Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-04-23

be made shall vote for that amendment but Il that
does not prevail, shall be willing 10 bow TO the viii Of
the majority add submit to an immediate reference
think, Mr.. President, that during your long exnar
enye In .nis oody you have never known such an app
cation as the present to be denied / do not think
there has been any since you have occupied that
chair, or have been member this floor where mem
Der presenting the broad seal Of his State was not per
United to occupy the seat and If there was contest il
was to be settled afterwards 1t has always been Gus
tomar TO endeayor to keep the of the State
full hope this application viii be agreed to for the
sake Of consistency and for the purpose Of having unor
NIFTY. Our institutions depend very much upon uni
iormity in the construction of the Constitution and at
least like to uniformity Of action in the body to which
peonghe Senate Of the United States There will be
mo narin done TO any human being by this course.
IL y SAID that there doubts to whether Mr. Dixon
Is entted 70 the seat II there be doubts the Senator
from tennessee has said to whom should you give the
ocneht OF them OF course to the party claiming the
seat under the broad seal Of one Of the sovereign States
OF this Unon equally interested with us in the
Constitution Hence it is that say he should be per
mted to take his seat and them when the report comes
In IN the language OF the Senator from South Carolina,
we can consider maturey By the course that have
proposed we shall stick to precedent and cannot be
charged with evasion, with changing our course for
any consideration
from the gentlemen who have addressed the Senate upon
this subject it appears undeniabe that there are
some difficulties connected with the inquiry suggested by
the resolution Of the Senator from California. not
proper which the Senate should adopt regard to
the subject under their consideration have not been
abe so far to see the necessity for any reference of this
question to committee The facts of the case are all be-
fore the Senate evidence is to be heard by commit
tee inquiry is to be made by which the state of the
question before the Senate be varied affected
STILL sir, it may, for augh am able at present to per-
ceve, be necessary or if not necessary proper that
there should be previous investigation by committee
is highly important AZ oil events that this question
should be fully considered and be fairly and mpartaly
dad aIok4l
the question under consideration before the Senate
think ample opportunity should be afforded to every
member OF the body to make up definite opinion upon
it, and would therefore that the Senate adjourn
The motion agreed to, and the Senate adjourned
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1852. 81
The PRESIDENT of the Senate said The Chair feel
Under the necessity of stating to the Senate that ina
much the question is decided who is entitled1
this seat, and inasmuch the list which contains u
Of all the Senators of the last session shows amo
them that of David Meriwether he cannot without
order Of the Senate direct that name to be expung
He Wishes therefore, that the Senate will take into q
sderahon as the yeas and nays have been ordered,
Their the name of Mr.. Meriwether shall temporarily
dispensed with, or whether his shall be called
chair repeats again that he does not feel liberty
the question is decided who is entitled to haves
name stricken from the list.
Mr.. DAWSON. / would ask that the credentials
der which Mr. Meriweher took his seat be read in al
that we may see whether not, according to the D.
mony on our table, his name is entitled to be upore
roll.
Mr.. BRODHEAD do not see any good end ie
answered by the reading of the credentials called fly
the Senator from Georgia. 1t raises the very quen
which we had up yesterday. The credentials were
fore the Senate and were then considered. five at
go on to-day with the question which then under
sderaon and proceed with the debate, let do it int
regular way upon the resolution of the Senator from
forna, MIR. GwIN) and the amendment which has 81
offered to it. 1t seems to that that is the best Wit
get at the question. ID
Mr. HUNTER Mr. president T do MT apvtv
to relieve ourselves of this lty-becauseit mant
ly raises the whole questonunless by general coht
we agree that Mr. Meriwethers name shall not be I'D
until the whole matters settled by the Senate, etbeN
a reference to committee or in other way. II
pose that by general consent agree to that course
thus reserve the question.
Mr.. CLEMENS. 1t seems to that this matter
termines the whole question. 1t is certainly the
matter which will determine my vote. If Mr.. Mer
ther is here claiming the seat If any body is claim
it for him, he has the priaa tace right, and Mr. D
be decided If Mr. Meriwether is not q member off
Senate, and Mr.. Dixon claiming the seat presentst
only credentials which are here, have right to
fuse to him in The decision Of this point sel
the whole matter way the other. At all evene
determines my vote, SO far as the amendment pna
ing is concerned. II
The PRESIDENT. The Senator will permit the chir
to state to him that the question is simply whether n
calling the roll, the Of Mr.. Meriwether shallbe
omitted?
Mr.. CLEMENS. If he is member Of the Senate lis
name must be called. If he is not ii cannot be- If lis
member Of the Senate insist that his name shaIbe
called II he is not member Of the Senate no oneas
q right to call his name.
Mr.. BRODHEAD. He is interested in the question
Mr.. CLEMENS. But still his name must be Gale IL
he is Senator.
Mr.. DAWSON. called for the reading Of the Green
tails in consequence OF the suggestion Of the Chair bw
the roll OF Senators made out? BY the Secretarynd
the Presiding Officer of How do you ascerain
an individual to be member? His credentials establish
that fact IL he is Senator for full term he hodss
seat for six years from the 4h of March Of parctar
year. When that period expires of his nam, is
stricken from the list Mr. Merwethers credentals wre
until the first Monday Of September last That perbd
has passed What authority, then, has the Presidhg
Officer or the Secretary to keep Mr.. Meriwethers name
on the roll The Senate cannot order mans nameto
be placed upon the roll except according TO the crede
tails before them unless there be contested election and
then the Senate must settle the right between the parties
did not wish TO change the issue The only object had
in view was to give the reasons why thought Mr. Me
wehers name ought not to be called called for she
reading OF his credentials in order that every one might
see that his term Of service expired the first Monday
OF September last and that therefore his name NOT now
entitled to be upon the roll
Mr. CAsS. IL appears to me that either case brings
the same question before this body. IT, in calling the
names OF the members they stood the first of Sep
TENDER last the Secretary should the Of
MI Merlwether, and any body should obecto his
being called that would bring up the question. You
have 70 determine whether Mr. Merwether is
Der Of your body So that in either the effect will
De precisely the same. do not that il makes any
difference which course we pursue Nor do see that
the limitation which the Governor affixed TO the tenure Of
the ofce affects the question. IL the Legislature elects
Senator for six years and the Governor gives him
thcate for only three years. would prodsce the
slightest effect upon the tenure Of Office Of the person
elected When the Governor appointed Mr. Meriwether
Int hut 40 If