Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-05-31
Sparring.-In the House of Representatives

sage of the President. respecting the anticipated
information from England, relative to our com
mercial relations with that country, las publish
ed yesterday) which being read,
Mr. Canibreleng, Chairman of the Commit
tee on Commerce. moved to refer the message to
that Committee. Some gentlemen around obser-
wing, that it ought to go to.the on For
eign Affairs.
Mr.. Canabrelear added that the message related
to the IN of the country, and ousht not 10
90 to that committee; another reason Tor moving
which was. that be had for some time gwen his at
tention to the subject. and had already prepared
a bill to meet the object of the message.
Mr.. .Archer, Chairman Of the Committee on
Foreign Affairs. moved to refer the message to
that comittee.
Mr.. UiNiams expressed the opinion that such
messages were always sent to the Commute on
Foreign Affairs.
Mr. ambreleng was not anxious about the mat
ter. but it had been the uniform practice, he said,
to refer such subjects TO the COMMITTEE on Com
merce.
Mr.. Ramsay was Indifferent what Committee
the message was referred TO-, so that 1t did not 60
to the Committee on Commerce or the Commit
tee of Ways and Means. Those committees
are IN the habit of taking c0gnlzance OF subjects
not committed to them, and reporting bills con-
corning the revenue, without instruction. one
tapping the Treasury at one end. and the other
at the other. lie had seen the OF
Commerce and the Committee on Ways and
Means, reporting bills, the effect OF which would
have been to empty the Treasury instead of fill
ling ito throw the country at the mercy of for
eign nations. and compel Us In the interior even
to send abroad to have our horses shOd.
MIR. DrayfOa referred to the Rules to shew
that the Message might go, with propriety, to Ell
Their of the Committees moved; but the practice
had been to refer such communications to the
| Committee of Commerce. AS the present mes
sage related exclusively to our commercial rela-
tons with a foreign country, MIR. ID. thought it
came properly within the province of that Com
mittec, and he made a number of remarks to sus-
tain this opinion.
Mr.. MDnGie said he felt no sort of interestin
this contest between the two Committees, and
cared not how it was decided. But he saw no
necessity for the gratuitous charge against the
Committee of Ways and Means, which the gen.
, tleman had gone out of his way to make, which
was utterly false, and could be founded only in
gross ignorance. He would defy any old woman
in this House or out of it, whether scolding or
not scolding, to fix on that Committee the charge
uCSH diiSgtud SdiliS' IL " NV CAblS-
man from Pennsylvania. He thought that every
member IN this House. however ignorant he
might be, must know that every branch of the
revenue of the country was, by the rules of the
House. given in charge of the Committee of Ways
and Means, and was always before that Commit
tee, and that it would he perfectly competent for
that Committee Tomorrow to bring in a bill to re-
wise the whole revenue system of the country,
without m spncIai \ pctrtictIOp from fho Hnusa
Nothing but the grOssest ignorance could have
given rise to the charge which had been made
by the member from Pennsylvania against the
Committee.
Mr.. Ramsay said he was not ignorant of the
rules of the House, or the duties of the Commit
tee of WAYS and Means; but the Chairman of
that Committee was ignorant Of the true policy
of the nation, and had evinced that ignorance, by
the bills which he had reported during the session
affecting the revenue. That gentleman has call
ID me an old woman; but, the Speaker admo-
'ished MIR. X. that the question was on the re-
terence of the message. Sir, continued, MIR. r.
he has called ME an old woman, and it is my du-
ty to repel IT. | have always understood that the
duty OF the Committee of Ways and Means was
to take measures to fill the Treasury, not empty
It. That gentleman has shewn his sense of this
duty. by just voting for a bill the Indian bill
winch tapped the Treasury at one end, while he
p~roiessed to fill it at the other. / will tell that
gentleman that | was in the field of politics be-
fore him-but | will not use the expression | was
about to do-and now to stand up and be told
that | am an old woman. Sir, whatever that GEN
tleman may think Of my knowledge of his du-
ties, he shews but little knowledge of them him
self, when he is seen day after day, and time af-
ter time. doing all he can to empty the Treasury;
instead of filling it. Sir, | can say no more.
Mr.. Everett, of Massachusetts, thought the
message of a kind to require the action of the
Committee on Foreign Affairs, and taat it could
go, with propriety, to no other. If the message
should be found to contain any thing requiring
the action of the Committee Of Commerce, that
part Of it could be sent TO that Committee. The
reason assigned by the chairman of that committee
for moving the reference ofthc message TO it. name
ly, that he had prepared a bill in anticipation, was
a reason with him (Mr. E. for preferring anoth-
er Committee. He would rather that a Commit
tee should take up the subject that had made up
no opinion on it. &C..
After some further debate on the part of
Messrs. Cambreieng, p. p. Barbour, and Mr..
NC. Dutie, the question was taken, and the mes
saue referred IN fba Goun;t+oo o, rso.