Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-08-21

4.
Of which were coexis.eut with high political
excitement, had maintained proverbial fepu-
tation for digniied impartiaiity in its presiding
officers, and more than Roman gravity among
its members. Now, indeed, is ia sad reverse.
Like the once powerful word of Cesar, the glory
Of the Senate now lies low, and there IS none
so poor to do 1t reverence
You act wisely, in shelteling yourself, when
ever practicable, under the authority OF the last
Speaker of the House of Representatives But,
unhappily for both your argument and your
facts, Mr. CLAY, however indulgentto Mr.. Ram
dolph's "peculiar manner never suffered him
to commit disorder with inpunity. Indeed
neither Mr.. Randolph nor any other member OF
the House of Representatives, ever attempted,
while that officer presided over it, any such lf-.
reeulari,ies as you, have approved; Tor, as It
was known that the Speaker never forgot, IN the
hone ofhipher honors, the obligation OF exist
inc duties, his own dignity. was iull security
for the dignity of the House.
Though the appeal to precedents and the res,
of your apology have been received by the pub
lie with dismaying incredibly, that apology
seems TO have entirely satisfied yourself. Incl
ted by the vanity which prompted your, ludi-
c.ous annunciaticn of victory over common
sense and the Constitution, you applaud some
Of your official acts, unconnected with the sub
iect of order, winch discreet partisan would
nave shrunk from the Quixotsm Of attempting
even to palate Among the most consri ecu
Gus of these, was your appointment Of the
Standing Committees: under the influence,
alleged, of.sseGsh considerations You affect
to consider this charge as referring 10 only one
of those committees, but have unfortunately de-
Lii Crf,I oil
of which the composition is peculiarly indefen.
sible. The. selection of Messrs Macon, Taze-
well, Gaillard, White, and Mills, as the constl-
tuents Of that committee, was defended by your
friends. on The grounds, that al the next proceed
ing session ofthe Senate, the committee on To-
reign Relations were Messrs. Barbour, Jackson,
Macon, Seymour, and Elliott, that Governor
Barbour. having been subsequently, called to The
Department Of War, and General Jackson hav-
ing (dS usual resigned, Mr. Macon, the next IN
order, was, "according to usage seldom depart
ed from made chairman Of the new commit
tee; That for General Jackson, his successor IN
representing Tennessee, Judge White, was sub
stituted, and Mr. Tazewell for his late colleague
Gov Barbour; That "Mr. Galllard, aoho ha@
not been on ana committee last gear, was appoint
ed in place of MIR. Elliot resigned, and Mr..
Mills in place of Mr. Seymour, who was ar
ranged ON two other committees" This defence
was impugned, because, in regard to Mr.. Ma
con, the asserted usage did not exist, the real
usage extending no farther than that the COM
,aittee when the place of its chairman became
vacant, considered the second named on 1t orr
ginally, as Chairman; Because the reason adj
duced for Mr. Tazewell's location on the com
mittee, ought, if valid, TO have made him its
chairman, Governor Barbour, his colleague,
having been chairman the year before; And be-
cause ne exclusive geographical and succession
principles, on which this vlndlcatlon rested,
were.not only intrinsically erroneous, but had
not been consistently pursued. See Maternal
h1teHigencer, December 30, 1925, January Q, d, 6,
1885, This was, undoubtedly, a successful
answer TO your advocates, and manifested the
fUtility Of any attempt to explain away the
speaking fact that on highly important stand
ing Committee, five Senator'S the number OF
Senators on every suchGommttee) were placed,
of whom two had voted against Mr.. Clay
nomination 10 be Secretary of State; third
was the successor and partisan OF Gen. Jack
son; and all, except one, were asCertalned oppo-
nents Of the administration. The Committee
was, therefore, selected on principles adverse
TO the lone established Parliamentary usage,
according TO which, although aolillieS anu ca
form the first rule for constituting a
Committee, another rule Of equal validity Is,
that majority on the Committee should be
friendly to the measures expected TO engage It's
deliberations. The reason of this rule is, that
the Administration being required 10 devise
plans for the public welfare, is entitled to every
advantage arising from preliminary discussion
and illustration, before they are acted on by the
Legislature. On different principles, its policy
would never be fairly understood by the People,
for hostile committee might, so far as would
depend on it, strange in their infancy the wisest
and most patriotic suggestions, The British
Parliament has, therefore, adopted the usage
of placing on Committees, men, not only Of the
most ilhistrous regulations, but representing,
as to majority, at least, of those selected for
each Committee, the views and policy OF the
Government, If this usage is sound and rea
sonable in Parliament, where the Ministers of
the Crown have seats, and consequently, an OPP
portunity to illustrate and defend the measures
which they introduce, it merits yet strlcter OBJ
servance in Congress, where no such privileges
are extended to the Executive and his Cabinet
Until your factious innovations, it had been
uniformly respected, both in The Senate and the
r Il !, >,,,c iii