Resolved, That the people of the United States are entitled to the free navigation of the river Mississippi.
Resolved, That the navigation of the river Mississippi has been obstructed by the regulations recently carried into effect at New Orleans.
Resolved, That the right of freely navigating the river Mississippi ought never to be abandoned by the United States.
Resolved, That a committee be appointed to inquire whether any, and, if any, what, Legislative measures are necessary to secure to the people of the United States the free navigation of the river Mississippi.
Mr. Dawson asked if these resolutions were not necessarily connected with a subject which the House had determined should be discussed in private? If, by this arrangement, other gentlemen had been precluded from offering resolutions, he would ask if it were right in the gentleman from Connecticut to violate a general injunction laid upon all the members?
Mr. Griswold.—There is a Message from the President, of the 22d of December, on this subject that is publicly entered on the journals.[75] It is on this Message that these resolutions are predicated. I trust I understand the rules of the House well enough to know that I am not to bring forward what it has been enjoined shall be secret.
The question was then taken without further debate, on taking up the above resolutions for consideration, and lost—yeas 32, nays 50.
Mr. Randolph then called for the consideration of the President's confidential Message, when the galleries were cleared.