Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-05-23
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

Tho HouIe was called to order at IL, A. n, by
Speaker B9ccCK. Opened with prayer by Rev. DR..
MINI. gerods, II ST. PAul's church, 4
The uf0ished business of yesterday (being TIE reso
luton OF Mr. FoOTE for the rep of tie a,t Of ast
SION suspendlng the privilege of the writ of Hd6eas
Corpus,) coming up, Nc. RlVES, of Va, took tho
A,or.
four arrangements for full report of Mr. Rs speech
haVrg failed, We can only furnish the reader with tue
following inadsqua!e tkeiGh
Mr. RIVES did not wonder At or disapprove the pop.
uar sensveness relative to legislation of the character
which sought to rescnd. He held it TO be the
duty of the when be used that term he
desired alWays to be understood referri as much
the Legislative as the Executive branch of ths Govern
lnentto afford opportunity for the most jealous
tiny and the NEST intelligent criticism OF Its measures
esrec aly when those measures may be thought 10 in
vove and possibly imper those traditional and venera
Bile principles OF ApgloSsxon liberty go justly dssr TO
our people. No mad more jealous regard for those
DIT rc ylsud for tn, great ments OF law by which
thew were defended than himself He had been brought
no in the tshpol Of ana vglant watchiulnesS of
toe Government the surest qua aztec o. the free ION
and rights of he governed Boz be bad learned IN that
school taat we're occasions OF great public peril
and ek gency when IL Was necessary invest the EX
ecutiye ann With vigof enough 70 hold in check the
esmens OK danger and give saiutaTy force to the
LectVe power Of the laws.
Mr.. r. had been struck With the fact that in all the
discussions that had taken place this Hal aud else
where the argument hid been the same that it GIT
have been il We were in season Of profound public
tranquility. " his view, Magma Chara, the Petition
Aad Blu Of Rights lad been invoked, though there
had some Santon and unnecessary violation Of the
great principles embodied III them. GeDlsnen over
locked the essential fact that in the midst Of tie
yery circumstances 10 which it contemplated and
designed that the benefits OF tlese laws should be
posGriy Withheld, in order that the greater and more
geneis benefit" the public sAfety"-mght be made
secure. If ever there we're could be conceivable
occasion, when this saving power OF the Constitution
Should be reeorted TO, il was now presented Engaged
in q war of the mos. tremendous magnitude Wsged by
ruthless foe, governed by no rules of humanity obey
ing no lass Of war, occupying large portion Of
territory speaking language, and having thus
extraordinary facilities for insinuatng spies and emissI
saries among Us; our capital pae ally tesieged for
three years and the cannon OF the enemy from day to
day Sounding in our sit here yet told
that it ia most dangerous president and criminal
abuse Of the legislative ions, to have brought into
play the provision Of the Constitution, designed II for
auything 20 meet with its wholesome and restraining
remedies just such condition of affairs.
Mr. had not the honor of membership in the last
Congress but IT, at bis period of fe now vergng upon
the boundaries Of existence he could envy any one it
would be the members Of that Congress destined to take
rank in history among the most important deberatvs
bodies to whom the desnies of psople were ever en-
trusted. Not having had toe honor occupying seat
in this hall as member Of Congress- he hr Riges knew
of meSbers IN voting for the suspension of the acs-
He admired them the for their exhibition OF ma,
iearlessnees in meeting the crisis. He believed tbs
Confederscy and Richmond particularly indeL ted
fr their deverance from the foe In no meagre measure
to the safeguards thrown around the Government by
the suspending act. Since be had entered ths hall az
member he had felt it his duty tonvesgate the reasons
which led to the Adoption OF the suspendng act. He
had read the act some of the documents relating
thereto with pleasure and ed6oaton and he would say
that they made out complete case. The facts un
doubtedly proved that state of affairs existed which
fully justified the President Ia recommending tempo
rAy suspension Of the The act itself ind Gated the
existence of those CAUSES when 1t enumerated the of
fences it was designed to prevent or punish. Among
these reasonable correspondence with the enemy
-inciting to servile nsurrectonreleass of prisoners
OF War-Spies and emssaries, daring 80 venture even
into this citadel Of the national fe Even the vote.
aboul three fOurths against onefourth SO to 20. by
which the Representatives. under their solemn respsi.
bity to their constituents and their conscleuces de-
cAred that the pubic safety required the suspension Of
the act was cogent reason for aequlescing in their
decision.
Nor in the provisions and details Of the suspendnE
act vas here nythng to excite alarm. As little as
possible was left to the discretion Of the President HIS
powers restrained within narrow aud igd limtA-
tons. There but thirteen ofsnces in regard 20
which the priSi9g va. withheld, and these on exAni-
LaaOn, would be found to reduce themselves 70 six r