Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-05-17
Wasbingtnn gsntinsl.
PROCEEDINGS
House Of Representatives.
OF THE
THURSDAY, May II, 1854.

I'm continuation
Mr. SAGE move that when the House ad-
journ, il adjourn 10 meet on Monday next, and
upon that motion call for the yeas and nays.
The Clerk having proceeded 10 call the roll
Mr. MATTESON. / ask TO be excused from
voting upon that motion!
The SPEAKER. II is too late. There has
been response 10 the call, and the Chair decides
that the motion is no, in order
Mr. MATTESON. did not know that there
had been any response, as in that case was
aware that the motion would not be in order.
The SPEAKER. The motion would not be in
order for farther reason that gentleman can
not ask 10 be excused from voting upon motion
10 adjourn; but upon questions other than mo-
ton 10 adjourn such motion would be in order.
Mr.. MATTESON. supposed that upon
motion 10 adjourn over the rule would be diff
ferent.
The question was then taken upon Mr.. SAeE's
motion; and there were yeas As, nays ILL.,
So the House refused 10 adjourn.
Mr.. WASHBURN, Of Illinois. / move that the
House adjourn, and upon that motion ] demand
the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered
The question was then taken; and there were
yeas SO. nays SO.
So the House refused 10 adjourn
Mr. GOODRICH. move call of the House
and upon that motion demand The yeas and nay
The yeas and nays Were ordered.
Mr.. MAURICE. ask to be excused from
Mr.. CAMPBELL. / move that the gentleman
from New York be excused from voting.
Mr. SMITH, of Virginia. ! rise 10 point of,
order The AID rule reads:
EVERY member who shall be in the House when
the question is put shall give his vote unless the
House for special reason shall excuse him."
Isuppose il is necessary that a gentleman ask.
ing TO be excused, should assign some special
reason for such request.
The SPEAKER. The motion TO be excused
from voting is in order: and every gentleman will
def IN f0r selft h.Ar hos
ing such request.
Mr.. WHEELER. rise to point of order. /
would like 70 know whether the gentleman from
New York Mr.. MAURIcEl is obliged TO give his
reasons for asking 10 be excused
The SPEAKER. The Chair has already stated
that every gentleman can determine for himself
the reasons he has for asking 10 be excused.
Mr.. SMITH, Of Virginia. l really wish to be
informed upon this matter. / never intend 10
raise question of order from captious motives
but, in regard 10 this matter desire TO be really
informed about the proper construction of the AID.
rule, portion of which have already read
The SPEAKER. The rule seems TO contem-
plate giving some special reasons but the Chair,
without reflection, supposes that il would be com
peient for gentlemen TO ask TO be excused with or
without assigning reason therefor.
ME- BANKS. Think the reasoning of the Chair
Ia correct. III am asked 10 vote to excuse or not
excuse the gentleman from New York, the special
reason for my vote is that he has asked to be ex-
cused. ! can then either vote in the affirmative
W II.
Mr.. SMITH, Of Virginia. | suppose il is mani
fest, il the rule which have read means ANYTHING,
thai il ought 10 be enforced
Mr.. BENSON. | rise 10 a question of order.
Does the gentleman from Virginia appeal from the
decision OF the Chair?
The, SPEAKER The gentleman from Vir-
gina has not appealed from the decision of the
Chair.
Mr.. MAURICE. II the gentleman from vir.
ginia Mr.. SMITH will give way, will state 10
the House my reasons, which will perhaps obvi-
ate The necessity for any further discussion.
Mr.. SMITH. With the permission of the
House, viii read another portion of the AID
rule.
All motions TO excuse a member from voting
shall be made before the House divides or before
the cal OF the yeas and nays is commenced aud
the question shall then be taken without further
debate"
There is an amendment 10 the rule, which reads
as follows:
That part of rule 40, which allowed a brief ver-
bal statement OF reasons 10 be given by any mem
Der for requesting TO be excused from voting, re-
scnded January, lsi5.n
The SPEAKER. The Chair decides that il is
discretionary with member whether he will give
his reasons or not for asking 10 be excused from
voting. The Chair thinks that the rules and prac-
tce taken together will bear him out in the deci-
sion he has made.
Mr.. JONES. of Tennessee wish to cali the
attention of The Chair 10 the fact that the
the 42d rule states thai that part of the rule which
allows brief verbal statement Of reasons TO be
given by any member requesting 10 be excused
from voting rescinded January 2, 1915
Since the resembling of that part of the rule they
have not been permitted 10 give reasons, but they
could ask TO be excused without assigning any
reasons. That has been the practice ever since
that part OF The rule relating 10 this subject was
rescinded.
Mr.. CAMPBELL. ask 10 be excused from
voting upon the motion excuse the gentleman
from New York MIR. MAURIcEI from voting
The SPEAKER. The Char decides that that
proposition is of order believing that PROPOSE
tons TO excuse gentlemen from voting cannot be
thus accumulated.
Mr.. CAMPBELL. / will not insist upon my
motion, although do not wish 10 be understood as
waving the right TO make il.
Mr.. CLINGMAN. / make this point of order
for the consil GRAFTON OF the Chair that call the
House and motion TO adjourn take prec edence
Of all other questions, and the gentleman cannot
make the motion 10 be excused pending vote on
these.
The SPEAKER. The Chair has decided to-day
that motion 10 be excused from voting upon a
proposition TO adjourn cannot be made. He can
NOT, therefore, entertain such motion
Mr.. CLINGMAN. ] now make the point oil
order, that motion for a cali of the House will
lake precedence of anything but motion 10 ad-
Journ, and therefore, that you cannot entertain
motion 10 excuse member with any more pro-
prieiy than you can question touching any other
proposition. Suppose we did not have quorum.
You could not excuse a,member from voting with
less than quorum present. In this way you
might stop up a call aud get quorum. and there
fore call OF the House must take precedence Of
any other motion, except motion TO adjourn.
The SPEAKER. The Chair thinks the gen.
tieman from North Carolina Mr.. CLINsMANl is
correct. Il is within the recollection of the House
that the Chair permitted that motion 10 be made,
anu vote 10 be taken, but il was done inadver-
tently upon Tue part OF the Chair
MIR. CAMPBELL The Journal is full Of de-
cisions upon this point. think II will be shown
by reference 10 the Journals that IN ls49-'50 no
person made that motion oftener than the honor
able gentleman from North Carolina
Mr.. CLINGMAN. | am obliged 10 The gen.
tleDan from Ohio will remind the gentleman tina,
upon the memorable day 10 which he refers the
Speaker decided that call of the House was no,
IN order, and therefore that there could have been
eition. The motions were upon other propo.-
lions. motion for call of the House was not
in order and we had no quorum voting