The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-01-04

iaduosd the President 10 convene this BODY by procsa
tionY WewAnt 10 know, the country wants know,
whether such matter Ia existence requires tnis
% DC speedily organized and inasI that
ground other the President has right 10 ~bna-
annicae 10 this House and base right receive le
message, and have IL read -
Mr.. II. MARSHALL, ofKentucky thoughi that peohably
the ought 70 be read and considered thai they
House before the election OF Speaker Bat t.9
constitution declared that each house should be the Judge
Of the elections rstnrns and qualifications Of Us own s
bcfs and that msjoritv each should constitute ~no-.
do business They had yet exchanged creden2
tiais with each Other and did know therefore that t
body aud The gen tmep here asseted and assuming
be the House the qualified House, that there
quorum Of House bere. How, thea they know
thai fact without the oath shod be administered them
upon the OF their credentials lie therefore
hnid that unl they should have ascerained congt
tions HOUSE, whose elections returns and qnalfea
had passed the ordesl Of the House. they in
organized condition aud could possibly transact any
business Yet they kept Journal called The yeas and
nays and, although they had communicated 70 the
Prssdent tbat they were organzsd and ready 70 receive
any Communication from HIM, sii when his message APP
peared at their coor he thought that the House would
ssutiy itself ii il should turn round and say We
house, and will not receive IT, be Of the cpinon
that they should receive it. and lv lie UPON the table
until having effected organization they should be
ready to hear il read and 10 act upon II.
MIR. MILLS0N, of Nirgins contended that the House
much organized il would be afer The cleo
lion OF Speaker and, being organized body by the
Law, by the elections Of the people and by the assembling
Of The representatives here they under all the reson
sibty that attached the House Of Representatives The
President had thr right send his message here though
in the exercise Of i discretion the House might refuse 70
hsar read Such proceediuF however would in his judg
nenf constitute breach Of that comfy which should al
ways exist between the legislative and executive branches
Mr. SIMMONS, Of New York, argued that the House
could do nothing else than proceed for Speaker
He however, had particular objection to recving the
message and laying il the table, though officially,
but the character or individuals Probably would
be all the President might expect of them.
Mr.. CARLiLE Of Virginia concurred with his coli
ent condition He thought 1t fair presume that the
President would not havs sent in his communication this
ornng unless 1t treated OF matters of which the country
and the House should be informed and il might he that
after the message should be read the President instead OF
receiving censure would receive the thanks OF the coani
for The he had pursued in this matter he hoped
further time would be consumed in discussion bur
the message would be ut read
Mr. B0YCE of South Carolina did not consider the
information Looking at it in this light he could
no difficulty in having the message read.
Mr. ORR OF South Ca olins remarked that the reading
of The message might satisfy the House Of The i .ous
necessity of m immediate orgs II II was that
the step taken by the Preside IN innovation upon
the practice which had puIs a since be formation o
the government but II which sanctioned by
the extraordinary delay hch bad occurred in The orgAn
zAtion OF The House Had ii occurred gentlemen that
the foreign relations of the country could Only be known
through the houses Of Congress The management of
foreign affairs the important duty that cond
devolve spon the gov and The country anxious
for information concerning the question OF the enlistment
of troops for foreign service within tho limits OF The United
States and other that had attracted the
of the people In his opinion IL would be dscoureous 10
pursue the recommended by the gentleman from
Kentucky, Mr.. MARsAAIl.
Mr.. MEACHAM, Of Vermont admitted that this body
WAS House 70 organize ITSELF but not TO discharge The dn
Of House of Representatives ii could eeri Speak
and the other officers pertaining organization bat
Il had not The power TO recsve and act upon IL
Mr. TAYLOR, of Louisana, argued that the House OF
Representative existed by the constitution Of the United
States and that 1t constituted the that the
people Of the United States had exercised their 70
xl-~t,rw
sgned expedite business but essential 70 the
of the House the transaction Of business He
deemed il their Imperative duty to receive eonnunea-
ton from the Chief Magistrate OF the Union
Mr.. SEWARD, OF Georgia justified the proceeding Of
the President In the long delay which had occurred IN e
organization aud declared that il would be Outrage
uon the constitution and the rights Of the Executive, and
disgrace Themselves say that they would
s message and have il read and let il go before the
Mr. DUNN of Indiana argned chat the sole enumcraied
duty Of the House in its present condition, heee-
ton OF Speaker he would beg leave 10 Eay--and be
vosld il upon acliberson the terms employed
that the sending of this document the House under
isang circumstances great public indeccncy and
ought rebuked he ssid this upon authority
government less mindful OF the rights Of The Commons n
ours otcdent the dictates Of rulers than ours.
and respectful and submissive 70 those that a. Ia
higher lacAs than 1he law sovereign. lie
then resd from the Manual sustain his assertion and
protested against tbc smallest 81 usarps
ton, for from small beginnings great sDdings be
has time expired.
Mr. CAMPBELL Of Ohio, then offered the resolution
which M DEss had desired TO submit; and il read
follows:
Resoosd Thst the packages delivered the Clerk of tL
body this rurportbg be Communication from the
President Of the United States the House of Representa-
res be by the person presented
the 10 h, this House ganzed and n in
Competent 10 receive such communications entertain any
question in regard to the same.
Mr. SHERMAN, Of Ohio moved 10 lay the whole subject
ths table
Mr.. HOUSTON Of Alabama, demanded tbc yeas sad
nays /; which ordered.
Mr.. ORR Of South Carolina, demanded the reading OF
all Of the papers In the possession Of the Clerk before being
called to vote upon them lLsughicr.
Great confusion here ensued There were uproarious
cries of aread and sca the roIr and several members
simultaneously submitted that the papers not yet having
been receired could not be read 70 The House.
The Clerk read the rule the spbect laid down Ia
the Manual and in accordance therewth stated that
reading Of the papers must be dssded by q the
House.
Mr. MAXWELL, of Florida, appealed to the gentleman
from South Carolina 10 withdraw his demand for the read
ing Of the papers II gentlemen desired the Pres
be read be did think that any friend Of The Execu-
tive should claim the reading Of The document by tschn
cal parliamentary resort
Mr. ORR expresse1 his willingness 10 withdraw his de-
msnd II the gen tean from Ohio would Withdraw bis
ton and allo~ direct the propositions Of the gem
tiemes from Indiana and North Carolina.
Mr.. SHERMAN then withdrew his notion when
Mr. ORR withdrew his call for the reading Of the papers
Soms Conversation here ensued; when
Mr. DAVIS, Of Maryland renewed the motion that the
whols subject be laid the table He remarked that there
questions before the House viz Should the pa
per be received all snd II received what disposition
should made Of t2 There large number OF rrr