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DEC. 8, 9, 1830.]

President's Message.

[H. OF R.

The journal of yesterday having been read, the mem- So the House agreed that the standing committees bers elected since the last session were sworn in. should now be appointed. [They will be appointed by Messages were then interchanged between the two the Speaker, and probably reported to the House toHouses, that they were respectively ready to proceed to morrow.] business.

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE.

A committee was then appointed, to join such committee as should be appointed on the part of the Senate to On motion of Mr. HOFFMAN, the House then resolved wait upon the President, and inform him that the two itself into a Committee of the Whole on the state of the Houses were formed, and ready to receive any communi- Union, Mr. WICKLIFFE in the chair. cation which he might have to make.

Mr. HOFFMAN moved resolutions referring the vaSoon after which, Mr. HAYNES reported that the com-rious subjects of the President's message to different mittee had performed the duty assigned to them.

On motion of Mr. TAYLOR, of New York, it was determined that two chaplains should be appointed, as usual, of different denominations, to interchange weekly between the two Houses.

The message of the President of the United States was then brought in by his private Secretary, Mr. Donelson, read, and ordered to be printed-referred to a Committee of the Whole on the state of the Union. [The message and accompanying documents will be found in the Appendix.]

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8.

Mr. J. W. TAYLOR submitted the following resolution: "Resolved, That the standing committees be now ap; pointed, pursuant to the rules and orders of the House." Mr. HOFFMAN remarked, that the Speaker did not arrive until yesterday; that he had been, and still was, laboring under a painful indisposition; and he, therefore, moved that the resolve lie on the table, to allow him

further time to make a selection of the committees.

Mr. TAYLOR hoped that his colleague would withdraw his motion for the present, to give him an opportunity to explain the reasons which had induced him to offer the resolution.

Mr. H. having withdrawn his motion,

Mr. TAYLOR observed, that yesterday the message of the President had been referred to a Committee of the

standing and select committees.

Some conversation then took place between Messrs. STRONG, HOFFMAN, WAYNE, and VANCE, as to the propriety of referring some of the subjects above noticed to a standing or select committee, when the Chairman suggested that the better mode would be to take the question on each resolution separately.

The first and second resolutions were adopted without objection.

The third resolution being read as follows, viz:

"Resolved, That so much of the said message as relates to the subscribing to the stock of private companies for internal improvement; and so much of the said message as relates to the distribution among the several States of the referred to a select committee." surplus revenue, after the payment of the public debt, be

the resolution to be distinct, and to depend on different Mr. STRONG considering the two subjects involved in principles, moved a division of the question, so as to refer the first clause to a select committee; and the last clause

also to another select committee.

Mr. HOFFMAN, professing a willingness to separate sired it, the subjects if his colleague moved, and the House deThe motion of Mr. STRONG was agreed to, and the subjects referred to distinct select committees. The sixth resolution being read as follows: "Resolved, That so much of the said message as relatès Whole House on the state of the Union, and he supposed tion, the Bank of the United States, and the organization to the public debt, the revenue, its security, and collecthe House would this day resolve itself into a Committee of a bank founded on public and individual deposites, be of the Whole on the message of the President. Before going into committee, the standing committees must be appointed; for the Committee of the Whole would come to no resolutions for referring the different subjects contained in the message until the standing committees were appointed. If, however, it was the wish of the Speaker to defer the appointment of the standing committees of the House, he certainly should not object to it.

Mr. HOFFMAN entirely concurred with his colleague as to the propriety of appointing the standing committees before taking up the message for distribution to committees, but again referred to the short time the Speaker had been in the city, and his late severe and continued illness. Mr. H. concluded by again moving that the resolution lie on the table.

After a few words from the SPEAKER, intimating that he had the physical power to make the appointments, but that he had not yet received a list of the members who had taken their seats,

The question was put on the motion of Mr. HOFFMAN, and decided in the affirmative.

And the House adjourned.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9.

referred to the Committee of Ways and Means."
striking out the words "the Bank of the United States,
Mr. WAYNE moved to amend the said resolution, by
and the organization of a bank founded on public and in-
dividual deposites," and at the end of the said resolution
to add the following:

"And that so much of the said message as refers to the bank as a branch of the Treasury Department, be referred Bank of the United States, and to the organization of a

to a select committee."

that the sense of the committee should first be had on Mr. TAYLOR moved for a division of the question, so striking out.

The motion was agreed to; and,

The question being put by the CHAIR,

It was decided in the negative--only fifty-four rising in favor of striking out.

The remainder of the resolutions were then severally agreed to.

The committee then rose, and reported the resolutions as amended to the House.

The question being stated from the CHAIR to agree to the resolutions, as amended in committee, Mr. WAYNE moved that the question be put on agree

Mr. TAYLOR moved that the House do now proceeding to all but the sixth. to the consideration of the resolution yesterday submitted

No objection being made, the question was so taken, by him for the appointment of the standing committees of and all the resolutions were agreed to by the House, with the House; and the question being taken thereon, It was decided in the affirmative.

the exception of the sixth.

Mr. WAYNE now renewed the motion which he had

The question was then put on the adoption of the reso-made in Committee of the Whole.

lution, and it was agreed to.

Mr. WAYNE, in supporting this motion, apologized for

H. OF R.]

President's Message.

[DEC. 9, 1830.

troubling the House with a remark or two on this topic, should have no objections to the amendment proposed by at so early a period of the session. The first communi- the gentleman from Georgia, [Mr. WAYNE;] but when it cation made to Congress by the present Executive, (at the was considered that, by the rules of the House, the report last session,) intimated a doubt in his mind as to the pro- made at the last session by the Committee of Ways and priety of rechartering the existing Bank of the United Means was continued as a part of the business of the preStates. The portion of his message on this subject had sent session, that fact, he thought, furnished an objection been referred to the Committee of Ways and Means, who against the sending of the same subject to a select comsubmitted to the House a report, in which they exhibited mittee. Such a measure would amount, in substance, to at great length their views, which were opposed to those sending the report of one of the standing committees of expressed by the President. Should the present portion this House to be reviewed by a select committee. Would of his message be referred to the same committee, unless this be respectful? Would it be treating the Committee some great and unexpected change had taken place in of Ways and Means with that deference which was due to their opinions since the last session, the subject would be them, to take their report, (whether it was before the met by men whose minds were already made up, whose House, or had been referred to a Committee of the Whole sentiments had been publicly expressed, and who, there- House on the state of the Union, or a Committee of the fore, could not be expected to give it that fair and un- Whole,) and send it to a select committee? What direcbiassed consideration which its great importance demanded. tion had been given to the report of last session, he had The importance of the question touching the bank must been unable to ascertain, the means not being at this time be acknowledged by every one, as well as its agitating within reach of the officers of the House; but, whatever effect on the public mind, throughout every portion of the it had been, the report was a part of the business of the Union. He conceived it as only respectful to the Presi-House continued over from last session, and was to be dent, when such a subject was by him officially recom-viewed in all respects the same as if it had been rendered mended to the attention of Congress, to place it in such at the present session. And he put it to the House whether an attitude as should secure to it a calm investigation by it would be proper to send a report now made by one compersons who had not prejudged it. Mr. W. said he should mittee of the House, and submit it to another? not disguise the fact that his own views in relation to the rechartering of the present bank were such as would induce him to vote against it in every event; but what he wished at present was, that the House might ascertain whether it was practicable or not to organize an institution resting on the funds of the country, which, while it secured all the advantages intended to be attained by the existing bank, should avoid the dangers with which that establishment was by many conceived to be fraught. The inclination of his own mind was to the opinion that this was practicable; but he desired, at all events, that the question should be submitted to those who would go to its discussion untrammelled by any previous judgment. It was not from any feeling of hostility to the bank that he was induced to desire this, but from a wish for fairness in the treatment of the subject itself, and from respect to a communication made to Congress by the Chief Magistrate.

[The CHAIR here stated that he was informed by the Clerk that the report of the Committee of Ways and Means was at the last session laid on the table of the House.]

Mr. TAYLOR said, if that were the case, could any one disapprove an arrangement which would eventuate in sending the subject to a Committee of the Whole on the state of the Union, that it might there receive the fullest examination that any of its advocates could desire? He suggested to the House, therefore, that the course in the original motion was evidently the proper one.

Mr. HOFFMAN, of New York, said that, in making the motion he had done in reference to this clause of the President's message, he had not intended to express either approbation, or the contrary, as to the reasoning or the statement of facts it contained; nor had he supposed that his motion involved the slightest disrespect towards the Executive. He had been led to propose the disposition to be given to the subject, from no friendship or hostility to the present Bank of the United States: no expression of opinion on that subject was now called for.

[The CHAIR observed that the merits of the measure proposed in the message were not before the House, but simply a question as to the proper committee to whom it was to go.]

Mr. CHILTON, of Kentucky, said, that whilst he had, he trusted, a proper regard for the President of the United States, he had some regard also for the committee to whom it was proposed to refer this subject. He did not himself feel any particular interest in this matter, either for or against the bank. But, at the last session of Congress, a very able report upon the subject had been Mr. H. resumed, and said that he had made the foremade by the Committee of Ways and Means, which he had going observations expressly for the purpose of doing no doubt placed the subject in as fair a point of view as it away any inference, from his motion, of his personal could be placed by a select or any other committee. He friendship or hostility toward the bank as now organized. had heard no sufficient reason why the subject should now That subject had always, heretofore, been referred to the be taken out of the hands of that committee. As this standing committee of the House having cognizance of the subject, moreover, had been heretofore referred to the finances of the country. He could not bring himself to Committee of Ways and Means, to give it a different di- believe that the opinions of the gentlemen forming that rection now, would be to cast a reflection on that highly committee were so irrevocably fixed, as not to remain respectable committee, at the head of which stands a gen- open to the developments of time and the influence of tleman whose character for firmness on the one hand, and sound reasoning. Could he suppose this, he should cerintegrity and abilities on the other, could not be question-tainly be in favor of referring the subject to some comed. Mr. C. was therefore opposed to the amendment. mittee which should be differently constituted. It was

Mr. CONDICT, of New Jersey, desired that the ques-indifferent to him what might be the disposition made by tion on Mr. WAYNE's amendment should be taken by yeas the House of this part of the message. If it was referred and nays, and it was ordered accordingly to be so taken. to a select committee, he hoped that such a committee Mr. DAVIS, of South Carolina, proposed to amend the would be selected as would be perfectly competent to the amendment, so as to strike out the latter clause, and refer consideration of the matter; and if it was referred to the simply the question concerning the present bank, without Committee of Ways and Means, he trusted that they would the establishment of a substitute for it, to the considera- consider it dispassionately, and without prejudice. Either tion of a select committee. course would secure, he doubted not, a full and able investigation.

This motion was negatived.

Mr. TAYLOR, of New York, said that, if the subject

Mr. WAYNE again rose. It was, he said, from no want referred to in the message had been entirely new, he of respect to the Committee of Ways and Means that he

DEC. 10 to 13, 1830.]

Judge Peck.

[H. of R.

tion was before the people-it was a question for the nation to decide. In this House, it was not fairly presented as a subject of inquiry until the bank should apply for a new charter; when that time arrived, Mr. C. said he should be for sending it to a select committee; but at present the whole matter was premature.

The question was then taken on the motion of Mr. WAYNE, and decided in the negative, by yeas and nays,

had been induced to desire that this important subject fact, the property of the whole nation. As such, the quesshould be referred to a select committee. He again insisted, that when the subject of a national bank had been a second time, and in a more explicit and particular manner, recommended to the consideration of the House, it would not be respectful to the Chief Magistrate to send it back to a committee who had made up their opinion in opposition to that intimated by the Executive. He had not the least doubt that if the light of truth could be made manifest to them, the minds of those gentlemen were as follows: open to conviction on this as on every other subject; but YEAS.--Messrs. Alexander, Allen, 'Angel, Barnwell, all knew that truth was often difficult of access, and some-Baylor, Bell, James Blair, John Blair, Boon, Borst, Brodtimes not less difficult to be received, and this acknow-head, Carson, Chandler, Claiborne, Clay, Coke, Conner, ledgment involved no imputation whatever on the upright- Daniel, Davenport, Warren R. Davis, Earll, Findlay, ness of that committee. He had another reason for wishing Ford, Foster, Fry, Gaither, Gordon, Hall, Halsey, Hamthe amendment to prevail; it was not to be expected that, mons, Haynes, Hinds, Leonard Jarvis, Cave Johnson, unless the question was submitted to a few minds which Kennon, Perkins King, Lamar, Lea, Leavitt, Lecompte, felt a strong interest in regard to it, it would be examined Lewis, Loyall, Lumpkin, Thomas Maxwell, Monell, Norwith that application and industry which were indispensa- ton, Nuckolls, Pettis, Polk, Potter, Powers, Rencher, ble to the full development of the subject. The sugges- Roane, Sanford, Scott, Augustine H. Shepperd, Shields, tion of the President involved a reference to the amount Standefer, Taliaferro, Wiley Thompson, John Thomson, and places of deposite, their effect upon commerce, &c. Trezvant, Tucker, Wayne, Weeks, Wickliffe, Yancey.&c. which could not be gone into at large unless by a com- 67.

mittee specially devoted to the subject. If the House NAYS.-Messrs. Alston, Anderson, Arnold, Bailey, approached the investigation through its Committee of Barber, Barringer, Bartley, Beekman, Bockee, Brown, Ways and Means, could it expect as full and detailed a re- Buchanan, Butman, Cahoon, Cambreleng, Chilton, Clark, port as if by a select committee, whose views corresponded Coleman, Condict, Cooper, Cowles, Craig, Crane, Crawwith those of the President? He knew that gentlemen ford, Creighton, Crocheron, Denny, Dickinson, Draper, would object to his proposition; that the reference to a Drayton, Dudley, Duncan, Eager, Ellsworth, G. Evans, J. select committee would excite a belief in the community Evans, H. Everett, Finch, Gilmore, Gorham, Green, Grenthat the United States' Bank was not to be rechartered, nell, Harvey, Hemphill, Hodges, Hoffman, Holland, Howand thus greatly depress the price of bank stock. Admit ard, Hughes, Hunt, Huntington, Ingersoll, Irwin, Irvin, that such might be the effect, was this a valid objection? Jennings, Johns, Kendall, Kincaid, A. King, Lent, LetchWas the House bound to preclude inquiry on a most im-er, Lyon, Magee, Mallary, Marr, Martindale, Lewis Maxportant subject, from a fear that the discussion might well, McCreery, McIntire, Mercer, Miller, Mitchell, affect the price of stocks? Suppose the question should Muhlenberg, Overton, Patton, Pearce, Pierson, Randolph, be deferred, it must come up at last; and would it not Reed, Richardson, Rose, Russel, William B. Shepard, affect stock then as much as now? Mr. W. said, when Semmes,, Sill, Smith, Speight, Ambrose Spencer, Sprigg, the question came up on rechartering the bank as now Stanbery, Sterigere, Storrs, Strong, Sutherland, Swann, organized, he should vote against it, because its benefits Swift, Taylor, Tracy, Vance, Varnum, Verplanck, Vinenured to individuals and not to the Government, who ton, Washington, Whittlesey, Edward D. White, Wilmight by means of such an institution contribute to relieve liams, Wilson, Wingate, Young.-108. the people of the Union from unjust taxation to the amount perhaps of millions annually. He should, however, abstain from entering upon the merits of the main question at this time. He was aware that it would not be in order to touch upon them. He had had the honor of offering a resolution on the same subject at the last session, and should renew it at the present session. His only motive then, as now, had been to promote an inquiry after truth. He believed that the appointment of a select committee would elicit a mass of facts which it was desirable to obtain, and which would not otherwise come before the House, tending to show whether the measure proposed by the Executive were practicable or not.

So the House refused to amend the resolution, and the resolution, as reported by the Committee of the Whole, was agreed to.

The House then adjourned.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10.

After the reception of a great number of petitions and resolutions:

On motion of Mr. BUCHANAN, in order to give time for the House to make the preliminary arrangements for the trial of Judge Peck, which commences in the Senate chamber at 12 o'clock on Monday next, the House agreed to meet at 11 o'clock on that day.

And then the House adjourned.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 13.
JUDGE PECK.

Mr. CAMBRELENG, of New York, said that if the yeas and nays had not been ordered on this subject, he should not have risen. He was opposed to the amendment of the gentleman from Georgia, because he viewed the whole question as premature at this time. When the proper time arrived for its consideration, he should certainly be in favor of referring it to a select committee. Mr. BUCHANAN, on behalf of the managers appointIt had been so referred when the bank petitioned for a ed to conduct the impeachment against Judge James H. renewal of its charter. He had the greatest respect for Peck, submitted the following report, which was agreed the gentleman at the head of the Committee of Ways and to: Means, [Mr. McDUFFIE,] but he thought the subject ought The Committee of Managers appointed by the House never to come before the House until the bank should of Representatives to conduct the impeachment against again appear as a petitioner for the renewal of its charter. James H. Peck, Judge of the district court of the United The President, in presenting his message to Congress, States for the district of Missouri, report, that they have had glanced his eye over the whole interests of the coun- had under consideration the answer of Judge Peck to the try, and had, very properly, given to the House his views article of impeachment exhibited against him by the of a great and weighty question of public policy. It was House, and recommend the adoption of the following rea question which involved the circulating medium, and, in plication thereto:

VOL. VII.--23

H. or R.]

Duties on Sugar.—United States and Denmark. -Election of Chaplain.

REPLICATION

By the House of Representatives of the United States to the answer and plea of James H. Peck, Judge of the district court of the United States for the district of Missouri, to the article of impeachment exhibited against him by the said House of Representatives.

The House of Representatives of the United States. having considered the answer and plea of James H. Peck, Judge of the district court of the United States for the district of Missouri, to the article of impeachment against him by them exhibited, in the name of themselves and of all the people of the United States, reply, that the said James H. Peck is guilty in such manner as he stands impeached; and that the House of Representatives will be ready to prove their charges against him at such convenient time and place as shall be appointed for that purpose.

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PHILADELPHIA, December 7, 1830. Resolved, That the foregoing replication be put in to the SIR: You will receive with this letter a silken flag, answer and plea of the aforesaid James H. Peck, on be-bearing the colors of the United States. This flag is made half of this House; and that the managers be instructed to entirely of American silk, reeled from the cocoons, premaintain the said replication at the bar of the Senate, at pared and woven by Mr. John D'Homergue, silk manusuch time as shall be appointed by the Senate.

DUTIES ON SUGAR.

Mr. HAYNES, of Georgia, submitted the following resolution:

Resolved, That the Committee of Ways and Means be instructed to inquire into the expediency of repealing the duties on sugar imported from foreign countries into the United States.

Mr. SUTHERLAND required that the question be taken upon the consideration of the resolution; and Mr. WILLIAMS demand the yeas and nays on the question, They were ordered by the House, and, being taken, stood

as follows:

facturer. The coloring has been done by the best artist he could procure in the city of Philadelphia, he himself not professing to be a dyer.

The staff of this flag, with the eagle, measures about fifteen feet; the flag itself is twelve feet and a half long, and six feet wide. It is woven all in one piece, without a

seam.

I beg, sir, you will be so good as to present this flag, most respectfully, in my name, to the honorable House over which you preside, as a sample of American industry, thus applied, for the first time, to the most valuable of American productions; and as a result of the efforts they have made during the last five years for the promotion of the important branch of agriculture to which we owe the rich material of which this flag is composed. I have the honor to be, with the highest respect, sir, your most obedient and most humble servant, PETER S. DUPONCEAU.

Hon. ANDREW STEVENSON,

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

YEAS.-Messrs. Alexander, Alston, Anderson, Angel, Archer, Armstrong, Barbour, Barnwell, Barringer, Baylor, Bell, James Blair, John Blair, Boon, Brodhead, Brown, Cambreleng, Campbell, Carson, Claiborne, Clay, Coke, Conner, Craig, Crocheron, Warren R. Davis, Desha, De Witt, Draper, Drayton, Dudley, Earll, Gaither, Gordon, Hall, Halsey, Hammons, Harvey, Haynes, Hinds, Holland, Hoffman, Hubbard, Jarvis, Jennings, Cave John- A message was received from the Senate, informing the son, Lamar, Lea, Lecompte, Lent, Lewis, Loyall, Lump- House that they were in their public chamber, and ready kin, Thomas Maxwell, McDuffie, McIntire, Mitchell, to proceed on the trial of the impeachment of James H. Monell, Nuckolls, Patton, Pettis, Polk, Potter, Powers, Peck: and that seats were provided for the accommodation Rencher, Roane, Sanford, William B. Shepard, Augustine of the members of the House. H. Shepperd, Shields, Speight, Richard Spencer, Stanbery, Standefer, Taliaferro, Wiley Thompson, Tucker, Verplanck, Wayne, Weeks, Campbell P. White, Williams, Wilson.-83.

Whereupon, Mr. BUCHANAN submitted the following resolution; which was carried, nem. con.

Resolved, That a message be sent to the Senate to inform them that this House have agreed to a replication, NAYS.-Messrs. Arnold, Bailey, Barber, Bartley, Bates, on their part, to the answer and plea of James H. Peck, Beekman, Bockee, Borst, Buchanan, Butman, Cahoon, Judge of the district court of the United States for the Clark, Coleman, Condict, Cooper, Coulter, Cowles, district of Missouri, to the article of impeachment exhiCrane, Crawford, Creighton, Crowninshield, Daniel, Den-bited to the Senate against him by this House, and have ny, Dickinson, Doddridge, Duncan, Dwight, Eager, Ells- directed the managers appointed to conduct the said imworth, George Evans, Horace Everett, Findlay, Finch, peachment to carry the said replication to the Senate, and Ford, Forward, Fry, Gilmore, Green, Grennell, Gurley, to maintain the same at the bar of the Senate, at such time Hawkins, Hemphill, Hodges, Howard, Hughes, Hunt, as shall be appointed by the Senate. Huntington, Ihrie, Ingersoll, Irwin, Irvin, Richard M. Johnson, Kendall, Kennon, Kincaid, Perkins King, Adam King, Leavitt, Lyon, Magee, Mallary, Marr, Martindale, Lewis Maxwell, McCreery, Miller, Muhlenberg, Overton, Pearce, Pierson, Ramsey, Reed, Richardson, Rose, Russel, Scott, Sill, Smith, Ambrose Spencer, Sprigg, Sterigere, Stephens, Storrs, Strong, Sutherland, Swann, Swift, Taylor, John Thomson, Tracy, Vance, Varnum, Vinton, Washington, Whittlesey, Edward D. White, Wickliffe, Yancey, Young. --99.

So the House refused to consider the resolution.

UNITED STATES AND DENMARK.

The SPEAKER laid before the House the following message from the President of the United States:

ELECTION OF CHAPLAIN.

Mr. TAYLOR moved that the House do now proceed to the election of a chaplain; which motion was agreed to. Messrs. ARCHER, WHITTLESEY, and FORWARD were appointed tellers: whereupon,

Mr. ARCHER nominated the reverend Mr. Post; Mr.
FORWARD nominated the reverend Mr. Thomas; Mr.
WHITTLESEY nominated the reverend Mr. Gurley;
and Mr. HUBBARD nominated the reverend Mr. Palfrey.

On counting the first ballot, it appeared that 180 votes
were given in--necessary to a choice 91: of which Mr.
Post received 83; Mr. Gurley, 46; Mr. Palfrey, 34; Mr.
Thomas, 12; and there were five blank votes.
After two other ineffectual ballotings,

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On the fourth ballot there were 170 votes--necessary to a choice, 86: Mr. Gurley received 91; Mr. Post, 75; and there were four scattering.

So the reverend Ralph R. Gurley was duly elected Chaplain on the part of the House of Representatives for the present session.

Mr. JOHNSON, of Kentucky, remarked that there was a difference of opinion, at least in his quarter of the House, as to the order which should be taken in attending the trial of Judge Peck, in the Senate of the United States. Some were of opinion that the House should attend in a body; others thought that it would only be necessary for the managers on the part of the House to attend during the trial. At the last session, said Mr. J., the House were in attendance; and it was thought by many members that the same course would be pursued at this session. wished, for his own part, to have a correct understanding of the subject, and he would thank the Chair to give to the House his opinion as to the course that should be pursued. The SPEAKER stated that the resolution of the House at the last session was confined to its attendance before the court of impeachment for a single day. The Clerk,

however, would read the resolution.

He

[The resolution having been read, which was, in effect, that the House would in a body attend in the Senate chamber for a certain day, to support the charges against Judge

Peck]-

[H. OF R.

rum, how much soever he wished the public business attended to, he would prefer that the House itself should conduct the impeachment.

Mr. J. was about to proceed, when the SPEAKER reminded him that there was no proposition before the House, and suggested the propriety of his submitting a resolution on the subject.

Mr. J. declining to make any distinct motion at this time,
Adjourned.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14.

SUNDAY MAILS.

A memorial was presented by Mr. COULTER, on the subject of Sunday mails--recommending that the mail should be discontinued on the sabbath. On its presentation, he moved its reference to the Committee on the Post

Office.

the direction moved by the gentleman who presented it. Mr. JOHNSON, of Ky., objected to giving the petition He observed, that if the authors of the petition had an advocate or advocates on this floor, he was perfectly willing that the report formerly made by the Post Office called up. Let the House hear what gentlemen had to committee on the general subject should at any time be say on a subject which he had always thought, and would now say, ought never to have been brought into the Hall Mr. BUCHANAN rose, and observed, that there seem-in favor of Congress interfering with religious consideraof Congress. He was desirous to hear what could be said ed to be a misunderstanding upon the subject. With the tions. The committee had acted on the subject, and it permission of the House he would state the course that would not do so again, unless compelled to do so by an had been pursued by the managers. They had examined all the precedents which had occurred in this country, to from Pennsylvania [Mr. COULTER] would acquiesce in the express order of the House. He hoped the gentleman guide them to a correct performance of their duty. It was motion which he would now make, that the petition be ascertained that, since the adoption of the present consti- laid upon the table, or, rather, that it be referred to a tution, there had been three impeachments, viz. those of Committee of the Whole on the state of the Union; and Messrs. Blount, and Pickering, and Judge Chase. On he made that motion. the trial of the two first, the House did not attend in a

body, but left it to the managers to conduct the impeach-direction should be given to the petition. He had always Mr. COULTER said that he felt very indifferent what ment; on the trial of Judge Chase, they did attend every considered it proper, when the House was addressed in a day. It not being considered by the managers of the pend-decorous manner, on any subject proper for legislation, ing trial that any principle so important as to interrupt the to give the petition a respectful consideration. In the legislative business of the House was involved in the pre-present case, as the course indicated by the chairman of sent case, they had gone to the Senate this day, as mana-the Post Office committee was likely to effect the very gers, and presented to that body the replication agreed object which the petitioners had in view, viz. to have the upon by the House. Mr. B. further remarked, that he subject discussed, and obtain some action of Congress in had consulted the English precedents. On the trial of relation to it, he was entirely willing it should be adopted. Warren Hastings, the House of Commons attended at the He had made a different motion, only out of the courtesy commencement of the trial, but they did not continue to which he supposed due to the Post Office committee, and do so. On the trial of the Earl of Macclesfield, they did in compliance with the custom of the House. He had no not attend until his conviction by the House of Lords; and doubt that the honorable chairman of the Post Office then they attended in consequence of a message having committee was both competent and willing to meet the been sent them by that body, that they were ready to pro-discussion, which it was the object of the prayer of the nounce judgment on the impeached, if the House of Com-petitioners to invite. If they had an advocate in the

mons would attend and demand it.

House, that advocate would doubtless avail himself of the

Mr. B. would not advocate the attendance or non-at-privilege of debating the question without being specially tendance of the House at the trial which was to take place. invited so to do by any one. Mr. C. said it was not his He had felt it to be his duty to state the course which had purpose to avow himself as their champion, as he did not been pursued on previous occasions of impeachment, and feel himself pledged to any particular course in the matwhat had been done by the managers in the present case, ter; he should endeavor, on this as on other occasions, and to state that his sole object was to do that which would to do what he considered his duty to his constituents best please the House. No motion having been made this demanded. If that duty led him to advocate the cause of morning on the subject, the managers had felt it to be their these petitioners, he should be ready, in so doing, to imperative duty to attend at the bar of the Senate, and meet even the gentleman from Kentucky. present the replication which had been agreed upon. Mr. JOHNSON, of Kentucky, said, that one great ob-gesting that there was no proposition before the House, Mr. JOHNSON again rose, but the SPEAKER sugject of his rising had been to obtain from the managers an the petition was referred to the Committee of the Whole explanation of the course which they had taken. For his on the state of the Union, by the acquiescence of the part, he wanted to go on with the public business. recollected, however, the great debate in the Senate at the last session, and that it was nearly impossible to retain a quorum of the House; if it were probable such would be the case on the present occasion, and the House should be compelled to adjourn from day to day for want of a quo

He

mover.

other committee; which was assented to.
Mr. HAYNES moved the reference of a petition to an-

THE TARIFF.

Mr. BARRINGER submitted the following resolution:

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