to lay on the table be agreed to, it carries the Bill with it.

Several SENATORS. No, no.

Mr. BENJAMIN. The question is whether, on the motion for leave to introduce the Bill, there shall be debate? The Chair has decided that there shall be no debate. Those who vote "yea" on my motion to lay the appeal of the Senator from Massachusetts on the table, will vote that there is to be no debate upon the permission to offer the Bill, and then the question will be taken upon granting leave.

Mr. WALKER. The Chair decides differently. The Chair decides, if I understand, that it will carry the Bill on the table. Then, how can we ever reach the question of leave when objection is made?

Mr. WELLER. I object to this discussion. The Chair will decide that question when it arises. It does not arise now. I insist that the Secretary shall go on and call the roll.

it.

Mr. WALKER.

Suppose some of us object to it? Mr. WELLER. Then I object to your discussing

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Chair, on reflection, thinks that the motion, if agreed to, would not have a further effect than to bring up the question of granting leave.

Mr. BRIGHT. I desire to understand the Chair. I do not wish to insist on anything that is not right, or that is not within the rules. That I insist upon having. The honorable Senator from Louisiana is right in his conclusions as to his motion, provided he had a right to make the motion; but I doubt whether he had a right to make that motion while the motion of

the honorable Senator from New Hampshire was pending. I do not wish, however, to consume the time of the Senate. If the effect of the decision of the Chair is to bring us back to the question as to whether we shall receive the Bill or not, I will yield the floor.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. That is it.

Mr. BRIGHT.

Mr. SUMNER.

Very well.

Before the vote is taken, allow me to read a few words from the Rules and Orders, and from Jefferson's Manual.

"One day's notice, at least, shall be given of an intended motion for leave to bring in a Bill."

That is the 25th rule of the Senate, and then to that rule, in the publication which I now hold in my hand, is appended, from Jefferson's Manual, the following decisive language:

"When a member desires to bring in a Bill on any subject, he states to the House, in general terms, the causes for doing it, and concludes for leave to bring in a Bill entitled, &c. Leave being given, on the question, a Committee is appointed to prepare and bring in the Bill."

Now, I would simply observe, that my purpose was merely to make a statement

Mr. BENJAMIN. I call to order.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator had presented his Bill, and was debating.it afterwards. The question is now on the motion of the Senator from Louisiana, to lay the appeal on the table; and on that the yeas and nays have been ordered.

The question being taken by yeas and nays, resulted yeas 35, nays 10; as follows:

YEAS-Messrs. Adams, Atchinson, Bell, Benjamin, Brodhead,

Brown, Butler, Cass, Clay, Cooper, Dawson, Dodge, of Iowa, Evans, Fitzpatrick, Geyer, Gwin, Johnson, Jones, of Iowa, Jones, of Tennessee, Mallory, Mason, Morton, Norris, Pearce, Pettit, Pratt, Rusk, Sebastian, Slidell, Stuart, Thompson, of Kentucky, Thomson, of New Jersey, Toombs, Toucey and Weller — 35. NAYS-Messrs. Chase, Fessenden, Fish, Foot, Gillette, Rockwell, Seward, Sumner, Wade and Walker-10.

So the appeal was ordered to lie on the table. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question now is on granting leave to introduce the Bill.

Mr. SUMNER. On that question I ask for the yeas and nays.

act.

Mr. STUART. I rise to a question of order; and I think if the Chair will consider it for the moment, he will, or, at least, I hope he will, agree with me. The parliamentary law is the law under which the Senate Whenever there is a motion made to lay on the table a subject connected with the main subject, and it prevails, it carries the whole question with it. It is different entirely from the rule in the House of Representatives. The rules in the House vary the parliamentary law, and you may there move to lay a matter on the table, because that is the final vote, and is equivalent to rejecting it, and a motion to take it up from the table is not in order. But now the Presiding Officer will see that if this course be pursued, the Senate may grant leave to introduce this Bill, they may go on and pass it, and yet next week it will be in order for the Senator from Massachusetts to move to take up the appeal which the Senate has just laid on the table; whereas the whole subject on which his appeal rested might have been passed and sent to the other House. That surely cannot be so. The ruling of the Chair in this respect, therefore, I suggest is

wrong, and the motion to lay on the table carries the whole subject with it. It is important to have the matter settled for the future practice of the Senate.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. At the first mooting of the proposition, the Chair was of that opinion; but he is perfectly satisfied now that it did not carry the whole question with it. The question was on the motion to lay the appeal on the table, and that motion was exhausted when it did lay the appeal on the table. It did not reach back to affect the question of granting leave. That is now the question before the Senate. On that the yeas and nays have been asked for by the Senator from Massachusetts.

The yeas and nays were ordered.

Mr. STUART. I will not take an appeal from the decision of the Chair, but I only wish to say that as I am satisfied I am right, I do not wish, by acquiescing in the decision of the Chair, to embarrass us when such occasions may arise again.

The question being taken by yeas and nays upon granting leave to introduce the Bill, resulted 10, nays 35; as follows:

yeas

YEAS-Messrs. Chase, Dodge, of Wisconsin, Fessenden, Foot, Gillette, Rockwell, Seward, Sumner, Wade and Walker-10.

NAYS-Messrs. Adams, Atchison, Bell, Benjamin, Bright, Brodhead, Brown, Butler, Cass, Clay, Cooper, Dawson, Evans, Fitzpatrick, Geyer, Gwin, Johnson, Jones, of Iowa, Jones, of Tennessee, Mallory, Mason, Morton, Norris, Pearce, Pettit, Pratt, Rusk, Sebastian, Slidell, Stuart, Thompson, of Kentucky, Thomson, of New Jersey, Toombs, Toucey and Weller - 35.

So the Senate refused to grant leave to introduce the Bill.

THE DUTIES OF MASSACHUSETTS AT THE

PRESENT CRISIS.

SPEECH BEFORE THE REPUBLICAN STATE CONVENTION AT WOR

CESTER, 7TH SEPTEMBER, 1854.*

MR. PRESIDENT AND FELLOW-CITIZENS OF MassaCHUSETTS: After months of anxious, constant service in another place, away from Massachusetts, I am permitted again to stand among you, my fellow-citizens, and to draw satisfaction and strength from your generous presence. (Applause.) Life is full of changes and contrasts. From slave soil I have come to free soil. (Applause.) From the tainted breath of Slavery I have passed to this bracing air of Freedom. (Applause.) And the heated antagonism of debate, shooting forth its fiery cinders, is changed into this brimming, overflowing welcome, where I seem to lean on the great heart of our beloved Commonwealth, as it palpitates audibly in this crowded assembly. (Loud and long applause.)

Let me say at once, frankly and sincerely, that I have not come here to receive applause or to give occasion for any tokens of public regard; but simply

*This speech is copied from the newspapers of the day.