The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1837-12-27
COMMITTEE OF WAYS AND MEANS
AND TIE HON. MR. FLETCHER.

MEOW VIII be found statement of the
majority of the Committee Of Ways and
Means, rcpelling the calumny published in
regard Ia their conduct during the last
session, by the member from Boston. Ii
was at the Fancui Hall celebration of the
$50 called) Federal victories, that Mr..
FLETcuER brought up his associates Of the
commite as an oficrr to gIut the rapac-
ious spirit prevailing, and told his tale by
way ofceremoniaI to the immolation. The
committee, however, have deemed it duty,
on coming together, 10 mark this attemp. Of
one of ITS members TO destroy its character
with the country, by simple exposure of
the misrepresentation to which the Federal
Dictator resorted 10 effect his parpose.--
Globe. $50
The undersigned have seen, with sur
prise, an attack made upon the majority of
the Committee of Ways aud Mems, by the
Hon. Richard Fletcher, Of Massac husetts,
member of that committee at the late ex-..
ira session. la a speech pnrporting TO
have been delivered in Faneuil Hall, and
published in the Atlas and the other papers
at Boston, the place of thar members resi-.
dence, The following statement aud charges
are made, aud have not, to their knowl-
edge, been dsa,owed by him. lie says
that,
during the session, The business pro-
jects upon which The House were called to
act, came almost entire from tho Commit
tee Of Ways and Mesus.--There are 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 man
ner in which the business was arranged for
the House. Twill tell you the Ways--the
Means you will all see in due time. You
doubtless suppose TINT this Committee of
Ways and Means has some duty to do
some ways to devise some means to find
out some plans to originate and mature
for the action of the House. The commit
tee, you imagine, look over the message
see what is recommended to be done for
the bcneti. of the country; consult toge,h-
er as TO the best measures, and lay the re-
suit of their deliberations before the House.
Is this your idea, Mr.. President! Is this
what you think, fellow-citizens If it is,
| nm sorry To inform you, that you labor
under very grcnt mistake. / once enter
tained the same ideas; but soon found
my error. No such thing, sir mo such
thing. The chairman of tic committee
steps up to The White House, and fhtre re-
eeioes from The President or The Secretary
Of the Treasury sueh bills as they irish 10
hove passed By tie House. The chairman
puts the bills into his pocket; takes Mtm
to the committee. wifhom any examinations
The msjority Of the committee opprore them
the minority can do nothing; the bills are
presented to the House, and received as the
dolngs of the COMMITTEES.
81 arer TO you that every important bill
passed by the House, came to the House,
ready drapn, from the E1ccufiye. The
Representative are mere machines. Every
measure is an Executive measure. Gniean.
by the Executive, the President, and The
heads ofDepnrnents The cabinet. They
originate every Thing, put every thing into
the precise shape they ,eish, word for word.
letter for letter, comma for comma /; and the
ErecutiUe majority IN the House pass
each bill forthwHh, vifhout dlteration-- and
so far as depends upon them Without debate
just as IL Games from their masters at tho
Dhihe house."
Tie member from Massachusetts alleges
that the chairman If the committee " steps
up Ia the white house. and there receive
from the President or the Secretary of the
Treasury, such bills ms they wish TO have
passed by the House. The chairman pats
the bills into his pocket, takes them to the
wi,hputany examination .hc nn-
joriiy Of the committee approve them"
The chairman Of the committee states in
reply, that he bad no consultation whatever
with the President concerning any one of
the bills reported by the committee, nor did
he receive either Of the bills, or any part of
either, from him. The usage from the COM
mencement of the Government has been for
the committee, through its cbnrmam, 10
consult the head Of the Department in re-
gard to such measures as he may. rrcoB-
mend for the consideration Of Congress
for the Secretary to attend on, and confrr
with, the committee if invited, a. to furnish
drafts of biiis embracing his own proposit-
ions, when requested to do so. This is but
an act of courtesy to the officer WHO recon-
mends u measure connected with the busi-
ness Of his department., and whose duty it
is, when the law is enacted, 10 construe and
execute IL.
The chairman Of the committee did con-
suit tho Secretary Of the Treasury about the
bills referred Ia, and he did so with the
knowledge and assent of the committee.
At his request the Secretary of the Treasu-
~ transmitted to him drafts Of most of the
bills; but the undersigned declare il To be
utterly untrue that any one Of them was a
dopted by the committee. The measures
recommended in the Treasury report were
duly considered by the committee, but not
one Of the bills reported corresponded in
form with sny prepared by the Secretary.
and most Of them essentially differed in
principle from the suggestions Of th,t Off
Ger.
The member from Massachusetts not on