Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1854-05-26
House of Representatives..


Rev. Mr.. MILBrRN, Chaplain, delivered the
following prayer;
Oh, Thou high and mighty Ruler of the Universe,
implore thy blessing to rest upon this House, as
it is about to enter upon one of the most arduous
and memorable struggles this country has ever
known. Help every member to keep cool, calm and
selfpossessed, remembering the angry man gives his
adversary the advantage and that pride COM
promits his truest interests. Assist every man to
cooperate with their Speaker and Chairman in pre-
serving order Recolecting the eyes OF the country
are fixed this House, and the deep of the
country are involved in the deliberations of this
Congress, may every man dare to do his duty and
abide the issue of his conscientious convictions, we
Mr.. RICHARDSON moved the suspension of
rules for the purpose of going into Com
mittce of the W hole on the Nebraska bill
Mr.. WHEELER asked leave to offer the fol-
lowing resolution
That the President be requested to furnish copies
of all documents under his CONTROL in relation to the
alleged aggression of theauthorites of the Kingdom
of Greece, upon the rights of DR.. KING, formerly
the American Consul
The Speaker decided that the question on
Mr.. RICHARDSON motion must be put first
Decided in the affirmative, los against 10.
Went into Committee of the Whole on the
Nebraska bill, Mr.. OLDs in the Chair
Mr.. STEPHtNs-l move to strike out the
enacting clause. 1 do this TO cut off all
amendments, and to have the bill reported to
the House and voted upon. [Sensation and
expressions of surprise. In defence of this
motion, quote the 10th rule.
"a motion to strike out the enacting
words Of a bill, shall have the precedence Of
motion to amend, and if carried shall be
considered equivalent to it's rejection
Now let the Committee strike out the
enacting clause of this bill, and let it thus
ha Tod m ha al ba, g..
amendments. When we get into the House,
the question will be on agreeing to the report
The friends Of the bill will not vote down the
motion then we will have the bill to vote on
Voices" That's it 80 Good, 90 ahead ~
1t will then be in order for the Chairman of
the Committee on Territories to move his sub
stltute as an amendment, which all of us
want to vote on. The friends of the bill
standing together, will be brought to vote
directly on the measure in this way we will
get rid OF continuous motions to amend. !
make this motion because it is time we were
voting on the bill. Its friends and enemies
have discussed 1t in the Senate House, and
throughout the country the mind of every
man ! doubt not is made up; already we
have had motions to amend the important
features.
Mr.. GIDpINGs interrupted the gentleman,
raising the question that his motion was not
In order, because they could not 20 back to
the enacting clause Of the bill.
The Chairman overruled his point, saving
the rule was specially adapted for that pur-
pose.
Mr.. HIBBARD-No doubt of that Does the
gentleman contemplate, that if this motion
prevail, the gentleman from Illinois (NIr
RIcmARDsoN) shall move and the House order
the Previous Question to be put
| Mr.. STEPHENs-lt is to bring the House to
vote directly on Mr. RIcHARpso> s substitute
and it is the object of the friends of the bin
to have vote Immediately, and then 20 on
| and attend to other business
Mr., CuANDLrR-l rise to protest solemnly
against this extraordinary gag to be applied
| to the passage of this bill
am satisfied that any one Of the majority
must dislike to raise such question it
must be painful to start point of this kind
here, whatever ruling may be made on the
question Of order. The majority have stood
before the House on the Constitution of the
country and the rules which the House has
solemnly adopted for its regulation and gov
crnment, While they have stood up against
the efforts of those who have proved "a grow
ing majority while they have read day by
day in the organs of tins Administration, not
merely invitations to come over against us,
but limitations that while they were in the
opposition they were losing their influence in
the Executive Department and while we
have thus seen ourselves threatened, if not
wasted by insidious attacks, we, the minority,
have not resorted to any mode of defeati
the bill which is not recognized by the Con
stitution of the country and by the rules OF
the House But the orders are violated. | am
satisfied the order Indicated is not conte n.
plated BY the rules; Having driven the
e