The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-12-11
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
MONDAY, December 10.
The following Standing Committees were an
nounced
Napai Afatrs-Messrs. Ingbam, Milligan, Reed,
Wise, Graniland, Moore, Paynter, Anderson,
| Pickens
Foreign A airs-M essrs Howard Gushing, Jack
son. Of Georgia, Dromgoole, Fairfield, Legare, Ho6-
Ml,tia-M essrs. Wagner, Carter, Holt, Allen, of
Ohio, Griffin, Gallup Duan Southgale, Dennis.
/ Military Afairs.-Messrs Mckay Coles Gren-
nell, Rives, Kembe, Mason, of Ohio, Mcclellan, of
| Tennessee Halsead Glascock.
Indian Afairs.-Messrs. Bell, Everett, CLANCY,
Parker, Graham, of North Carolina, Lewis, Peri-
ken, Banks, Paris.
Tsrritories.-Mr. Bronson, Potts, Pearce, Borden,
Jones, ofN T., harrington, White, of KY, Ham
Roads and Canals Messrs Mercer Evans Nc
Kennan, Snyder, Fillmore, johnson, Md, White,
Graves, Grant. a..
yudiciary-Messrs Thomas, Robertson, of Va,
Toucey, Corwin, Garland of Va S. w. Morris,
Turney, Martin, Foster,
nres.-Messrs. Adams .Slade, Bidde,
Tillinghas, Vail, Naylor, Hunter, Emore, Ken
nedy.
Agriculture -Messrs Deberry, Logan, Phelps,
! Weeks, Spencer, Moves Davis, Randolph Stone
Ways aud Neans-Messrs. Cambreleng Sergeant,
Jones, of Va, Pope, Rhen, Webster Anterior,
| Haynes, Rencher. :
observation-disclosures Buchanan, Griffin, Maury,
| Toucey, Rives Swearingen.
! Commeree.-Messrs Cushman, DeGraf, Toland,
! Curtis, Mason, of Va.
| Public Lands-Messrs Williams, of N C. Lin
coin, Chapman, Casey, Shields, LOOMS, Maury, of
| Kentucky.
In the remaining Committees there is no change
from the last session.
Several messages were received from the President
Of the United States, by the hands Of his Private Sc
cretarv, transmitting reports reply resolutions Of
the House at the last session.
A commune alton from the President relative to the
Smithsonian Request was ordered to be referred TO
Select Committee of nne motion Of Mr. Adams
The SPEAKER laid before the House papers in
lation to the claim Of John Norris; .~
Also reports from the several Departments, giving
statement Of the contingent expenses Of each
| cUsToM-HoUsE DEfALcATIoN
message was received from the President of the
United States relative the defaca of the late col
! lector Of New York
Mr. CAMBRELENG moved that so much Of the
message relates defalcations be referred Select
Committee, and that much relates to the modf-
alton Of the revenue laws with view to greater
countabity, be referred to the Committee OF Ways and
| Means. Mr.. Cambreeng said it due to the House
that he should state that in making this motion, he had
no wish to he placed on the Select Committee propos-
ed, and would prefer that this important duty should be
assigned to other hands his duties, as Chairman
Of the Committee Of Ways and Means being very
| laborous. ..as
Mr.. MERCER moved the postponement Of the
consideration of this communication till tomorrow,
and that 1t be printed Agreed 10.
On motion OF Mr. CAMBRELNG, the House
took up the annual report of the Sect etary of the
Treasury, and the Treasury estimates; and they
were referred to the Committee of Ways and
Means. .... ....
. WISCONSIN TERRITORY.
On motion OF Mr. MERCER the subject of the
Wisconsin contested election was referred TO the
Committee on Elections.
s.. VIVA vocE ELECTIONS
The House took up the resolution heretofore Of
fered by Mr.. DROMGOOLE, directing that all
elections be hereafter made uiua roce, in this House.
Mr.. WISE had, he said, but word to say on the
subject. He considered the proposition direct
attack upon the freedom of elections here, and an
engine by which party tyranny was TO be established
! in this House. as we had already experienced He
was in favor of the mode of election ripa at the
polls but here it would be made the means of party
dictation Was it come to this that we were not 10
| be trusted with voting for our own officers, without
disclosing our votes
Mr.. DROMGOOLE said the principle of uira
roee elections conservative in The State from
which he came. There was not an election made
there, either at the polls or in the Legislature, or
in the Justices Courts, in any way than riua
He had no design to establish party tyranny in the
House, and he trusted that the proposition would
be considered without reference TO any particular
or individual election.
Mr.. BRIGGS moved 10 strike out the words ''rira
roce, and insert 'by baliot" lie commended that the
proposition was an innovation upon the established
and long practsed rules of the House. and that ii
would subject the members of the House TO Execu-
tive and party influences. In foreign countries they
were endeavoring TO escape the influence Of the
crown, by exchanging the mode of Voting piro rocc
for the ballot The resolution which adopted,
the other day, for elecling the Clerk rita race
adopted without consideration. He pointed out Sc
vera instances in which the Constitution specially
provides, that elections be made by ballot When
representatives in this Hall voted for President OF
| the u. S., they voted by ballot.
Mr.. PICKENS held that there was distinction
between elections here and votes in the discharge
of his legislative duties He would moi admit that he
was responsible to his constituents for his votes given
here for officers of this House. He held that these Of
fcers were has officers, as part OF the constituent
body and he was no more responsible for his vote
than for choosing his servants or boarding house
But he had other reasons for opposing the resolu-
ton. He was for keeping this body free from all
influences except those which were from our constitu
ents There corporations which would exert in
fuence over u.s. if they had the opportunity. lie
agreed that in conditions of society, the ptrG
r0cc SYSTEM at the polls, was to be preferred. In
Virginia, 1t would answer, because the voters were
chiefly landholders and independent; but in some
States at the South the of voters could exercise
the rights of suffrage openly and rira rocc, without
exposing themselves TO the oppression OF associated
wealth. ~,
Mr. PEARCE, of Md, said experience had con-
WINGED him that practical tyranny was consistent
with theoretical freedom. Tyranny existed here in
the form Of party discipline. II could condescend
and descend TO the smallest matters, and would be
felt in the election of an officer ofthis House as well
as in the election Of President lie thought the
vote by ballot necessary TO the independence Of
| the vote of the House