Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-01-27

clarcd that Committees had power TO elect us own
Chairman, declared also hat the Chairman only WAS
the organo communication between the Committee aud
the House.
sIr, Adams quoted Jeiersons Manual in support of
what he had advanced. The gentleman had sand that
such was not the practice OF the House. MIR A. knew
It was not And what did that prove? Why that the
doctrine OF the Manual though, it might be law in
England did not apply to US And this had been of
the grounds he had at first taken was not the usagc of
CoinmittceS of this House displace their Chairman
and there were two strong objections such practice
first, that 1t implied, he would not say an insult but il
certainly amounted to 4 the individual dis
placed IL bad practice and ought to be- resisted
'(1Sfa PrtnetPtS. And for what reason had it been
res'rted to' Because the Chairman did agree in po
MUGS and was not terms of confidential communion
uon wth the Executive. IL was dishonoabe il was de-
grading! What Mus, the Chairman ofcvcry Standing
Committee ofthat body lie i'm elise intimacy with the Ex
ccutve Government, opposition other members of
le House; Was that doctrine for that House TO sane
ton: The gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Archery had re-
rd from The head otthe Committee from considerations
OF dccacy because he found himself differing i'm polt
cal views from the Administrations under which he had
bce placed ut its head That was consideration for him
sell, and his own feelings p.oprcty But what was de-
manded by the dignity oihat House was ston
Where lac asked was any rule of the House. which re-
9ued that the Chairman of any of its Committees
DC ON terms OF intimate in the Admin
lsuSon ior inc Tune being lie wthstood such prin-
cipe Especially did he withstand il in ease like the
piesent whvrc question OF peace involved.
NOT was IL the practice lie remembered a where
directly the reverse Under the Administration
OF MIR Monroe Mr. a. had happened to be placed at the
mead oi the Department of State The gentleman uloc
cd at the head OF the Committee on FOREIGN Relations
was any thing but friend the then exsting Admins
ration ANA SO lar from being in close habits of intina-
cy with the head OF the State Department the ndiyu
al and himself speaking terms and the fact
was wei known to the Speaker who appointed him.
The Speaker knew that the Chairman could have no
personal intercourse with the Secretary of State The
intercourse took place through another member of the
Oomnitiec Yet MIR. A. had had idea of complain.
ing OF such an appointments: the thought never entered
ms mind That the Speaker had thereby done injustice to
thc Administration. And inconvenience Whatever
resulted from IT. the public business went on lust as well
ed Inv Pros
himself Mr. A would subscribe to no such principle
lie wished the House, and he wished this Nation to CON
sc what must be its natural effect They had witness
ed already too many attempts introduce new prnc
pies theIc-principes which calculated TO place
that House at the feet of the Executive
INF Archer here stated that for fifteen years prey
ousy TO ms having been placed the head of the Com
mttee on Foreign Relations, the Chairmen of that Com
mtec had never been political friends of the AImins
tration, but just the reverse
Mr' Adams resumed. He aware that the fact
had been as his friend now stated it, The principle he
cPeuted was wholly noac, and its tendency was TO pros
trate the House at the feet of the Executive rrhc
gentleman who had been placed by the present Sneak
or at the head of the Committee of ForciDn a tFrs
and who now did honor to another public station had
been, he knew friend of the present Administrator
nor ora t,ir Adams object to him that account but
he should rule that none others be ap
pointed There was or ut least there ought TO be an
esprit dc corps in that body which felt for its honor Mr.
A. felt 1T lie hoped all the other members felt il too He
would have that body in fact what il was i'm theory
one OF the most dignicd assemblies in the world III,
would nave lts members feel sensitvely for their own
honor, and not seek only to in harmony with the
Executive, not that he would have them oppose the adj
minisration of the Government. He had never adj
F0catcd such course He held that neither assent nor
opposition TO the Executive was an essential att,,. r.;
the character OF a chairman Of any committee
MIR. a. SAID That the mere displacement of COLLEAGUE
aiu personal Irend mad not been the of his now
addressing the House; his determination TO do so Ind
been formed not only without the recommendation or
prompting OF his colleague but directly IN onnos;t;o 10
ms earnest remonsrance. He had formed the detcrmi
nation from the moment he had been informed (bu no,
ny his Goeagne) OF what had been done in the Commit
Tee lie mad done first, because he considered il ms
proceeding directly against the honor and dignity nj
that House, and next because the individual disnaced
nad oeeh ms friend, and colleague from the same State
nc nau aced from regard to public principle There
had been nothing like with his colleague i'm the
affair 1t had seemed extraordinary him that the com
mittee should think themselves called upon to TAXI sucl
a step The gentleman from New York (Alr Cn,nbrc
leng) was minority chairman lie had been elected h
IoH cut OF "e inns was not majority far he vet
knew. MI a concluded by saying that he would be
satisfied if the House would indulge him by having Tho
name OF the Chairman inserted on the journals THAT
would settle the question. To pass resolution that tho
committee had not appointed any chairman mght be die
heuit. lie wished the Speaker would settle who the
Chairman was. ~
Mr.. Lane said, that he was at a loss 10 understand M
gentleman from Massachusetts, The Gentlemen ~
fessed himself unable to determine who was the Cbar
man OF the Committee on Foreign Affairs and vet the
driit OF his resolution confirm the anpo;nt,ncn,
oil the individual chosen by the Committee The gcr,c
man had told the House, that that individual had hcn
CHOSEN oy Tour out OF nine and that he therefore
minority Chairman. Now Mr.. l.. said he could con-
ceive, that neither the gentleman from New York Mr.
Cambreleng) nor the gentleman from Massachusetts
(Nir EveretD had voted in the choice of Chairman and
then the present incumbent must have had four vo,s
oul"i seven MIR. L. went on TO say, that there were
certain gentlemen in that House W no ought to feel urea,
dclcacy IN bringing before it any complaints abon an
Individual frcsldRg any where by the votes Of = mine
nty such things had happened in this Government
in adVerung TO The fact however, lie intended no reec
ton ON any gentleman either in the House or out of it
Behcying however the whole debate TO have becn o,s
less waste oil time, which belonged TO the public ba
would move, with view of ending it, that the motion
OF the gentleman from Massachusetts, be laid ON he t
Le. ~ "'o "'-
Mr.. Jarvis expressed an earnest desire TO soeak I'm,
ihc House manifested strong dissent - W
MI Recd asked that the question on LAYING ON tl,o o.,
bic might be taken by yeas and nays, which was or
dered. - ~ was Or
Mr. Jarvis requested Mr. Lane TO withdraw the ,o.
ton, promising TO ii as soon as he had bcen in
dulgcd IN few words.
MIR. Lane consented and withdrew The motion with
that understanding. WIN
Mr. jarvis then observed that he had SOUGHT ,e floor
mere that he might have understanding of what
had iaIen from the gentleman from VIRGINIA mr. pat
tom a word had fallen from that gentleman in tj,,
neat OF debate, which he trusted had been uncalledlor
ana winch on little cool reflection nc had little donId
that gentleman would qualify or withdraw
The Speaker here nicrposcd and said tho oo,,orn,n
could not proceed. . mum
MIR. Jarvis acquiescing
The Speaker observed that the gentleman from Vir,;
ma had been called to order by tile Chair as soon a he
ad uttered the word IN question, and the gentleman from
virginia had abstancd from IFS repetition vb;cb H.,
Choir considered tantaiiount to retracfon NJ G,
ther notice OF 1t could therefore be allowed
MT ration, with great promptitudc declared that L
Io not lcracted the word would he retract il until
The gentleman from Maine did the same ~
Mr. JARVIS renewed the motion to Law the motion oc
Mr. Adams on the table -
be- mutt Z -.