Thirty Years' View (Vol. 2 of 2): or, A History of the Working of the American Government for Thirty Years, from 1820 to 1850Benton, Thomas Hart
History
Thirty Years' View (Vol. 2 of 2): or, A History of the Working of the American Government for Thirty Years, from 1820 to 1850
Benton, Thomas Hart
United States -- Politics and government -- 1815-1861
Many members rose, all addressing the Chair at the same time, and
many members leaving the hall, and a general scene of noise and
confusion prevailing. Mr. Rhett succeeded in raising his voice above
the roar of the tempest which raged in the House, and invited the
entire delegations from all the slave States to retire from the
hall forthwith, and meet in the committee room of the District of
Columbia. The Speaker again essayed to calm the House, and again
standing up in his place, he recapitulated his attempts to preserve
order, and vindicated the correctness of his own conduct--seemingly
impugned by many. What his personal feelings were on the subject
(he was from a slave State), might easily be conjectured. He
had endeavored to enforce the rules. Had it been in his power
to restrain the discussion, he should promptly have exercised
the power; but it was not. Mr. Slade, continuing, said the paper
which he wished to read was of the continental Congress of 1774.
The Speaker was about to put the question on leave, when Mr. Cost
Johnson, of Maryland, inquired whether it would be in order to force
the House to vote that the member from Vermont be not permitted to
proceed? The Speaker replied it would not. Then Mr. James J. McKay,
of North Carolina--a clear, coolheaded, sagacious man--interposed
the objection which headed Mr. Slade. There was a rule of the House,
that when a member was called to order, he should take his seat; and
if decided to be out of order, he should not be allowed to speak
again, except on the leave of the House. Mr. McKay judged this to be
a proper occasion for the enforcement of that rule; and stood up and
said:
"That the gentleman had been pronounced out of order in
discussing slavery in the States; and the rule declared that
when a member was so pronounced by the Chair, he should take
his seat, and if any one objected to his proceeding again, he
should not do so, unless by leave of the House. Mr. McKay did
now object to the gentleman from Vermont proceeding any farther."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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