Mr. McDowell said that he had already informed the House that he should insist on the call.
Mr. Ames then asked, whether it was not competent to put the previous question, viz: Shall this call be now taken?
The Speaker, in reply, said, that according to his judgment, the previous question could have been regularly taken upon any topic whatever, which produced a debate; but the House, by a recent decision, had determined that the previous question could not be regularly taken upon an amendment.
He was then asked, whether the call of yesterday was valid to-day, or if it was necessary for the members to rise over again? Mr. Sedgwick was clearly of this opinion; in which the Speaker, after some consideration, concurred, as some gentlemen had deserted the call, and he, in reality, did not know whether a fifth part of the members would support a call or not.
It was then suggested, that there could not be a second call, if the first was disappointed; and some gentleman said, that he hoped no member would insist on a thing so extremely distressing to the feelings of many members. Several gentlemen had now attempted to speak at the same time, and the mischievous and unconciliating effects of the call were enumerated with much emphasis.
Mr. New at last came forward, and declared that he moved for a call. Mr. McDowell said the same.
Mr. Sedgwick then rose again. He appealed to the House, that, since he had a seat in Congress, he had never troubled them with a call more than a very few times; and he affirmed, upon his honor, that he never had moved for the yeas and nays at all, unless he was uncertain how the votes of the House would go. But the gentlemen who now moved for the call had not this excuse. They knew very well that they would carry their point, and that by a large majority; so that the insisting for the yeas and nays could arise only from a design that gentlemen who voted against the amendment should be held out to the public as wanting to introduce a nobility. He owed little to Mr. Giles for having withdrawn his motion, when others were so ready to renew it.
Mr. New, on hearing these remarks, declared that he should withdraw his motion, since so much had been said about it.
Mr. Blount then rose, and said that it was needless to waste time, for the yeas and nays must and should be taken.
Twenty-three members seconded his motion, and the Speaker declared that the point was now determined.