Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-12-17

tees composed also of honorable Ell? The OBJ
lection, it it were sound. would apply on all &c.
casions. He had as great conf Ree us any gen
tlenan in the Judgement and Tue Post
Office Committee. Yet, on thiJ he pre-.
ferred committee selected by tHel 4te itself
for this special purpose. In regard to that COM
mittee having nothing to do. II vas an erroneous
idea. Petitions aud memorials were presenter
every day, over. and over again, and referred 10
that committee. They would have to examine
and prepare reports on all these. The duty u
the proposed special committee would be arduous
and lab0rious. The standing committee would
not have time to investigate the whole subject
| Gentlemen could vote for the members OF that
committee as members of the special committee,
if they pleased, but nothing was fairer than that
the Senate should select committee for them
selves. -,
Mr.. King said, that the Senate was small
body. Was there member in it who was not
on some comm,tteel II the hon. Senator had no
particular objection to the gentlemen composing
the Post Office Committee, and, upon his soul. he
did not know who they were-why refer inns
resolution to other gentlemen having equally
or more arduous duties to perform Oh other
committees:
Mr.. CLAYTON replied, that some Of the MEM
bers of the Post Office Committee mad other ardu-
Gus duties to perform also. The gentleman might,
however, in the selection of a committee, judge
for himself as he should, in this respect.
Mr.. White had not expected, when he had
made tie motion before the Senate, as much de-
bate as had arisen upon the subject He had
listened to it with attention; but it had not chan
sed his original views. If the subject matter Of
resolution applied to standing committee, the
general rule was to refer it to that committee
He admitted that there were exceptions to the
rule; but every object of inquiry in this resoiu-
ton belonged 10 the Committee on the Post Of
fee and Post Roads. There was nothing i'll it
that could take it out OF the general rule. Under
this impression, he had made the motion now be-
fore the Senate. He could not believe that the
Post Office Committee were so much pressed as
gentlemen supposed They had as much leisure
as any other committee They were familiar with
the business of the department.. 1t would be in
justice to them to suppose that they could desire
to suppress any investigation. They would no
doubt give to the subject the fullest and freest
examination. If any abuse existed, let 1t be
brought to the notice Of the Senate and the ma
ton. He thong it more proper to refer the re-
solution to the standing committee, than to spe-
cial committee: but he should acquiesce in what
ever decision the Senate might come to OH the
subject.
~.
Senator in the general principle which he had
laid down; but he thought that it had been mis-
applied on this occasion. When the Committee
on the Post Office and Post Roads was created,
did it enter the mind of the President or Of the
Senate that the duties enjoined by this resolution
were to be committed to them? These duties
were not Of the nature of those which belonged
character and object of standing committee,
that ysst variety of items were referred to them
in the ordinary transaction OF the business of
the Senate. These were generally as much as
they could attend to. He believed that if a
standing committee had even taken up any SUBJ
iect like that contemplated by the resolution, a
of the room IN which they had deliberated. Du.
ties specifically belonging to a standing commit
tee, should 60 to it as a matter of course; but
the proposed inquiry was one which was pecu-
larly appropriated p special committee. He
did not mean to conpliment-ali the members
ON this floor stood orian equal footing. His OBJ
lection was not to tn, integrity of the Post Office
Committee; but the had not been selected with
view to this investigation. This was question
of selection; and he;hould vote for the resolution
as offered by his onorable friend from Della |
ware.
The question on ne motion to amend, so as to |
refer the resolution to the Committee on the
Post Office and Pos Roads, was taken by yeas
and NAYS; and the ote was Is Yeas, and 90 |
NAYS. as follows:
YEAS-Me,srs, Baker, Benton, Brown,
Dickerson, Dudley Ellis, Grundy. Hendricks,
Iredell. Kane, KIN. Pondexter, Sanford, Smith
of Md. Troup, Iyer. White, Woodbury-1s.
NAYS-MeFs. Barton. Bell, Burnet. Cham
bers, chase, layton. Foot, Frenghuysen,
Holmes. Johnso, Knight. Mark, Naudain, No
bic, Robbins. Rtles, Seymour, si!sbee, sprasue,
WilIey-20.
The original rolution as offered by Mr. Clay
ton. was then opted.
Mr.. Bell thehnoved that a committee of five
be appointed bSalot, to take charge of the re-
solution. I
Mr.. GrundY INQUIRED of the Chair what was q
the rule of the bate, in relation to the appoint
ment of comminss 1
The Presidenead the rule, by which it APP +
peared that thewer to appoint committees be- q
longed to the Glr That power, however, =
could be exercb by the Senate, by unanimous h
consent. 3
Mr. Grundyd that would not be given. S