The Congressional Globe, Volume 13, Part 1: Twenty-Eighth Congress, First Session Page: 31
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CONGRESSIONAL GLOBE.
31
lowing paper, to wit: and here the paper itself is re-
hearsed in terms following: "The roll of Represent-
atives elected," &c., and so on, giving the entire docu-
ment. To this the .. ajority demurs. I demur to it. I
gay, that, in point of fact, I never did refuse,
by my vote, to hale read that special paper,
so proposed to be spread out, knowing its con-
tents. I refused, and the majority refused, to
have read any paper. Had' the paper been wholly
different—had it not contained one single word which
in fact it does contain—still we should have voted
against its reading. It was not, then, against the
reading of these specific words, thus urgently sought
to be set forth, that we voted. If the journal says
it was, it says that which is, substantially, not true.
We voted against the reading of a certain paper.
That was what we did; and it was all we did. "When
the journal declares this—and it does now declare it
—it declares the truth and the whole truth. And,
sir, if it is to contain nothing but the truth, it must
not declare, as the gentleman from New York would
have it do, that we refused to read a paper, in terms
and language expressly set forth. This would be
false history. We did not do it; and the journal is
historically false, if, either directly or by inference, it
says we did it.
The gentleman from New York [Mr. Barnard]
charges that there is a disposition in the House to
suppress this matter. Where is the evidence—the
shadow, the least color of evidence—to sustain that
charge? Did not the gentleman on my left from
Virginia, [Mr. Gilmer,] yesterday propose to
the gentleman from York, that, if he would with-
draw his various proposals to amend, and, coming
in with his protest at the main and regular and
honest entrance, would ask in a straightforward
manner to have that protest spread on the journals,
we would all cheerfully consent to its admission?
And did not tlier gentleman from New York, with
singular pertinacity, refuse this most reasonable
proposition? He must have it in his own way, or
not at all. He asks the gentleman from Virginia,
what impalpable scruples, what abstractions pre-
vent him from admitting the protest on a motion to
amend? What scruples? Why, a most legitimate
and most proper scruple. Our journal is historical-
ly true; and we scruple at the request of the gentle-
man from New York to make it historically
false. That is the nature of our scruple. We
cannot, to please the gentleman, say, by our votes,
what is untrue, and what we know to be so. We
will not, by our votes, declare to the country—tor
such is, m effect, what he asks of us—that you, sir,
in directing how the journal of our first day's pro-
ceedings should be made up, falsified the record;
while we see and know, that it was most fairly, and
fully, and accurately made up.
But the gentleman from New York has another
complaint. "It is the first time," says he, "ill the
annals of legislation in this country, that a resolu-
tion was entered on the journals, giving the sub-
stance of a paper referred to in the resolution, in-
stead of the paper itself." In debating with the
gentleman from New York a question involving
parliamentary precedents, 1 speak with diffidence.
I am a young member, little experienced in these
technicalities; and in reply to one older, and nioie ex-
perienced in legislation, I feel that modesty is be-
coming. Yet i will venture to ask the gentleman
from New York aplain question; I put aease. Sup-
pose I had asked leave of the House to introduce a
bill; thaton question of leave, I had obtained the yeas
and nays, and that leave had been refused: the entry
on the journal would be, that Mr. Owen had asked
leave to introduce a bill entitled so and so—giving its
title only; not even the substance, the mere designa-
tion of the bill—and leave had been refused. Sup-
pose, then, that next morning I moved to amend ihe
journals, so as to show that Mr. Owen asked leave
to introduce a bill," couched 111 the words following,
to wit, and then proceeded to recite my bill, from
the first clause to the last; and suppose that the
House (as it surely would) should refuse to permit
me, by this manoeuvre, to spread my rejected bill on
its journal: then comes the question I desire to ask
the gentleman from New York. 1 ask him whether
I should be justified in bringing up complaint and_
denunciation against the majority for so doing.'
Should I have a just right to charge against them
that they trampled on the rights of the minority: that
they sought to pluck lip the Constitution by the
roots; that they endeavored to falsify the journals
and deceive the public? Would he, as one of that
majority, tamely sit still and fuller such denuncia-
tions ?
I, at least, am not willing to submit to this. With
the consciousness in my own breast that I have aid-
ed in oppressing no minority; that I have scrupu-
lously respected the constitutional rights of our op-
ponents, granting to them every the smallest privi-
lege to which, by law, by usage, by the dictates of
justice, by the suggestions of common sense, they
were entitled,—I cannot sit patiently under imputa-
tions which I know to be unfounded, and feel to be
unjust.
in conclusion, sir, permit me to say to the minor-
ity in this House a word of which time may prove
the sincerity. They will ever find me (and, I will
venture to add, from the spirit I see evinced, a ma-
jority of this House) disposed scrupulously to re-
gard their rights—scrupulously to abstain from en-,
croaehing on them. I know by experience what it
is to be in a minority. I was in a minority for
three successive years, in the Legislature of the
State from which I come. I cordially sympathize
with those in that unfortunate predicament. May I
not ask them, in return, to deal fairly by us; and,
seeing that we have granted, and are still disposed
to grant, to them, without stint or equivocation, all
that the law, usage, and the Constitution secure to
them, that they will refrain from a reiteration of the
charge that we, the powerful majority, trample,
with reckless feet, 011 the rights of the minority?
Mr. COLLAMER next got the floor; but gave
way, when
A message was received from the Senate by Mr.
Dickins, announcing the death of the Hon. Lewis
F. Linn, a Senator from the State of Missouri, and
that the Senate had adopted the usual tribute of re-
spect for his memory—of going into mourning by
wearing crape on the left arm for thirty days.
Mr. BOWLIN, of Missouri, rose and said: I
rise with no ordinary emotions—occasioned, par-
tially, by the novelty of my own position; but more,
much more, by the recollection of the painful and
melancholy event which now demands the tribute
of our grief. It is, indeed, a painful, a most painful
event to me; and one calculated, from its associa
tions, to spread the gloom of melancholy over the
councils now assembled. We have convened here
for the discharge of our public duties, and we look
around us in vain for all those companions in our
labors whom wo were wont to have met. The
hand of Death, inexorable D ath,has been amongst
us. In the other end of the Capitol, a seat is va-
cated; ah! vacated, and that forever.'' The heart of
its occupant, which in life ever beat responsive to
the calls of charity and humanity, now beats no
more; and the tongue, whose patriotic eloquence has
charmed the Senate, is now stilled by the dull, cold
hand of Death.
The Hon. Lewis F Linn, late Senator from
Missouri, as announced by the resolutions 011 your
table, is 110 more. He died suddenly at his resi-
dence in St. Genevieve, on the 3d day of October
last, just as he was preparing to leave for this, the
field of his distinguished labors. The manner of
his death was peculiarly afflicting to his friends.
It was as sudden as it was unexpected. In the
midst of life and usual health; with no note of
warning to his friends; without the usual premoni-
tory symptoms; without, perhaps, ail admonition to
himseif; in the midst of his family and friends, and
m the mid career of his usefulness and honor, he
is suddenly summoned from us to that land of
spirits where "the weary are at rest."
Having spent a restless and sleepless night, he
had the curtains of his bed drawn, to secure to him a
morning's repose. He fell into a sleep, a profound
sleep, from which he ne\er awoke. And though
his coucli was watched with the sleepless eye of
affectionate devotion, separated only by a curtain,
yet his spirit passed away so calm, so tranquil, that
it was difficult to tell the precise moment of its
flight. But though he died with no eye upon him,
save that of his God, yet the mildness and the
serenity of his countenance proclaimed the conso-
lation to his friends, trumpet-tongued, that he do-
parted in peace, and with scarce a struggle.
Of his life: it was one continued scene of uniform-
ity and beauty. But 1 will not trespass upon the
province of his biographer, further than to touch
some of its prominent points. He was born in the
State of Kentucky in the year 1796, and inherited
from that chivalrous and gallant people many of the
noble qualities that adorned him in after life. Ill
the year 1809—a mere boy—he emigrated to Mis-
souri, and cast his fortune amongst a people eager
to discern, and proud to reward merit, In 1814, at
the age of seventeen years, he entered the tented
field, and, side by side with a near a d esteemed
relative, now an honorable member of this House,
(Governor Dodge,) was engaged gallantly' fighting
the battles of his country; ana though a youth, too.
young to have his deeds chronicled in history,, yet'
the memory of them is cherished in the hearts of
the people of his adopted State. . _ '
After the war, he applied himself to the acquisi-
tion of his profession; and, by the force and' energy
of his mind, and his well-regulated habits of indus-
try, soon placed himself in the front ranks of that
learned and honorable profession. As a physician,
he was prompt and determined, yet mild, courteous,
and cheerful; by the versatility of his genius throw-
ing around the couch of sickness and death every
thing to inspire hope and dispel gloom. No mail
was e%*cr more highly esteemed or more dearly loved
within the circle of his practice. Long, lone, will
the memory of his virtues be engraven on the hearts
of those people who knew him longest, and knew
him best.
He was next called, by the people of his county,
to the Legislature of his adopted State, where, in a
short session, he gave early promise of that charac-
ter as a legislator which has since so brilliantly
shown in the councils of the nation. His career
there was marked by an enlightened policy, a lofty
patriotism, and a firm and unswerving devotion to
those fundamental ^principles upon which he believed
was based the liberty of his country. The generous
confidence of his constituents was only equalled by
the disinterested fidelity of the representative, in
executing the trusts committed to his charge.
In 1832, he was appointed one of the board of
commissioners to adjust the private land claims of
the ancient inhabitants of Upper Louisiana, (now
Missouri.) To the discharge of the complicated du-
ties of this office he brought a mind well stored
with information upon the subject, and an energy
that never flagged. In this place he accomplished
much, in settling the vexed questions of titles to our
lands; and, by the suavity of his manners, and the
uniform urbanity of his demeanor, won from all
the homage of an exalted respect. Indeed, it would
be difficult to portray the veneration in which his
memory is held by those early first pioneers of the
country who laid m the wilderness the foundation
of a great republic.
If it were allowable, upon an occasion of this
kind, to speak of one's self, I might be permitted to
say that it was at this period of his life I had the
good fortune to make his acquaintance, and establish a
mutual friendship which existed through life. A
stranger in a strange land, he extended to me the
hand of fellowship and welcome, and encouraged
me by his counsels, and animated me by the buoy-
ancy of his own generous heart. A few weeks
changed our then relative positions—he to the Senate,
I to the editor's chair; and it is due to his memory to
say, that change of position worked no change of
relations; and I can as proudly bear testimony
that, whilst acting as a sentinel upon the acts of
public men, I found in his career everything to ap-
plaud, nothing to condemn.
Doctor Linn was appointed to the Senate in No-
vember, 1833, and continued in that station until the
period of his death—an uninterrupted period of
nearly ten years; during which time he passed
through three elections before the Legislature _ of
Missouri, each time increasing in strength, as he In-,
creased in the confidence of the people. He enter-
ed that body, of which he was destined to become
so distinguished a member, laboring under many
disadvantages, arising alike from education and
from habits. The angry ocean of party politics he
found lashed into a commotion the most •furious;
the Senate filled with men of gigantic minds, culti-
vated intellects, and a long experience in legislation;
and, to crown all, so much possessed of feelings
which political animosities had engendered as to
render personal and social intercourse difficult and
constrained. Yet, by his evenness of temper and
firmness of purpose, combined with his social dis-
position and urbanity of manners, he soon acquired
a most enviable respect from those with whom ha
had to act.
Of his general labors in the Senate, and the en|
lightened patriotism that directed them, the ar-
chives of the country bear abundant testimony.
On all local subjects, he labored faithfully and effi-
ciently for his immediate constituents. Iiis unaba-
ted efforts in obtaining post-roads, forts, and milita-
ry roads upon the frontier; the acquisition of the
Platte country; the improvement of our rivers) «i4 -
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United States. Congress. The Congressional Globe, Volume 13, Part 1: Twenty-Eighth Congress, First Session, book, 1844; Washington D.C.. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth2367/m1/55/: accessed March 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.