Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-02-09
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1858.

| adopted calling on the frcsldent 10 communicate
number of soldiers engaged in the late war with G,
Britain and the Indian wars of the came period. A
a ststsment showing the pro1imats estimate Of
expenditures in extending to them the benefits Of
revolutionary pension laws. This information ID
sired preliminary to action on the bill pending
that purpose.
The House resumed the consideration Of the req
ton reported from the committee on elections agG
giving Dir. Campbell, the sitting member, furi
time TO take testimony in the Ohio contested elect
| case.
The question was taken on tho amendment repoE
from the majority of the cOmmlttetirtnst or. Css
bell. the sitting member, and Mr. e. 'haneignam !
contestant, be allowed the further oI torty q
to take supplementary testimony. IL was aec'asd
the negatve-ysas 100. nays ll3.
The resolution ofthe majority OF the COMMITTEES "
then sdoptsd-yeas ia, nays lOl-that 1t 10 lnsIpe
| ent 10 grant further time to take testimony Us Ut
| for by the stting member. .u
The Speaker laid before the liouse me following
ter fromJ. ID. Williamson which was sddreaset
him:
"Sir: In answer to the question propounded Tor
nv m. IIouse, | would respectfully state that ".
| the subpn ma WAS served upon me sunmoning nts
for. your committee, consented 10 appear, and =,
psred 10 do so; but being under hshVy oonus W NJ
York not TO leave the Jail llmlis Oh ,hal cry, ca
upon the .heritf and told him hsn oeen s9mmo;.
td ann.ar before the committed anu desired that ::
Lands should not be forfeited during my absence.
r.pied that il left the city Voluntarily my boz,
would be forfeited, aud my pledges OF ia'th brOIi
but if nv attendance was c0mpeiisa, II was ms q
ion. AZ we'll as that of my attorney tnat my oai VIZ
not suffer loss Upon this advlcs acted suppA
that il WAS right; and never Knowing or ,u'snGlnit
commit any contempt 10 your honoiao;e oouI
would have cheerfully and without hesitation a!i
.nne.r.d before the committee, and answered al I
rss,ops nut 10 me touching the investigation II
we're pursuing. had it not been for the res'r.i
thrown around me in New York. no" Mold In! I
in readiness 10 answer I'll sucn PioPe' io'e' o.
committee may put Ia me.
and uprouiyocally answered all the questions vi
had been propounded 10 him and. on ms motion V
Williamson was discharged from custody.
Mr., Harris, Of Illinois, offered resolution plt
ding for 4 select committee To inquire generally
| ths facts attending the adoption oil the Leccuf +
constitution He moved the previous question, n
v;sw OF bringing th- House to 4 vote on the va :
nronosi,;ons 70 refer the Presidents kansas messy.
Tn. Democratic commenced the parliamentary t.
to prevent action by making motions TO adjourn,
The question was finally decided negativsIy-i
| yens amt uays-there being consideraoie conia.
ana good burner prevalent:
Elsven o'clock +. M.-Ths House is still IN ser. 4
engaged in the parliamentary contest OF calling !.
YEAS and nays on mOtioDs 10 ADJOURN, elc. lb-i. :
every prospect of the session lasting till daylight
Washington 4
THE DEBATE IN THE HOUSE LAST NlGfs
The doiDss in the House of Repr-sen' atlv-. q;
niyht, and in the wee hours Of this morning .:
| chiefly interesting and remarkable-hke the n;
succ,rslul melo drsInas-tor the scene III ahts "a
single combat inaugursted the " grand enc 4
ter" The eyes of the town are looking 10 The u
ing point of the fray aud its ears are eagerly ~
| for the distant hum Of war clothed men
The President's message coming up Mr.. Gror
pannsvlyauia, came up with il, and did not 20 &
| until he had sharply reviewed that Document -
questioned If the Lec0mpton constltutioh. wh'G -
Executive had transmitted 10 them, mel, IN l's -
tial FORMS the will, wante, and Wishes OF Inc -
who were to be governed aud affected BY It, IL n
| not ses that the President had given them ctgss
of iudging on the business Of its passage, becsas "
bad not transmitted the vote of the people on ihr
sttution.
In the case Of Minnesota, the constitution anG te
| had been sent without a recommendation ana "
| case of Kansas a constitution ana Recommending
| without the votes.
Mr. Harris Of Illinoia, desired TO modify his srt
| ment To Mr.. Hughes resolution regarding Inc :
e,ce of the message 10 select COMMITTEES OF NY
| He desired 10 know il he could not oiinr cifj
proposition but the Speaker being OF OPINION =
| could not be entertained, Mr. ihrfis oncreu d te
| ton az al amendment. tS,1
The chief feature Of this amendment 10 a rel RI "
the message TO select COMMITTEES OF Hjteen INST,
thirteen. The member from Illinois recognize!
| momentous character Of tile subject under coz
ration; and naturally felt that the more lnforrf
before honorable members, The more ratiohaA "a
| honestly could they come to conclusion. ~
| were indispensable for the country, because
| were on the verge of new order OF thlnga, the.
try at large should know it, and the causes for
all events. why rush the thing stupidly through III
| What objections could there be to an inquiry;
the fsctsl He believed truth never harmed 40! y
and upon CREST public question like this, III Fa
ton should be sought from all sourcss. fie ask
nothing but what was pertinent to the lssue. III
opposed to unnecessary delay; but was eqnalf
posed to q blind hurry. lie therefore cfent
! amendment, and moved the previous question
Mr.. Stephens, Of Georgia, protested aRailsF3
course, and thought il majority were deterDIi e
force it, the minority at least ought to have he's
Then commenced series of lodges TO prevent srf5
on Mr. Harris amendment Motions innun'
were made on every possible pr1teIt; CALI
| House followed nj regular intervals, and the M
were beginning to get hoarse IN answering ~
| may" to their names. Motions for adtourninrL1 ~
aquaahed; motions for recess we're laughed 9 "a
tOns to 20 into Committee of the Whole met
contempt; motions TO Ia excused from vOtinf "a
numerous questions of privilege had no ~
propositions for a compromise moved the hotH
exceeding mirth and laughter. The opposrt3
both parties was kept up with good humor.
period, Mr.. Jones, of Tennessee, moved "ni
faith that when The House adjourned, It be tonG
the old Hail. We didn't know what for, as
ton WAS not entertained. IA
"IIow long" asked an honorable member-f5
long will it take to call the Yeas sud nays are'f
dered T.
Mr.. Speaker. "Abont four hours!" La
1t will he seen that the opposition to the Lseot4
measure must have been strong, a. every m"'E5
adjourn made by its advocates WA ovsrru'7Sls
majority. Thus there WAS no end to the mop
members in the House. although they did neg
out Of it..
Matters went on in this way and generally III
natursd and good .humored wilfuness, unII II
twenty minutes to two o'clock in the mornlnsE
"FIodden showed another sight" =
All soris of motions were being made sEak
Grow was moving towards tho Speaker cha fN
the avenue, contiguous to which was the sesi 9
Keitt. q
Some honorable made motion. u
Mr. Grow objected. q
Mr.. Kstt said go to your own side 81
House, air. and make your objections there. "
Mr. Grow promptly replied that she wou "a
his objections where he pleased;" and indH
followed up this remark, by saying :" hs wouf IA
governed by s!ave.driver." Ia
Thi, was The tocsin for war; SIR. Keiit u
with Macbeth that the fighty purpose neve II
took unless tho deed go with it," struck the 4
from Pennsylvania. M
Mr.. Grow returned the blow, the parties Cd 81
and in rushed members from all sidss. hopln.
this little row. but uncons ciously contributing
meDce big one. Mr.. Barksdale, OF Mls1-
terfsred ~ peacemaker, aud succeeded in
them. lie was holding Mr.. Grow, when
rushed ap, and hs wss struck a. he SUPPOSED "a
Wasbburne, Of Illinois. Mr. Barksds!e turH
gave Washburne several severe blows, Wh'f
were parted. III
The row went fast and furious right upG
Speakers chair, and in thorough disrega': IA
presence OF the occupants Of the reporters g
Some thirty or forty members got go en'sni
damned up that il was difficult to ses wa
which, or which got the worst or the best OIL III
were given and taken indiscrimi' Eay. III
was timed by a sporting character pf'sent III ,
|, IL occupied one minute and halt. IL
Speaker Orr and the Sergeant atArlhs. IA {
brenner, deserves credit and commendatml IA
prompt energy with which they succeeded u q :
tho tuIpult. - .
When all q" was calm again." the House :
into its good humored ways, the :" little bru.
ing walked up some Of the moot unpatrlotc'N o
unconscious Of The momentousness OF the spA .
The members went on resolviny. and MT
taking the "yeas" and "nays," until aits' IA
this morning, when Gen. Quitman lntr"dU o
solution, suspsnding action on all other nv
cept the previous question, lHarriss mn.F
the whole subject to the select commit.
: was made, by reclamation, the special ofos
day at ! O'clock and the House adjourned =
save, up in the nornin' earle" !