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Show 324 SLAVERY AGTTATION. Viro-inia and show what had been the feeling there on the b ' subject of slavery, previous to the rlate of Dr. Franklin's memorial Mr. R.l.wtt., of South Carolina, inquired of the Chait· wha.t the opinions of Virginia fifty years ago had to do with the case ? The Speaker was about to reply, when Mr. Wise rose with warmth, aud sail!-" lie has discussed the wl10lc ab. stract question of slavery : of shwcry in Virginia; of sla. very in my own district; and I now ask all my colleagues to retire wiLh me from thi !Jall." J\1r. Slade reminded the Speaker that he had not yicl<lcd the floor; but bis progress was impeded by the condilion of the IIonsc, and the many exclamations of members, among whom Mr. llalscy, of Georgia, was heard calling on the Georgia. delegation to withdraw with him; and Mr. Rhett was heard proclaiming, t.hat the South Carolina mcmber·s had already commltcd together, and agreed to have a mcct ino· at three o'clock, in the committee room of the District of Columbia. lierc the Speaker intcq)Oscd to calm the Ilouse, standing up in his place and saying : ·' rrhc gentleman from Vermont had been reminded by the Chair that the discnssiou of slavery, as existing within the States, was not in order; when he was desirous to read a paper aud it was objected to, the Chah· bad stopped him; but the objection had been withdrawn, and Mr. Slade had been su[ercd to proceed; he was now about to read another paper, and objection was made; the Chair would therefore take the qncstion on permitting it to be read." 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 ronr of the tempest which raged in the House, and invited the delegations from all the slave States to retire from the bal1 STJAV:Ii:H.Y AGITATION, 325 forthwith, and meet in the committee room of the District of Columbia.. rrhc Speaker again essayed t.o calm the House, and agairt Landing up in hiH place, he recapitulated his altrmpt · to preserve order, an<l vindicated tlle correctness of his own ·orJducL-seemingly impugned by many. "What his p rsonal fcelinp;s were on the sttl>jcct (he was from a slave State) might easily be conjectured. lie had endeavored to enforce the rules. lfad it been in his power to restrain the di~cns:ion, he should promptly have exercised tho power; hnt it was not. .Mr 'lade continu in g;, aid the paper which he wished to read was of the Continental Congress of 1774. The Speaker was auout to put the question on leave, when Mr. Cost John ·on, of Maryland, inquireu whether it would be in order to force the Ilou e to vote thn.t the member from Vermont be lrot perrnitled 1o proceed? r.rltc Speaker l'C· plied it woulclnoi. Then Mr. James J. McKny, of North Carolina, a clear, cool·headed, sagacious man-interposed the objection which headed :Mr. Slade. There was a rule of the Ilouse, that when a member was called to order, he should take his scat; and if decided to be out of orclcr, be should not ue allowed to speak again, except on leave of the Ilousc. Mr. McKny judged this to be a proper occasion for the enforcement of that rule; and stood up and said : "rrhat the gentleman hnd been pronounce<l out of order in discussing slavery in the States; and the rule declureu that when a member was so pronounced by the chair, he should take his scat, and if any one objected to his proceed· ing again, he should not do so, unless by leave of the llouse. Mr. McKay did now object to the gentleman from Vermont proceeding any further." Redoubled noise and confusion ensued-a crowd of members risin.g and speaking at once-who eventually yielded to the resounding blows of the speaker's hammer upon the |