Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856, Vol. 3 (of 16)United States. Congress
History
Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856, Vol. 3 (of 16)
United States. Congress
Law -- United States; United States -- Politics and government
_Resolved_, That a committee be appointed to inquire into the
official conduct of Samuel Chase, one of the associate justices
of the Supreme Court of the United States, and of Richard
Peters, district judge of the district of Pennsylvania, and to
report their opinion whether the said Samuel Chase and Richard
Peters, or either of them, have so acted, in their judicial
capacity, as to require the interposition of the constitutional
power of this House.
Mr. SPEAKER stated the question, that the House do agree to the
said motion, as so amended, when an adjournment was called for and
carried--yeas 61, nays 43.
SATURDAY, January 7.
Mr. NICHOLSON, from the committee appointed on the memorial of Alexander
Moultrie, agent for the South Carolina Yazoo Company, and of William
Cowan, agent of the Virginia Yazoo Company, made a report, going
considerably into detail, and concluding with a resolution adverse to the
prayer of the memorialist. Referred to a Committee of the Whole on Monday.
_Official Conduct of Judge Chase._
The House resumed the consideration of the question depending yesterday,
at the time of adjournment, “that the House do agree to the motion of
the fifth instant, as amended by the House, for the appointment of a
committee to inquire into the official conduct of Samuel Chase, one of
the associate justices of the Supreme Court of the United States, and of
Richard Peters, district judge of the district of Pennsylvania.”
Mr. J. RANDOLPH expressed his regret that the attempt which he had
made yesterday to reply to the very personal allusions of a gentleman
from Connecticut, (Mr. GRISWOLD,) whom he was sorry not to see in his
place, had, by the adjournment, proved abortive. Such was his regard
for the opinions of the House, that he should always, when called upon
from a respectable quarter, justify any conduct which he deemed it
proper to pursue in its deliberations. He felt it due to the respect in
which he held the Chair and those around it, to reply to the remarks
of the gentleman from Connecticut, and this consideration alone could
have induced him to offer any thing in addition to what he had already
advanced in favor of the motion. He should otherwise have left the
resolution to its fate. In that fate he did not feel himself personally
implicated. If it should be rejected, he would be satisfied in having
done his duty, and the House, he supposed, would feel equally satisfied
in having discharged theirs. It was asked, where was the mover of this
resolution at the time when the alleged misconduct took place? Did it
not, said the gentleman, pass under their own eyes? Were not their
deliberations held on the very spot? and why had the motion slept until
this day? He hoped he should be permitted to say that it did not pass
under his eyes; although he knew, at the time of the condemnation in
question, he did not become acquainted with the circumstances under
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