New-York daily tribune., 1854-05-26
WHY rur ,yrA,,y TnrrNpnxp.

The question is often asked why dia not the nous
ern minority make a more determined stand on tA,I
night of the final passage of the Nebraska bill Ts
stood out thrty-six hours before, and why need hs,
to have stopped short OF twelve hours sitting u
last We will answer.
The hemanner in which the passage of bill is preyea<
Congress by the minority is this; In whateTer ca
dtion bill is before the House whether at one sts
or another of its passage there are certain mosss
which always take precedence of the immediate bss
ness in hand, and which may be styled prirfgsdnD
fons. Thus it is always in order 20 move an adinn
ment. But there are other motions which under d
rules of the House, adopted expressly tor pFotssts
the minority against the hasty, unfair and yranh'a
conduct of the majority, which are equally prviss
with the motion 10 adjourn. These are four in sss
her. First is the motion to adjourn to time beys<
the usual hour OF meeting--tO some fixed time ia h
fnture. Second the motion for q call of the rsls
the members. Third, the motion TO lay she mcssss
under discussion on the table. Fourth, the moteas
any member. while vote is being taken, TO he ei
cused from voting. On oil these motions the ien|
and NAYS may be demanded by oneJ!flh Of the men
bers present And the motions may be slternatsd In
definitely until the contest expires from exhaustion s
the individuals engaged in il. But as no motion en
be put twice in succession, all that is absolutely n
cessafy to proong struggle indefinitely is one stef
mating motion. Here are four such. And It was by
alternating these motions, first moving to adjourn
and then for a call of the House and on that the
contest was protracted through the thiry-sx hoan|
during the original resistance Of the minority
Now why was not this done on the night Of As|
A., a., -. al ailsII
TO forego their neiarious designs The reason is shs
Tie rnes Of the House 'cere rioated by the majority
and the regulations of that body, adopted for the wss
purposes Of proper transaction of public baslnes,
and to secure the just rights Of the minority were
liberately deied and trodden under foot-the hsus3
itself in some CAGES reversing the proper decisions
the Speaker and in others by the infamous deelsonN
of the acting Speaker (Ods of OhiO) Thus, M 10
contest went on it was decided one by one that oil
the foregoing motions were not privileged motisesl
and could not be put during the pendeney OF the ss
braska ILL in the last stages Of its final passage Ell
ceptng only the motion to adjourn every other hss
inc been brought to the block and decaptatei ns|
majority, by overriding all their own rules and By
usurping powers OF legislation having thus restricted
the mint riiy to the employment of single obstacle 20
block the wheels Of per6dous legislation, were at is
reduced to the necessity of resisting by force the out
RACES of the majority or Of submitting to the hsil
passage of the bill. They did on the last 'rugge 81
they did on the first, resort to every expedien Of
legislative resistance TO defeat the measure and were
only beaten by the reckless and outrageous
have detailed.
Now the only comment we have to make on thee
proceedings is this: The shareholders have herela
set the first example of virtually abrogang the rsls'
of the House. and giving to the majority of the H'ss
the sole and unobstructed command Of whate'sr
measure of legislation they may have in hand. Nov
to this doctrine we propose to enter no objection |"
this time. We merely note the transaction in order
to call particular attention TO it. II may serve "
useful precedent hereafter, when the North shall hs
crushed out the breed of dOughlaces.