Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-04-28
The Ksusns Question.

In the Ssuat o. Monday. the report Of the
Committee of Conference appointed TO confer
with a similar committee of the House Of
Representatives in relation to their disagree
iug votes on the Kansas bill, was taken up
for consideration.
Mr.. Stuart raised point of order against
the reception ofthe report and its accompa
nying bill, until the bill for which it pur posed
to be a substitute was before the Senate
tie demanded, before the report was read,
that the bill for which it proposed a subst-
tute should be read. If this could not be done
because, as was true in point of TACT and Of
Elementary law, the Kansas bill, with all
the accompanying papers, was in the House,
il followed that it was not competent Tor the
Senate to consider the report and the subst-
tute bill, until the House had first passed
upon the same and transmitted them to the
Senate with the Kansas bill.
Against this point of order it was argued
by Mr.. Green and others that the report #
the committee wac a proposition pending be-
| fore both branches Of Congress, which, in re-
slity might be regarded pro hdc rice as acting
| in joint committee through their respective
conferees--tbose of each body being empOw'
cred to bring IN their report simultaneously
to their respective Houses.
! The President pro tenn. # the Senate Mr..
Biggs) decided against the poot made by
Mr. Stuart, who appealed from the decision
of the Chair. Mr. Toombs moved u lay the
appea on the table, which motion was re-
iected, yeas 25, nays %. After further de-
bate, the question being taken whether the
decision of the Chair should be sustained, it
was decided in the affirmative, yeas 30, nays
| Is.
Mr.. Crittenden moved to postpone TIT
further consideration Of the subj ,ct until
Wednesday next; q motion which he made
10 90 factiOus spirit but because he de-
sired further time to examine the provisions
of tbe bill presented by the committee rs a
substitute for both the House and the Senate
bills. The motion was rejected, yeas %,
nays 20.
The debate upon the propriety of consid-
ering the question Immediately, was pro-
longed by Messrs. Douglas, Toombs, Pugh,
Green, and others, aud the whole day spent
in discussing points Of order under the
rules of the Senate.
On the one side it was charged that these
points were raised for purposes of delay
without sufficient cause. On the other 1t
was represented that the rules of parla-
mentsry law inhibiting the consideration OF
the question by the Senate while the bill
vas in the House, were imperative, and any
vote upon the bill in this stage of its Fro-
gress through the House might subsequent
iy open the debatable question whether 1t
had been lcgitimately passed by both bran
ches, even though it should receive ma
iority in each. II was further argued that
a measure carried in opposition to stand
ing rule of the Senate would lack that sane
ton which all legislative proceedings should
carry with them to the people, who would
be little likely to respect laws passed in Vi
olation Of the laws Of the body enacting
them.
In the House Of Representatives., the re.
port Of the Kansas Conference Committee
was taken up. Mr.. Harrir, Of illinois, sub
mitted proposition to take up the SUBJECT
for action ON Wednesday, and prolonged
debate ensued Tue pending motion, to
postpone for two weeks. was finally iejec-
ted-yees 100, nays l04 and the subject
was postponed until one o'clock to-day.-Nat.
| Int.