Page:Life of Henry Clay (Schurz; v. 1).djvu/192

180 We find him arguing that the provision of the Constitution, “The citizens of each state shall be entitled to all the privileges and immunities of citizens in the several states,” would be violated by the restriction to be imposed on Missouri as to slavery.

The compromise as proposed he supported heartily, and when the bill embodying it had passed we find him resorting to a very sharp and questionable trick to save it from further interference. The bill passed on March 2. On the morning of March 3, John Randolph, having voted with the majority, offered a motion that the vote be reconsidered. Clay, as Speaker, promptly ruled the motion out of order “until the ordinary business of the morning, as prescribed by the rules of the House, should be disposed of.” The House went on receiving and referring petitions. When petitions were called for from the members from Virginia, Randolph moved “that the House retain in their possession the Missouri bill until the period should arrive when, according to the rules of the House, a motion to reconsider should be in order.” Speaker Clay “declared this motion out of order for the reason assigned on the first application of Mr. Randolph on this day.” When the morning business was at last disposed of, Randolph “moved the House now to reconsider their vote of yesterday.” Then Speaker Clay — so the record runs — “having ascertained the fact, stated to the House that the proceedings of the House on