The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1908-08-11
A TALE OF CONGRESS-
IN YE OLDEN DAYS


the sun, even in congress according
to tale which comes to us, with its
quaint touch of other days, from the
Journal of the Continental Congress.
now issuing from the Congressional
Library. Very lately it was La
Toilette conducting filibuster
One hundred and thirty years ago it
was Thomas Burke, of North Caro-
lima and for time he was assisted
1 by Edward Langworthy. of Georgia.
1t happened upon that occasion
/ that at 10 o'clock on the evening OF
! April 10, 177S, the Continental Con-
gress took into consideration the
draft of letter in answer to General
George Washington letter of the
4th, and some progress being made
therein, a motion was made to ad-
journ, it being 10 o'clock.
While the roll of states was being
called Mr.: Burke declared, after he
had voted for adjournment. that he
would upon his honor adjourn
himself, no matter what the others
did: and he Immediately withdrew.
by which means congress could not
proceed to business. The delegate
from Georgia, Mr.. Langworthy, also
withdrew Then a messenger was
dispatched to find the absent mem
bers, "and to desire them to attend
congress.
Soon after the messenger returned,
and reported That he had delivered
the message of congress to the men,
bers. That Mr. Langworthy replied
he would return presently. That Mr..
Burke replied Devil take him If he
would come: ii was too late and too
unreasonable A few moments later
Mr. Langworthy turned up and de-
clared that when he withdrew he
thought congress was adjourned.
After this We no longer hear any
thing of Mr.. Langworthy; but the
representative from North Carolina
fills some pages of the Journal.
would Not Submit to Tyranny"
1t appears that when the delegates
of the continental congress assembled
on the following day the journal was
read and approved, and it was order
ed that Mr. Burke be furnished with
copy of the minutes relative to the
manner in which congress was last
evening prevented from proceeding
on business, and that he be allowed
until Monday next to answer" At
this the bellicose North Carolinian
took the floor and insisted, That he
will not submit to the tyranny of
the majority of this congress. which
would keep him here at unreason-
able hours; that he wished to know
the power of congress over their
/ mo hn will aftand a
times he thinks reasonable, but Will
not attend at times he thinks I'M
reasonable, unless by force on his
/ person.
He did not deny the answer re-
ported by the messenger but he
claimed that since on the preceding
evening the members had ceased to
/ be body, he was guilty of no
/ rudeness to congress, and If he was
guilty of an affront it was to in
dividual members, and required
another kind of apology; that he was
not convinced that he had done any
. wrong; was not disposed to make any
kind of an apology; and If he had
1 been guilty of improper behavior he
would answer to the state. Also
that he was yesterday evening unwell
and not able to attend without pre-
JUDGE to his health.
Investigated BY "A Committee.
That did not settle thematter, for
Mr.. Bprke, evidently still troubled
about the matter, took the floor later
in the afternoon of the same day and
said: I do believe that the gentle
man from New York civilian Duer)
and others are in a combination
against me in this business" He
was sharply called TO order for this
outburst. Then he made speech
setting forth his rights and obliga-
tions. These words being recorded,
and road by the president. the mem
her from North Carolina admitted
that they were truly taken down:
THAT 1t is criminal in members of
congress to withhold their attendance
when the public safety requires it,
but that they are to be judged and
punished by laws OF the state they
represent, and no other power.
THESE sentiments, however ex-
pressed, / avow, and as to the langu-
age, know no obligation I am I'M