The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-02-23

| 10 make the assault after that evidence haG
been publicly exposed in the Senate, and to ad
here to it as though no exposure had taken
place, is a piece of injustice that harmonizes
with the character and tactics of the Unio,.
They are practices that would befit no othe,
journal half SO we'll.
Nabers VS.. venable and Other Obstruction.
lists.
We republish from the official report Of the
recent speech of Mr.. NABERs, of Miss. Union
Democrat in reply to speech of Mr.. VENA-
BILE, of North Carolina, Resistance man and
Fire-eater,) upon the rules of the House, and
the obstructions of the public business. 1t was
gratifying to see disposition on the part Of
Mr. VENABLE to appear before his consti-
tuents in the light of man anxious to for
ward the business of legislation, when it
Is notorious that there is not man in the
House-not even Mr.. LEroHER. Mr.. Nc
MULLEN, Mr.. Orr, or Mr.. DEAN-who has
done more to delay and obstruct and defeat
legislation than Mr.. VENABLE himself. What
is the immediate cause of Mr.. VENABLE's pen
ltence, we cannot imagine. If he were not a
gentleman of more than Roman virtue. we
should suspect him of a desire to recommend
himself to the special favor of the incoming
administration.
we Will not detaln our readers longer, how
ever, from the entertaining remarks OF Mr..
NABERs. We recommend them especially to
the notice of our readers:
Mr. NABERs. submit to the gentle
man himself Mr.. VENABLE) and to the commit.
tee whether lecture from him with regard to the
rules of the House, and with regard to the deco
rum OF members comes with good grace? Now,
sir, gentleman should not lecture his fellow
members upon matters of decorum unless he is
well satisfied that he comes here with clean hands,
Sir, undertake to say now, that if every member
OF this House had occupied as much time in debate
during this short session as the gentleman from
North Carolina has, there would have been
time to have taken one vote [Laughter.l The
calculation is easily made. We have but three
months IN the session altogether. Now, the gentle.
man from North Carolina some time ago occunied
one hour IN making speech against stealing Gu.
ba, or against hlibustering. Yesterday he occu.
pied another hour in speaking against the rules Of
this House. There are two hours, aside from his
innumerabe little incidental speeches ever1 da,,
or two. [Laughter.] All this time has been oc.
cupled by the gentleman from North Carolina
during the present session of Congress. Now. an.
proprlate as much time that to every member
upon this floor, and say you would not have time
to take single vote, or transact any business dur
ing the session. You could not pass your Def
cheney bill, or any sort of bill. The House will
recollect that we are in session not more thu
three or four hours ordinarily in any one day. and
they can in a moment make the calculation of
how much time we should have to transact busi
ness II we all were to occupy as much time in
speaking as the gentleman from North Carolina
has DONE
Well, sir, in noticing, as the gentleman did IN
yestef day, the useless consumption of time in this
House, was surprised that he should pass over
one very prolific source by which the valuable
time OF the House IS destroyed, and that is by
making precisely such speeches as the gentleman
has been regularly in the habit of making this
session. believe the ordinary term is -s7Bun-
combe." Who does not know that the Cuba cues |
ton has never been regularly before this House?
Who does not know that proposition to remodel
or to amend our rules has been submitted to the
Houses! Yet two hours have been occupied by one
single member during the present session in the
discussion of such questions as these Well, sir.
to inform his constituents that he is rght side IN
with care" [Laughter.] But, sir, as | have ac |
cidentaly mentioned Cuba, will say that Ishould
like very much to make a speech upon that sub |
Ject nao the opportunity; but, as it is, will
only make one remark with regard to the speech
OF the distinguished gentleman from North Caro-
lima ON that subject. He observed. among other |
things, that he had yielded to the wishes of the
people OF his State in regard to what are called the
Compromise measures. Sir, recollect yerv dis.
tinctly that the gentleman from North Carolina
opposed those measures, and chiefly for the reason
then assigned by him, that its effect would be to
restrict the area OF slavery But in his speech the
other day he opposes the acquisition of Cuba for
the reason that Its acquisition would go to extend
the area OF slavery, or would draw slaves away
from his and other States.
MIR. YENABLE Will the gentleman a Ilow me- a |
word by way of correction
;. MIR NABERs The gentleman from North Caro-. |
Ina made so heavy speech against these
MEMBER INFECTIONS
Mr.. NABERs. Yes, ssinjections, - that hardly
know whether ought to allow the gentleman. I |
am rather unwilling to submit to the infliction |
Laughter ! |
Mr. VENARLE. ! only wished to correct the
gentleman in point of fact. |
MIR. NABERs. If the gentleman is under the inn |
preston that have misstated what he has said |
will allow him time to correct.
MIR GIDDINGs. | desire to know whether nm |
der the Baltimore platform, these gentlemen
have the right to agitate? raise that question of
order. |
: The CHAIRMAN. The question is not a leeiti |
mate one for the Chair to decide
MIR. VENABLE am doubly indebted to the
courtesy of my friend from Mississippi, which |
assure him asked with great reluctance oh |
jected to the Compromise measures because thew
limited the area of slavery upon our own terrific |
tut uDleCt W HHOpst6rlng, and the acQuisi- |
ton OF Cuba because we have no right to extend |
Inc area OF slavery upon the territory belonging to |
anybody else.
Mr.. NABERs. Mr.. Chairman, it is no mart of nv |
purpose to speak upon that subject The speeches |
of the gentleman from North Carolina upon the
various subjects to which have alluded, are in /
print, and any one, therefore, who feels sufficient
interest In the subject to ascertain his opinions can
examine them; but think the reason against the |
OF Cuba was very strange one coming
from him very strange. There may be, and |
doubtless are, good reasons why Cuba should not |
be annexed; but ask the gentleman himself whe- |
Their this particular reason does not sound strange
ly as compared with his uniform arguments touch |
ing the interests of the saveholding States of the
Union? |
But ! desire to confine myself mainly to some
points with regard to our rules. The gentleman
from North Carolina seems soicitous to make the !
impression that if every member of the House had
been as anxious to promote the business of the |
House he himself these bills for the relief of
injured orphans and suffering avido,ys, and eyery thing
Of that sort, ,road rotn0to be undisposed Of bit uoy
entire calendar private bills too,d haze been cleared
Euery claimant upon the justice Of The Government
,cottld be satisfied. But have already shown Won
that, according to his mode of advancing the public
business, it would be totally and utterly i1npoaabe
to transact any business at all 1t will be remem
bered that short time since resolution passed
providing for holding night sessions; and would
any member who heard the speech Of the distin-
guished member from North Carolina have sun