The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-01-19

II
Yes, sir, said Mr.. M. let them be anno,n,.a ~.
we you will; am ready for such 4 vote In,
however appointed, ! say the committee when a.
po.n'ed VIII be responsible for lis own acts ~
~ ne mad deemed Il proper that committee shoud
,asea IN such manner as 10 protect the nuuiry
Jhnnueu 20 them from all suspicion Of design 10
NnrewaSh any body. Lei their report 90 to he A
nnsiican People stamped with the impress Of bona
iuc Intention to redress great public evil He
f Gen. ior such report as should be wholly freed
i'om partisan character
Mr., CAMBRELENG said he would accent ia
aW,Henuneni OF The gentleman from Virginia, (Mr.
WisE,l as now modified, saves much Of il as pro
Pos.a 'hat the committee be appointed by ballot
,; Ut. WISE inquired whether the gentleman had
sns % accept OF the amendment with a reservation
S,y par OF II must he not accept il as whole
Inc CHAIR said the gentleman had perfect
sa' 20 modify his own resolution by the addition 10
OF whatever words be pleased
WI. 1AkLAND, of Virginia, said the gentle
man from New York had undertaken 10 answer ar
guments as his which he had never made
I. wi. cAMBRELENd explained He had been an.
ssssilng The genemans colleague, (Mr. Wise, )who
nau talked about stocked pack, and about white
washing committee, &c.
MT uARLAND. Yes, sir, the genlleman's answer
was 10 my colleague, but all the thunder Of il fell ON
my poor head. And what has been nv sin in This
matter !, II seems, am answerable for The delalca-
s ss =, SWditwou' because he Is Conservative
or, believe he was Conservative. and the result
was, lhal ne conserved more than a million of the
public money. and conserved himself 10 boot, and go
of safe To London. Is that my fault4
The gentleman made another suggestion by which
he attempted TO put me in an awkard position he
says did not look well in me TO want TO be at the
head of an investigating committee on the defalca-
ton OF Conservative friend Sir | fatty deny the
charge might appeal 10 gentlemen on this floor
who know that when offered the resolution which
my colleague has adopted, expressly diSclaimed all
wish or purpose to be on the committee. But how
does the genlleman's doctrine apply 10 himself?
Does he mol know that by The same rule of courtesy
he would himself be placed at the head Of the
mittee he moved IL in the first instance. Bur he
says he asked TO be excused from serving on it
Well, sir, and are there no other gentlemen who
could prefer the same requesl | have had enough,
Heaven knows, OF the craftsmanship OF investigating
committees. / want no more Of il, assure you
The gentleman wants 10 know how il is that should
seek 10 examine into the detacation Of Mr.. Swart-
woat, political friend yet the gentleman, after adj
uniting that my resolution was more comprehensive
than his own accepted il as modification. II | Of
fered II with view 10 up my friends deialca-
ton, how comes i hat he accepted il who wants TO
expose him His only objection TO my proposition
Is, that i proposes committee appointed by ballot
The rest he adopts his own. Sir was il who first
moved in this malter7 Was not 1t the gentleman
himself2 Did not the President suggest the mea-
sure in his Message Did not the Secretary do the
same thing in his Report1 And was il not, again
ask, the gentleman himself who commenced The af-
FART might retort upon he gentleman by asking
why he did no, include Mr. Prices case, and whether
he omitted il because that gentleman is political
Mr.. CAMDaELENo Thought had explained that
matter already. Tie case Of Mr. Price was not
then heard of. "...
Mr.. GARLAND, If the gentleman made that ex-
plantation, did not hear it. But sir, here tell the
gentleman from New York that denunciations of
this kind will never drive me from my course in
this House or elsewhere. In the discharge of my
duty am responsible 10 my Creator, TO my country,
and TO my constituents: and never have asked any
man. and never will, in what manner | shall dis
charge il. ......:.s
But, sir, was there not some reason that should
have moved in this business. The gentleman from
New York and his friends advocate one plan for
the moneyed concerns of the country; and my
friends advocate another. The gentleman and his
associates declare that this great deialcation of
SwaTtwout is 10 be traced 10 The system we advocate
Was it to be expected that should sit coldy BY, and
let any be taken thai he and his friends might
choose to point out Sir, this il not solitary case.
These defacations have been multiplying with an
awful rapidiy. Scarce do our ears recover from
the sound of one explosion, before another still
louder bursts upon them. They commenced with
little accounts of 10000 TO 40 600 dollars and they
have gone on till they have grown TO upwards of a
million al blow And all this forsooth is to be at
trbuted 10 the State bank system; and vet we are
not 10 ask a full investigation, for fear of being
charged with design TO cover the iniquities of our
political friends | ask any man to look at the re-
solution offered and see how it covers up the de-
fault Are not the committee to examine every
where May they not examine the banks too? The
powers, lsupposed were full enough to cover the
most ample investigation but, il not | here tell the
gentleman from New York, that if he wants any
further powers let him put the resolution in his own
words and will vote for it. l seek to screen no
body. .mrr...
As 10 committee by ballot those who know my
past history, know that that is no idea with me.
In the Legislature of my own State, it was ever
favurite noe. Not that diStrusl the Speaker.
know that he does ordinarily appoint committees
but while on ordinary occasions, the House. by its
acauiescence, may suffer him TO exercise his power
YET, in great and momentous emergencies, it should
appoint its own committees for itself Sir, whose
committee is this to be2 The Speaker's2 or the
House committee The argument the gentleman
comes to lust this the House can trust the SPEAKER
but IL can't trust itself That's it sir. II we appoint
BY ballot act in the dark J" there is no respon
sibility. Sir, it is a reflection on the character of
this House. But is not this question on which the
House should assume the responsibility, and not cast
it on The Speaker! II he appoints the committee,
and their report bears hard on one party, we shall
Immediately hear some gentleman get up and talk
about stocked pack; and, il 1t bears hard on the
other side, we shat hear the same complaints from
that quarter; party feeling will have its influence,
and the appointment of the committee is sure TO dis
satisfy somebody. propose that the House take its
own responsibility, and let the report bear on whom
il may There can be no complaints OF !" stocked
pack" But no, sir, this won't do. The House can
trust itself: there will be no responsibility. Sir,
tell the gentleman am ready for viva voce vote.
am prepared to tell the gentleman from New York,
and every other gentleman, who they are vote for.
will give the gentleman copy Of my ticket, and
he may put it in the papers, if he will: And II the
gentleman is Still haunted with the idea that am
seeking the chair of the committee will here make
bargain with him; and we will both agree 10 stay
off The committee altogether. There are others fit
ter for the place than either Of us. Let the House
take the vote in any form, for one, request not to
he mi pnt 10 Have / asked upntle-
men to vote for me 4 If | have, let them say so-
Besides, If the committee is chosen by ballot, you,
MIR. Speaker, will not appoint the chairman Of il;
the chairman would be appointed by the House, or
chosen by the committee itself How,eould know
that should be made charman2 The geneman's
charge falls to the ground. No sir i ain acuated,
trust, by higher motives than the poor, rlul, con-
temptible hope Of being placed in the chair of a