Pointe Coupee Democrat. [volume] (False River [i.e. New Roads], Parish of Pointe Coupee [La.]) 1858-1862, 1860-10-13

District of Columbia was presented, q
motion was made to lay it on the table,
Mr.. Bell voted in the negative with
Messrs. Adams, Slade g. Co.-Page "a.
Again, on the Dist of December, when
a similar petition was presented and
motion was made to lay it ON the table,
which was carried 10y ayes 14O, noes
76, we find Mr. Bell voting with Adams
! Slade & Co., against the motion-Page
80.
The frequency of the presentation Of
| these petitions, and the time wasted in
their discussion, to the great detriment
Of the public interest, called for some
decisive action on the part of the
House. Consequently, Mr. Owens, Of
Georgia, moved to suspend the rules, in
order to introduce the following resolu-
tions: ~ s-
Resolred, That in the opinion of this
House, the question of the abolition
Of slavery in the District of Colum-
bia ought not to be entertained by
Congress- .....
and bea further Resolred, That in case
any petition praying the abolition of
slavery in the District of Columbia be
hereafter presented, it is the deliberate
opinion of this House that the same
ought to be laid upon the table without
reading
Mr.. Bell voted with Adams, Slade &
Co., and defeated the motion to suspend
the rules, twot thirds being necessary for
that pnrpose.-Page So ....... ...
In order to dispose Of this matter, Mr..
Pinckney, of South Carolina, moved q
! resolution providing for the appointment
of committee, with instructions to
report that Congress possesses no con
stitationaI power tointerfere in any way
with slavery in any Of the States Of this
Confederacy; and that in the opinion of
this House, Congress ought not to in
terlere in any way with slavery in the
District of Columbia because it would
be violation of the public faith, un-
wise, impolitic, and dangerous to the
Union" On the motion to suspend the
rules for the purpose Of Offering this
resolution, the yeas were l35, noes 65.
Mr.. Bell voted in the neg alive He also
voted against ordering the main ,ques-
ton to be put SO as to bring the House
to a vote on the resolutions, but he yet
lacked the nerve to vote against them
Pages ITO, I'll. ..".'.' .-......s
During the month of May, Mr.. Pink
ney, from this committee, reported Sc
ries of resolutions, the first Of which was
the following: .,-.% :s.s'9.-
Resolred, That Congress possesses no
constitutional power to interfere in any
way with the institution Of slavery III
any of the States of this Confederacy.
The question then nrecurred upon bring.
ing the House to a vote on the resolu-
tions by ordering the main question to
be put, when we find Mr. Bell voting
with Adams, Slade & Co to stave off a
vote They did not succeed, however,
and the question recurring on the .reso-
luton itself, we find Mr.. Bell dodging
the vote! He did not desire to offend
his Abolition friends, one of whom (Mr
Adams) said in reference to the resolll-
ton: stts&t}t@F =s a1#*
eff the House would allow me FIVE
minutes time, | pledge myself to prove
that resolution false aud utterly untrue"
Page 499 s @T
Finding by the above vote that they
could not defeat the other resolutions,
the Abolitionists then strove to stave
off vote on them by factious motions.
They would move to- adjourn, and then
while that question was being taken,
another of them, when his name was
called, would ask to be excused from
voting. The Speaker decided, while the
yeas and nays were being called, no
member could interrupt the proceedings
by motion to be excused from voting.
An appeal was taken from the decision
of the Chair, which was sustained, ayes
1873, noes 46, Mr.. Bell voting with Ad-
ans, Sade & Coin the negative, against
the decision. Bnt their efforts did not
prevail, and they were brought to avote
upon the others of the series of resoIu-
tions, the last OF which was in these
words: f} sg5t< l.f@T5 a
"And whereas it is extremely impor-
tant and desirable that the agitation Of
this subject should be finally arrested,
for the purpose of restoring tranquility
to the public mind, your committee re-
spectfuly recommend the adoption of
the following additional resolution, viz:
J " Resofred, That all petitions, memo
rials, resolutions, propositions, or papers
relating iii any way, or to any extent
whatever, to the subject Of slavery, or
the abolition Of slavery, shall without
being either printed or referped, be laid
npon the table, and that ~ further ac-
ton whatever shall be had thereon"
Mr.. Bell, though in The House. refused
to vote, or, in other words, lodged the
vote He would not offend his new Abo-
lition friends by voting for the resoln-
tinn ard e ha voted AGAINST Il thn