New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-03-13
HORSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

Mr. CLlNGMAN N. VI, from inc oOuIi.eee
Foreign Affairs. reported bill making an appropra-
ton OF $50 10 pay for the repairs OF the Norwegian
bsrk Ellen which rescued the passengers Of the Zen
tial America. The bill was passed.
The House also passed the Senate bill autH9rlhng
C. rtain officers and men engaged in the seysra Cneu
States EXPEDITIONS in search of Sir john rranANu u
receive medals from the British Government:
TIE SPEAKER announced that the pending ques-
ton was on the appeal of Mr. Harris of lllnes, rom
the de session Of the Chair that he could not reaa tue
Journal ard statement Of the Kansas committee, 10
show that the Committee had not eSecuted tne 1i
of the House for the reason that the mlhotN! Touu
not rake report from Committee, ana tua', 'Hoie-
tore this no question OF privilege .-.-..;o
Nj. HARRIS H. said that nothing but impressive
duty upeed him 10 raise the question: IL vas no'
done rashly The cases quoted by the Speaker, NC
commended were not analogous 10 that under CONSIDER
alton. He aud Others of the minority do not propose
to make a report from the Committee, but merely
wish 10 show that the other members OF Committee
have disobeyed the order of the House The minority
report no bill for legislative action. The substantive
proposition Ii that the privileges OF the house hau
been nfrnged. and that the minutes OF the COMMITTEES
are part OF the majority report. Therefore, the mi
norty had right to refer 10 produce those minutes.
He repeated that this was not report but merely
production Of facts to sustain the action OF the MINOR
ity lie quoted various authorities to show that the
House may entertain such movement a. question
of privilege The doctrine Is laid down that When
Committee is remiss in duty, il is sufficient ground TOR
further proceedings in the House If this be So how
il ever to be known to the House that COMMITTEES Is
remiss unless that knowledge brought TO the House,
and one member is sufficient to produce the TACT
Mr.. STEPHENS (Ga.) repeated that no precedent
for the movement a. had been claimed by Mr. Harris,
could be found in the records of the British Para-
ment, or Of any legislative body in the world The
gentleman from Illinois had not produced any author
ity to sustain him. The question is whether the re-
mssness OF the majority or minority OF Committeel Is
question Of privilege. He contended that 1t was not,
and said that precedent authority could be found
in Iiausard any other authority. The gentleman
had utterly failed to make out his case. He (Mr.
Stephens considered this the most important move
mept ever made in the House since the foundation of
| the Government 1t is revolutionary and strikes at
the foundation of the rules and orders OF the House
and under its operations the House could do no bust
ness.
| Mr. Stephens further contended that the majority
must fret make report before the House can deter
mine whether the Committee have executed the order
of the House. He was prepared to show that 1t had
been fully executed II the report not satisfactory
TO the House let them discharge the Committee, and
recommit or turn the question TO another Com
mtee. He was ready to meet the issue, but was OPP
posed to side way OF overurnng the rules ana orues
| Of the House and upsetting parliamentary law.
| Mr.. GROW Penn caused to be read the resou'
lions under which the Committee was appointed, to
show that the Committee was instructed to inquire
into all the facts connected with the adoption OF the
Lecompton Constitution, and whether SAID COnsttu
ton satisfactory to majority of the legal voters
Mr.. STEPHENS rose to a point of order.
Mr.. GROW said that it came with bad grace
from Mr. Stephens, VINO ndu luouISeu III tue ulmVS.
latitude of debate.
Mr. STEPHENS replied that he had confined HIM
self strictly To the question before the House. IL Mr.
Grow wanted to 90 Into an investigation of what the
Con mite had done, he (Ste ohens) was ready.
Mr.. GROW said that Parliamentary law required
that majority of the friends Of the measure should
have been put the Committee, but the presiding
officer had put majority of s opponents on II s
correct principle that child should not be put to
nurse with one that nothing about it.
MIR NINSLOW called MIR, Grow to order.
Mr.. GROW-Of course.
The SPEAKER said that the question was a deli
cate one as Mr.. Grow was commenting on the action
of the Chair.
Mr.. GROW resumed, saying that if the majority of
a Committee violate the order of the House, how is
the House to take action to ascertain that fact unless
by the statement Of one OF more OF the members OF
that Committee
Mr. STEPHENS said that he was ready to show,
when the report comes up, that the Committee had
examined every material tact.
Mr.. GROW replied that the Committee had no dis
erection; they were directed to investigate ali the
facts"
Mr.. ENGLISH lind J asked how they were to know
whether the Committee had executed the order of the
House, under the present aspect of the case The
gentleman from Illinois Mr.. Harris) says the Com
mtttee have not done 30. Mr.. Stephens takes pre-.
cisely the opposite ground lie (Mr. English thought
the proper way was to submit the official record,
which, he understood, embraced the entire action OF
the Committee including the report of the majority
Let each branch of the Committee put in their papers
Mr.. QUITMAN Miss called the gentleman to Or
der, saying he was ready to show that the Committee
had done ts duty.
The SPEAKER said that the reports could be re.
ceved by general consent, And it would then be proper
for the House to take such action they might think
proper.
sides OF the House to receive the papers and tx day
tor their consideration
Mr. WASHBURN MEL objected
Mr. HARRIS Md offered proposition that each
sc he thafr
papers and that the further consideration of the sub
Jet be postponed till Tuesday next.
Mr.. UNDERWOOD lKy.) offered similar propo-
stOD.
Objections were made 10 the pton of both.
Mr.. CAMPBELL Ohio) suggested to Mr. English
TO affix provisO to the effect that no amendment
shall be made to the report OF the majority in the
form Of bill to admit Kansas, 80 long as any five
the facts.
Mr.. HOUSTON (Ala.) said that no similar propo-
stOn had ever been made.
Mr.. CAMPBELL lOhio said that he recollected
that foreign State was once admitted into the Union
by joint resolution, and why could not the attempt be
made to admit Kansas in the same way!
Mr.. COLFAH tlnd.D asked Mr.. English TO modify
bis proposition, 80 as to call only for the official report
OF the Committees proceedings.
Mr.. STEPHENS Ga did not know that any
official Journal was kept. There was no clerk, and
the journal was read to the Committee.
MIR. COLtAA was willing that the members Of the
statement Of their proceedings
Mr.. HARRIS I'LL did not know what the gentle
man understood by an official report, but one was
kept.
Mr.. STEPHENS Ca said that he never heard it
read and did not call il official unless il was sanctioned
by the Committee.
Mr.. MORRILL, VT suggested an informal sub
mission OF the reports and that the pending question
Mr.. WAsHBURN Mel explained why he objected
to the proposition Of NJ. English. He thought that If