Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-03-12


,lcv had on Them maiOres in favor OF The Acnlnsia
inn and that therefore, tlr Speaker EHt o''h iH'u'
lie admitted thai The Speaker possessed ,"'e"I
he was thoroughly yersed IN knowledge oi pa'''a',.
,ary law-that he cautious, and ably diocha' eu '
duties in Ike ChGir-and the appointment OF the c'''n.s
ices was the only specification made ny MN aS
fer ruIirir his party against The resolution "
said the SPEAKER had given large inaJr!TS III '',
the A administration the Committee oi Ee'""s' A.
u..ttee Of Ways and Means, Comm lee ." fo'''s" "
fairs and the Cnmmiliee Oh the JuG".iry 1871,
H., has net given the proportions "i The t"" P"''a
patlies on these committees with entire accuracy ~
liza, is not material Now, we have looked /" See NV :.
Mr. H-n wien he was Speaker (duFing the ren"a"'"'
4 Cu"prpss ~ Icii-J, and hen he piultSstu - W
lr!e.GT to The Adm!nsTaon} appointed ''''S. s'','e
commuters. Mr. appointed these Committees !" ''''
following proportions ~ ~
The Committee Of Elections was compose" "' "N
f.;.nds and ,L;re nppuuemso Of lh1 Administration.
The Committee OF Was AID Means was c"l'Pos'u
Of SIX friends and three opponents Oi The Aui"s"a
ton. . - I ,r
.ven friends and two opponents u TIE Administering
The CuIn.:i:ire The judiciary VAS composed q
five friends and four opponents t" The Administrator"
But these were the only important committees
i,ed by Mr. Bell with large maj"itIes favorable TO
I. Administration. The Committee on Military a..
lars was composed Of eight friends ard one opponent VI
the Administration.
We give the names G.: the members composing these
co,uull,, es appointed by Mr. Bell, taken from the
Journal. the names OF the friends o The Administrator
beng printed IN italics: 80.
NascainS aHdDrod flanagan, Hard, Burns, Boa!d'",
hdr0:c- six TO three.
Committee of WAYS and Means-MesSIs. Paik,
Wi!G. CGmjreicnn, Wchtm Binney, LoyTH, .Hrhiniey,
NnbLard, Corwn-six 10 three.
COMMITTEE OF Foreign Aitllrs-hessTs HayHe. Eve
ru iiQN OF n c., C0U!ter, JgreiS, Ptcrs0n, Patton,
L.tCi"r, PcpOR-seycn To two
Committee The Juticiary--Alessrs Foster, G"r'
Lon G,ardsy, W0mos, Hardin PARTS, P1erte Robert.
son, NGmcr-Gve L" four.
Committee on Military hiiars-Mess's .Iohnsnn Of
Kentucky. Vance. SDcighi E0rd, ThomrSO", Ccgte,
Bunh. .ickry 7nthOny-eight TO one.
This was perfectly fair and proper, when done 10y Mr..
Bell, bot is gross Partially when done by Alr. Polk
iir t.rniss says the Speaker has been Ibrra in CIV
ing the Opposition ma orilics the COmmirsS Of Ma
nutacur,S EOads Gnd CunoiS and other committees That
wrre mol political Mr. Bell gave the Opposition majo-
rites these same committees. The truth Is, that no
Speaker has done otherwise than to appoint maln-
rites Oh the great and leading committees friendly to
The ting Administration Il is according 10 the par
!;amcn'afy law and practice that it should be so. II 1t
were onrra se the Administration could not bring for
ward their important measures through these commit
tees for the consideration of the House Mr. Pope OF
kentucky, and other Opposition members, in the dis
cussion raising the Swartwout committee. admitted
The correctness Of this principle.
Tie truth is, that The present Speaker las Tor lOnr
years appointed the committees lie has done at The
last session, and PiUn ever taken 10 him on
this uati! now, when it is deemed necessary by
Bell and his Wing colleagues 10 have hn attacked, ioT
the ignn5e purpose Of affecting if possible his election
IN i.nmessce. The committees were appointed in the
Congress commencing in December, 1883, they have
been appointed in the last Congress. A. the close Of
the Speakers first term in March, 1887, The usual
Of thanks pa svd; but he not then he now
a candidate for Governor Of Tennessee, and there
not The same motive 10 aSSail him there Is now
Every Speaker WHO has filled the Chair, has ap
pointed Tie leading standing business committees Of The
House as Mr.. Speaker Polk has done. Mr. Bell
have show, did so. mr. Stevenson, Mr.. Clay and all
other Speakers had done The Thing. The present
Speaker has been liberal towards the Opposition
than many Of his predecessors.
we have locked into hc journals O The Senate during
the pane years O: lc3io when the Opposition, having
Temporary ma''iiy III thai bOGy took The appointment
OF the committees from the Vice President, and appoint,
I'd themselves By ballot, 10 how their committees
sia.d-aud wha! do We i!Gt Why, that
The Committee Foreign Affairs composed Of
friends ard three opponents Of the Administration
The Committee OF Finance cUmpOsra u! one iGieEd
GaG tou9 opponents ui the Administration.
The Committee on tie Judiciary composed of one
friend and !Uu! opponents oi the Administration.