The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-08-29
SHALL FILLIBUsTERING DEFEAT RE.
PEAI1

Until within the past few years debate
was practically unlimited IN both Houses
OF the English Parliament. Recently the
House OF Commons has felt itself COM
PEELED to adopt a rule Of procedure
which will allow It to end debate and
bring the question before the House to
vote.
Debate was unlimited In the House of
Representatives Of the United States
until the eleventh Congress qsio-l2). But
in that Congress Mr.. Gardner of New
York SO far abused the privileges by
making speeches running through day
after day that the House adopted the pre-
vious question By which debate could be
cut of and the vote brought on.
The Senate OF the United States has
never had any rule for limiting debate.
1t Is endless there Ii may be continued
as long as any member chooses to say
anything. however childish and absurd
his speaking may be. But the Senates
history contains an interesting incident
wherein II was once attempted TO put
a limit on debate then accompanied by
defeat OF the attempt
In is40 the Wings elected the President
and became masters also of both houses
OF Congress. The great measure Of the
day on which they came into power was
the recharter OF the United States bank.
TO press these measures forward, as soon
as Congress met the House OF Representa-
20
an hour. Under the operation Of this rule
and the previous question the House
very soon passed the bill TO recharter the
bark. MIR. Clay was the leader Of the
Whig party In the Senate and mis- towering
and commanding spirit could Ill brook the
delay OF an interminable debate Of the
measure In the senate He accordingly
brought forward proposition to put a
limit upon debate in the Senate. This
was met by the Democratic minority, in
Guiding John c. Calhoun. Tomas H.
Benton. Silas Wright, and a number OF
other very distinguished men, with the
most pointed and stubborn oposition
They claimed that the right to unlimited
debate was conferred upon members by
the constitution and that no rule of the
body could deprive members of it. SEN
ator Benton was put forward TO state
the grounds OF their claims. he said:
HE should consider such an attempt
as much a violation of the constitution,
and Of the privileges OF the chamber as
II would be for a military usurper to en-
and expel us from our seats.
With respect to debates senators have a
constitute nai right to speak; and while
they speak TO the subject before the
House there is no power anywhere to
stop them. 1t is constitutional right"
Mr.. Clay's motion was first for a limi-
tation upon the length OF speeches. but
that met with such opposition he changed
1t to a motion for the previous question
but that met with just the same resis-
lance. when. most Unexpectedly, ne
dropped the whole matter. In giving On
account OF the incident in the Goth chap
ter OF his End volume go years in the
Senate, Mr.. Benton says that the Demo
cratic Senators would have resisted 10 the
point OF physical violence upon the floor
OF the senate chamber. and that some OF
Mr.. Clay's followers. ascertalnng this
to be true. notified him that they could
not support him in extreme measures
whereupon to his great chsgrin no was
compelled to abandon the attempt. The
matter has stood where this incident lett
II frsu that DAY 10 taiA