Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-01-27
T.enty-tllIrd Cos.gress---.sa. sess.
DEBATE
IN TIE HOUSE or REPREsEyrarYrEs,

Mr.. J. g. Adams rose and said that he was DESTROYS
OF addressing question to the chairman Of the commit
ice on Foreign Relations preliminary to which, he must
request the Chair to inform him who was the present
chairman of that committee
Mr. Cambrcleng said, he would reply to the question:
that he the chairman of the committee of rore1n
relations; having been placed in that station by the
vote OF the committee.
Mr.. Adams resumcd-It appeared he said from the
answer gwen, that principle had been introduced
into the House, regard 10 the organization of the Com.
mittccs He felt much embarrassing mt as TO the manner
of presenting the question to the House and he had
therefore, addressed 10 the Chair az the usual au
IN all cases concerning the Journals of the House which
were III the charge OF the Speaker BY the usage the
House the person first named on the committee by the
Speaker, was considered, olfco, Chairman OF the
committee, with the reserved power to the House of
eiecting Chairman if they thought proper That pow
ero cecting Chairman was, however never excrcis-
ca or IT 1t was 1T was only and extraordinary
occasions lie understood this TO be the general usage
The person first named is, oiFco, Chairman of the
COMMITTEE; and, in the OF the absence or resig-
nation of the person thus constituted as Chairman the
individual next named was considered as the Chairman
Tie found that, in derogaton of this usage the Com
tre OF Foreign Relations had thought proper elect
Chairman of their own, and thereby dispacc from Tic
station his honorable friend and colleague (Nlr f. Eve
re) If this had taken place in regard Tie most un
thought proper to notice it; But became douby i'm
portan when it occurred in regard to az Committee
which; IN the present state of foreign relations was
under high responsibility to the House and to the
nation.
Here the Speaker interrupted Mr.. As remarking that
he could not proceed without the of the House
NO objection being made, Mr.. Adams resumed-I
stated, Mr. Speaker said he that under these circn,
stances, felt embarrassment at the moncn nc 10
the manner OF bringing the subject the notice of the
House The main point to which he wished to draw
the attention of the House, this: That here was
Chairman of a most important Committee of the House
acting as Chairman of that Committee and the House
knowing nothing of it. According to the usagc of thc
House, every Committee, and the of every mem
her OF Committee stood on the record of the House
lie looked, therefore, to the Journals of the House
for information this subject. If ii turned ont that the
Committee had elected Chairman, he wished the fact
fhota
~ individual might know who is the Chairman AZ Tho
gentleman from New York had answered tha, he nd
been appointed Chairman of the Committee he would
address another question to him. which e might answer
or not at his pleasure Was he elected by majority of
the Committee?
MIR. Cambreleng replied that he had answered the
gentleman first inquiry before he that it was
addressed to the Chair The question put placed
mann an unpleasant situation, and also placed the gen
teman from Massachusetts, (Mr EyeretD in an a1yk
ward predcamcnt In the Committee, il was perfectly
understood that nothing to be secret What they
had done they very willing the House should know
~ The baot!ng for Chairman, neither he the gen-
tenan from Massachusetts voted. The gentleman re-
celved three votes and c received four votes In oc
cepung the station TO which he thus chosen he was
so far from surprising that he offered any ndipntv to his
honorable friend, the gentleman from Massachusetts
at he was under the Impression that he drsir-
Gus OF holding situation under circumstances which
from the incest feelings had induced the gentleman from
vrginn (Air Archer) to withdraw from it.
MIR. Adams contnued--It appeared that The oentle-
man was elected, not by majority of the Committee
but by minority. Every member Of the COMMITTEES
present. and the gentleman received only four votes
minority of the Committee. Whether the gentleman
was properly elected not, he would now question
All c asked that the fact should stated on the
journals OF the House, that he chosen as the Chair
man lie wished it also to be understood that in the
manner IN which he brought this subject before the
House he intended not the slightest discspcct to the
gentleman from New York, for whom he entertained
ngh regard and whom if appointed by the Speaker as
chairman, c would have been well pleased to 50 the
Chairman of the Committee any other member of the
House He also believed that the election of the GENTLE
man had relieved his colleague from most urpisasont
Ip ntfrb
BRING the matter before the House. because he had not
understood 1t to have been done according any cst-
pushed usage or principle
In Mr. Jelicrsons Parliamentary Manual it is stated
that the person first named Chairman Lu that the
COMMITTEE have the power to choose Chairman of their
own lie believed II was not possible to adduce in ple
instance in which Committee of this House had an
pointed their own Chairman. The rule is that the per
son hrst named shall act Chairman and the others
low IN the order in which they were named If IL was
not so;~le would be corrected by the Speaker Hero
then, is manifest departure from the usage Chair
man IS elected and elected by majority of the Commit
tee He found in Jefferson Manual no case parallel to
ths nor did he see il in the Manual published by his
friend, member of this House from FcnnsylvanS II
required majority OF all the votes to elect Chairman
that was laid down a rule.
Mr. Adams concluded by saying, that his object was to
make the name Of the Chairman OF the Committee ri
Foreign reIa onsa matter of record leaving il for the
speaker TO determine whether the person named second
not and is the actual Chairman, Of Che 90,
according to the rules of the House He moved that lt
name OF the present Chairman of the Committee on Fo
reign Relations be entered the Journals the House
Tho
motion OF his colleague, (SIr Adans) but to claim the
indulgence OF the House. while he made a personal X
panution which, after what had fallen from the oene
man from New York, (NIr. Canbrcleng0 was man;fesv
due To himself and his friends. The gentleman from New
fork-who had justly alluded To the friendly nfi,nocy
wiich had ever sulslstcd between him and myself
has remarked (aid MIR. E) that my respected coearpc
(r has placed me in awkward predci f,cnt bci,rn
the House III the situation i'm which stand can profcrv
be called an awkward one, il t. myself 70 stnfe
TO the gentleman from New York, that am paccd IA, IL
without any concurrence Of my own / make this stg-
g'siIgn as the reverse might naturally enough be in.
crIcd from my wcknown relations with my rrs,,rctrd
colleague But my colleague has made his tiotion
wlth"ut any cooperation or prompting Of mine not
only did nothing 10 the subject be brouobt no
ioTc the House; but believe may say that INV re-.
spcced colleague was when Inc made his motion,
at as lar as my personal feelings concerned had
rather II should not be made But another remark or
the gentlemen from ~ York still more i,nncrionsi. no
ques an eXPianation OF the motives from which have
accds IN reference 20 matter of some dclcacv rphe
genueman from New York If correctly caug,t hs r,
nark SAID, That so far from doing any tng In AN nm
friendly spnt 70 mc (Which certainly I iIave never
charged bin with and no one ON INV account ti,,
know ci) lie thought lac did a kindness in placing
me IN that situation, in which the decacy Of an honor
aDe member from Virginia (Mr Archcr) had led him
Fonmry, az the beginning Ofthc session, place him.
scil ih s. by not appearing in his scat iil tic Conn
ntiecs were appointed The natural from this
mark Is, that Ike decacy should have led me when
tIc cna,r OF tic Committee vacated decline oc.-
ing as IFS Chairman
In reply TO this suggestion it is my duty 10 remark
that when the chair Of hc Committee was vacated by
e resignation Of my friend, the lsc Cnirnan (,!,oi
cali so, not from parliamentary courtesy alone but
Wn shcerity) IT was my personal wish and feclng 20
decline acting as Chairman This feeling arose from
circumstance that The House can appreciate I was
Np roc mt ne a. 10. ff