in the business before the Hopse
The business before 1t is the discussion and de-
cision of any questions or motions upon which if
may be called TO act ANY vote it NAV take
whether upon the direct question or otherwise. is
doing business; and any discussion, however
brief and unimporlant, is making some progress-
going over some Of the ground-in the business
before the House, and of course opens the way
for another motion to adjourn. This uniform
practice of all legislative bodies susains this DO
stion, The House must, in the very nature of
things. always retain the power TO adjourn. sub-
iect only 10 the limitation above described. else
IFS freedom ceases, and legislation becomes The
work of pbysicaI force or in some casas of r,oro
chanca ,ybon ,,;nor;,;o h., oa;1 :,
ma vo;ds L f = cno
-. '0iNoD'e aos0hOe VI uiehoels' oecohe MAJOR
lIies'
But 1t may be SAID that II the doctrine here laid
down be correct, the minority have the power TO
prevent egislation forever This is rpono.,iora
Div trne. hut il ,s absolntol, .nd ;nd;lnaaa,t,
necessary IN he fsoodor, of H. ,L.
IN ., " "'c' 'H"t I" shuulu
oe 30 ine isn' oi the majority 10 rule" Is
always suoIect 10 the condition that they rule in
accordance win the constitution and laws and
the rules and regulations established for their
government. Parliamentary rules arc established
for GOVERNING and cont,oll;nr ,ha r,a;ar;,,,
nroiec,;n,, ,6a i'll. ac H. -: yV,1y' az"
- ar r., " io " "en 'he
's'9 " 'iie mummy, TOT luli consideration and
iree oiscassion' are improperly restricted, by the
previous question, they have no other resort than
TO force an adjournment, by dilatory notions
When thew acconnlish tb,s tba,. 80, - ~
field Of discussion becanse h., H. ad,5 So, ,,,e
tho ssnrey;ors oras,;o,s z, '''liei''
-, ra- 49," aus anu 'ne measure at
So oo.iio9 up az Tue neal SESSION. uhcogged,
anu sueJect 10 debate. The right to adjourn,
therefore, IS one Of The most important and indis-
pensabe rights for the preservation Of the right of
discussion; and the decisions of the Sneaker. nv
which that richt Is no,v restricted st,;Los - doiL
bIo,y Mt The feeeJoga of 7oboto
The full secnrits * ~ ~
ercise Their riohts ~ WI MoC eA-
huoiroes - AZ ~ ueiay the ou-
tbe1 eAlst IN tae iacT mat
OPINION ana ~ ~ - oel ~ oj-lo
70 snbieo+ +bor,se I, ~ ~ =: i 4 " ~ o"1e
bnna Sn;t5oa c5a7,, ~? VI 'ilaI TIL
The of | c's1eOe
he rrlpd nuf of ordor opraols Fro,,, a.
was clear a,o,,,t r. ~ ~. s
The House has inberenty t6e we tdooSe
its own rules and # has ~
right in the srgbtest deoroo bt ~ eills
it has bv the ID rnie exn2ese o 'ie
The various other decisions IF the Sno,l,or-
such for instance as tho 5en;a1 ~ +ha ~ &c
member to ask leave Of tbe House W snes ~ .
expressly guaranteed nv the IAN ~IoPshn, -
arbitrary and despotic shirt in which The r Tae
and therigbts Of The members We've trodda
FOOT and the revolntionarv and disorJoT
of the dav were closed Inv he cro1ni6 ~ 81
lence in 4ri,,o tbe onestion m cote y.
bers were on the floor and debating The
in order.
The in+on+;o, &c 49, IL. .4.c,
majority Of the Legislatre are too anpsro vi me ne
be doubted The Who naTtv SayinPpp -
The reform Of tbe Con st;tntion Nv tbn
mode in the sessions of 1850 and 1871 md ~
ing opposed the act for taking the vote Of tbo
people upon the question Of ealing the enc