Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1860-01-05
THZRTYSZXTH CONGRESS.
FIRST SESSION.

TO address the House, in answer to remarks
made BY Mr. BRANcH of North Carolina,
charging him with defeating the Post Office
appropriation bill of last session, and impugu.
ing his motives for his action on that occasion.
Mr.. Grow gave the history Of the event, with
authorities and ,precedents showing that the
House was defending its prerogatiTes, and
proceeded to reply to Mr. BRANcH'S personal
fnputations as follows --- b.. .-.-
Mr. GROW. Such Mr. Clerk, is the his.
tory-of the proceedings of the two Houses Ct
Congress on the Post Office bill to which the
Senate attached their amendment increasing
hostage. Such are the authorities and de-
cjs1oBs on which we relied to sustain the ac
ton of the majority of the House in relation
toit. And had the gentleman from North
Carolina Mr. BRANCH been as familiar with
constitutional laws aud parlam eutary preced-
ents as his long practice in legislation would
have led us to suppose, he could have found
sufficient and abundant reasons to justify my
conduct and that of a majority Of the House,
without violating all parliamentary and gen
tlenanly courtesies that are recognized in all
deliberative bodies, by impugning the motives
of his peer, and charging SoIdid and selfish
considerations as the moving motive and cause
of our action.
Mr.. BRANCH. I desire to ask the gen
tleman from Pennsylvania whether | am tO
understand his language as imputrgto me any
conduct that was ungentlemany !
Mr. GROW. l said that the gentleman
violated all parliamentary and gentlemany
eourtesies that are recognized in all delibera
tive assemblies. 1t needs 10 reference to par
liamentary law to know that. The first rule
Of parliamentary law is that no gentleman has
the right to impugn the motives of another
Mr. BRANCH. ] desire TO ask the gen
tleman whether he means, by that language
toimpute to ne any conduct that is ungen
tlemanly?
Mr.. GROW ask the gentleman to re-
ferto his own language, and see what he
thinks
Mr.. BRANCH. l demand Of the gen
tletnan from Pennsylvania to know whether
he means by that language TO impute to me
any conduct that is ungentemanly OF unbe-
coming?
Mr.. GROW. The gentleman charged, the
other day, that had defeated the Post o.:
fee appropriation bill, in order to compel the
President of the United States to call an ex-
ira session of Congress. l say that such an
inputation on my motives was not gentemauly
under parliamentary law.
Mr.. BRANCH | repeat the que ton
which have already asked the gentleman
from Observation-Disclosures be designs, in
those remarks, to impute to me any conduct
unbeeonling gentleman A failure to re-
spond shall assume to be an affirmative ar
sWer
AZ CD 6uy A. ruI 49, H. L.
gusge of the gentleman. What | have said
on it is plain English, and there it stands
The gentleman, the other day, mpugned rg
motives Of action on the Post Office bill. The
impugnment of motives in a legislative body
is everywhere regarded, not only unparliamen
tary, but as ungentlemanly, under parliamcn-
tary practice and law.
Mr. BRANCH repeat that the gentle
man has not responded to my inquiry, and
that shall take his failure to respond as an
affirmative answer
Mr.. GROW. The gentleman can take just
what he pleases.
Mr. BRANCH l will do So
Mr. GROW. | will read the gentleman's
own language, from the Globe of Monday
last:
Now. 7 think am iustifabe, in the face Of these
facts in saying that the design which the gentleman
in view kill the BILL and that the motive and OBJ
ject that he had to compel the President to call Con
gress together shortly after the 4th of March"
That is the language to which I apply the
parliamentary law and l take back nothing
that have SAID
SENATE, Dec 30-Mr. Rice of Min introduced
several bills relative to public conyeniences in
that State, and also gave notice of bill pro-
viding for temporary government within the
Territory of Dacotah. Then Senate then ad
journed till Tuesday next.
HOUSE. Dec 3O-Mr Perry of Me- moved
resolution that until an organization was
effected, members be restricted to twenty
minutes speaking, and not more than once
until all members desiring to speak shall have
been heard. Also, that all motions to lay on
the table be decided without debate. But
objections were made to offering the resolu-
ton, and Mr.. Boyce of S. C.. took the floor
and made an attack on the Republican party
charging it with obStructiRg tho execution of
the Fugitive Slave law. Mr. Stanton of Ohio
replied, when there was a heightened cooquy
respecting the tariff bill of 81. partisan pol
iticS, &c, when Mr.. Stanton, in view of the
inability to effect an organization by the ma
jority rule, suggested the adoption Of the
plurality This was objected to by members
of the Administration party, and Mr.. Mont
gomery of Penn moved that Mr.. Corwin be
declared Speaker for "a hours, in order that
a Deficiency bill might be passed for the relief
of mail contractors and other Government
creditors. Amid confusion, an adjournment
was had, by one majority, until Tuesday.
The HARPPER's FERRY INTERCHANGEABLE
Special Committee of the Senate appointed to
inquire into all the facts connected with John