Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1891-03-13

constitution, 1t adopted n series or rules
in which the previous question was to be
put directly, as in the British Parliament.
1t must be demanded by at least five
members, and each member was at liber-
ty to speak once ON the question of its
demand, and ''until the previous question
is decided it shall preclude all amend
ment and further debate of the main
question: ''unequivocally evincing,"
adds Mr.. CASTOR, 'that amendment and
further debate of the main question
might take place after decision of the pre-
vious question:" lie continued:
"And this, sir, was the clear, settled,
undertaking exposition of this rule for
upward of twenty years after its adop-
ton by this House. | will prove this
position by irrefragable testimony. In
the second session of the Third Congress
a resolution was moved that the Presi-
dent of the United States be requested
to cause an ascertainment to be made of
the losses sustained by the officers of
government and other citizens on their
property Gin consequence of their eXer-
tions in support of the laws by the in
surgents in the western counties of Penn
%slyvania.' Upon the resolution the pre-
vious question was called for by five
members, to wit, shall the main ques-
ton to agree to the said resolution
f be now putt 1t was resolved in the af-
/ firmativc-yeas -: nays 81. The said
resolution was then amended at the
clerks table, and the main question be-
, ing put, that the House do agree to the
= said resolution, amended to read as fol-
= ioweth
"Resolced, That the President of the
United States be requested to cause an
ascertainment to be made of the losses
sustained by the officers of government
and other citizens by the actual destruc-
t ton of their property Gin consequence of
| their eXertions in support of the laws
| by the insurgents in the western counties
/ of Pennsylvania, together with a repre-
sentation of the particular condition of
: the respective sufferers in relation to
= their ability to prosecute their several
/ claims and recover at law satisfaction
o from the insurgent aggressors.
e at was resolved in the affirmative.
G Here was amendment after a decision
e that the main question should now be
put"
Il Mr.. CASTOR cites another case which
=. occurred April >, l79S. The particulars
l. need not be given. After the adoption
+ of the previous question, the report con-
tinues:
d 'And then debate arising on the said
T. main question, an adjournment was called
II for, whereupon the several orders of the
d day were postponed and the House adj
$ iourned. On the second day the House
V resumed the consideration of the said
V man question: whereupon ordered, that
lie the further consideration he postponed
h until this day week."
Here the main question was not only
debated, but postponed, after a decision
that it should now be put.
j. Mr.. CASTOR stated that the first attempt
lie that was ever made to destroy the free
in dom of debate by a perversion of tn,
Y previous question occurred Dec. Il, 1907
it and he showed from the record that the
$ attempt met with signal rebuke. lie
D. said:
IF son IA motion for referring the memo
,e rial of sundry merchants of Philadelphi;
Is to "A committee of the whole House the
Is previous question was called for, ana OF
v being taken in the form prescribed
re Shall the main question he now put?' l
,e was resolved in the affirmative. Tn,
main question on the reference of thu
TO memorial then occurring, Mr.. Ely, on,
of the members from Massachusetts, ad
dressed the chair, and was proceeding il
q some remarks touching the merits of thu
said main question when Mr.. Speake.
(Mr. Joseph b. Varnum) called the mem
Der from Massachusetts to order. and de
10 cided as the opinion of the chair, tina
after the previous question is called TO
and answered in the affirmative 1t pre-
At cludes all debate on the main question
whereupon an appeal to the House from
q the decision of the chair was made by
n Mr.. Randolph, seconded by Mr.. Bib, anC
IN the said decision being again stated
40 that after the previous question is Gale,
r for and determined in the affirmative, i
O. precludes all debate on the main ques
nr tion, the question was taken thereon, tt
~ wit, is the said decision of the chair cor
q. rect:' and passed in the negative by yea
q. and nays-yeas, II; nays, l03. Thu
principle of freedom asserted in this de
H. cision was reasserted with equal solemn
e. ty and union of opinion in the next ses
ct sion OF Congress"
to Mr.. CASTOR recites the facts from tn,
s. Journal, but it suffices to say that, tn
ce previous question having been adopted
~ it was early in the next session-th
I'd question was raised whether further de