Thank you for visiting SNEWPapers!

Sign up free
Page thumbnail for The New Hampshire Gazette
Domestic News February 13, 1799

The New Hampshire Gazette

Portsmouth, Rockingham County, New Hampshire

What is this article about?

Massachusetts Senate debates and adopts a report supporting the constitutionality of the U.S. Alien and Sedition Laws in response to Virginia and Kentucky resolutions. The report passes with an amendment after initial vote, with only one dissent.

Clipping

OCR Quality

95% Excellent

Full Text

February 11.
Legislature of Massachusetts.
In the Senate, on Friday last, the committee to whom was referred the report of the joint committee, in answer to the disorganizing resolutions of Virginia and Kentucky, made their report, which contained additional reasons in support of the constitutionality of the Alien and Sedition Laws of the United States. These reasons were adopted by way of amendment to the original report, and upon the question, Shall the original report pass, as now amended? The Yeas and Nays were as follows: Yeas, Hon. Messrs. Phillips, Bridge, Sexton, Fowler, Dane, Thompson, Campbell, Thayer, T. Davis, Reed, Bullard, Long, Fellows, Towne, Jones, Hayward, D. Davis, Dwight, Norris, Bingham, Thatcher, Hunt, Taft, Bigelow, Hale, Dummer, and Coffin. Nays, Messrs. Bacon and Wells.

In justice to the Hon. Mr. Wells, it must be observed, that he was not opposed to the spirit of the measure; but objected to the propriety of the following sentence, in the report,

"This Legislature are persuaded that the decision of all cases arising under the Constitution of the U. States, and the construction of the Constitution, and of all laws made in pursuance thereof, are exclusively vested by the people in the Judicial Courts of the U. S."

On Saturday it was moved to reconsider the report, and the subsequent amendment of the above sentence was proposed, viz.

That this Legislature are persuaded that the decision of all cases in law and equity, arising under the Constitution of the United States, and the construction of all laws made, in pursuance thereof, are exclusively vested by the people in the judicial Courts of the United States.

With this amendment, the question was again called, and passed, with but one dissentient-Mr. Bacon standing alone in the negative.

What sub-type of article is it?

Politics

What keywords are associated?

Massachusetts Senate Alien Sedition Laws Virginia Resolutions Kentucky Resolutions Constitutionality Legislative Vote

What entities or persons were involved?

Phillips Bridge Sexton Fowler Dane Thompson Campbell Thayer T. Davis Reed Bullard Long Fellows Towne Jones Hayward D. Davis Dwight Norris Bingham Thatcher Hunt Taft Bigelow Hale Dummer Coffin Bacon Wells

Where did it happen?

Massachusetts

Domestic News Details

Primary Location

Massachusetts

Event Date

Friday Last And Saturday

Key Persons

Phillips Bridge Sexton Fowler Dane Thompson Campbell Thayer T. Davis Reed Bullard Long Fellows Towne Jones Hayward D. Davis Dwight Norris Bingham Thatcher Hunt Taft Bigelow Hale Dummer Coffin Bacon Wells

Outcome

report passed with amendment; initial vote: 27 yeas, 2 nays; final vote: passed with one dissent (mr. bacon).

Event Details

The Senate committee reported additional reasons supporting the constitutionality of the Alien and Sedition Laws. These were adopted as amendments. Hon. Mr. Wells dissented due to a specific sentence but not the spirit. On Saturday, the sentence was amended, and the report passed with one dissent.

Are you sure?