The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1837-12-21
COMMITTEE OF WAYS AND MEANS AND
THE HON. MIR. FLETCHER


Below will be found a statement OF the majority Of
the Committee of Ways and Means, repeirg the state
published regard their conduct during the last
session, by The member from Boston.
The undersigned have seen, with surprise, an attack
made upon the majority of the Committee of Ways
and Means, by the Hon Richard Fletcher, Of Massa-
chusetts, member Of that Committee al the late
session. In speech purporting TO have been delivered
in Fanuei Hall, and published in the Atlas and other
papers in Boston, the place Of that members residence,
the following statement and charges made, and have
not, to their knowledge, been dssvowed by him. He
says that
During the session, the business projects upon
which the House were called to act, almost
tirey from the Committee Of Ways and Means. There
nine members Of that committee, only two Of whom
are understood TO be opposed TO the general policy of the
administration. suppose you would like to know the
(which the business arranged for the House
will tell you the Ways-the Means you will see in
due time. You doubtless suppose that this Committee
OF Ways and Means has some duty TO do some ways
TO devise; some means to find out, plans to orgi
nate and mature for the action Of the House. The
committee you imagine, look over the message; see
what recommended to be done for the benefit Of the
country consult together as TO the best measures, and
lay the result Of their deliberations before tho House Is
this your idea, Mr.. PRESIDENT is this what you think,
fellow citizens iii is, am sorry inform you, that
you labor under very great mistake. once enter
tanned the same ideas but soon found my No
such thing, sr--no such thing The chairman of the
committee steps up to the White House, aud there
celves from the President the Secretary Of the rea
sury such bills they wish have passed by the House
The chairman puts the bills into his pockc-,akes them
to the committee, without any examlnationthe MAORI
~ OF .hc committee approve themhe minority can do
nothing-the bills are presented to the House, and re-
ceived as the doings Of the committee.
aver to you that every important bill passed by the
House, to the House, ready drawn, from the Exc
smith he, ut,,,n. xn.k,
Every measure is an Executive measure. ! mean by
the Executive, the President and the heads Of Depart
ments--he cabinet. They originate every thing, put
every thing into the precise shape they WISH word for
word letter for letter, comma for comma /; and the
Executive majority in the House pass each bill forth
with without ateratlon-and far depends upon
them, without debate just it comes from their mas
tiers at the White House,
The member from Massachusetts alleges that the
chairman Of the committee "stcps up To the White
House, and there receives from the President or the
Secretary Of the Treasury such bills they wished to
have passed by the House The chairman puts the bills
into his pocket takes them to the committee without
any examination the majority OF the committee approve
them"
The chairman Of the committee states in reply, that
he had consultation whatever with the President
corning any of the bills reported by the committee,
dld he receive either Of the bills, any part Of
either, from him. The usage from the commencement
of the government has been for the committee, through
its chairman consult The head Of the Department,
regard to such measures he may recommend for the
OF Congress for the Secretary TO attend
on and confer with the committee If invited, and TO
furnish drafts Of bills embracing his propositions when
requested 10 do This is but act OF courtesy to
the officer who recommends measure connected with
the business Of his department. and whose duty 1t is,
when the law is enacted, TO construe and execute it,
The chairman OF the committee did consult the Sc
creary OF the Treasury about the bills referred to- aud
he pd nd oI he
tee At his request, the Secretary Of the Treasury
transmitted him drafts Of Of the bills but the
undersigned declare it be utterly that any
Of them was adopted by the committee The measures
recommended in the Treasury report were duly con-
sdercd by the committee, but not one Of the bills re-
ported correspondent in form with any prepared by the
Secretary and most Of them essentially differed in prn
ciple from the suggestions OF that officer
The member from Massachusetts not only alleges
that the majority OF the committee approved the bills
without any examination, but he that every
important bill passed by the House the House,
rcddy drarn from the Executive" and that the Exc
cuve majority in the House passed each bill forthwith
without aefation-and, so far depends upon them
without debate" The bills reported by both commit
tees, differing they do, and the proceedings Of the
two Houses upon them, prove these statements 10 be
untrue The two Houses had assembled at an extra
session, and there general desire, without regard
TO party, to make II short From its different or
ganizaton the Senate enabled to appoint its
mittees the 9Th Of September those of the House
announced I'LL the lh Of that month Before
the Committee Of Ways and Means met on the 18th,
the Committee on Finance Of the Senate had been for
some days employed in preparing their bills; conse.
quenty the former had opportunity to act upon them
until after they had been matured by the latter commit
tee Both Houses were anxious that all the bills should
be reported without delay and the Committee OF Ways
and Means in session daily I'LL the most important
were submitted to the House. Inexamlnlng these bills
il will be found that the majority of the Committee Of
Ways and Means rot only differed with the Senate
committee, but with the report Of the Secretary, both
in principle and in detail
The bill Of the Senate authorized Treasury notes to
be issued bearing interest the bull reported 10 tie House