The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-02-14
DEBATE IN THE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,,
Inquiry into late Defalcations.
REMARKS OF MR.. LEGARE, OF s. C.
. TresDAy Tahuary Is 1870
TUESDAY, January Is, Is:

TUESDAY, January Is, 1889.
The House having resumed the consideration Of the
Presidents Message, relating to the default OF S.
Swarwout, and the question being the motion OF
Mr. Thomas, OF the 9th instant TO amend the amend
ment moved by Mr.. Garland Of Virginia, OF the 9Th
instant TO the motion made by Mr.. Csmbrceng, on the
18Th OF December, BY striking out the word ballot and
inserting the words rird roee--
Mr.. LEGARE said he would, in the remarks with
which he about trouble the House. confne him.
sell as much possible TO the subject Immediately sub
united to It's consideration He said much posi-
bic, because the questions that had for some time past
occupied and agitated the public mind were so compi-
Gated and ran naturally into another that was
not very easy to single any one Of them and treat Of
u as It were perfectly isolated As he trusted how
ever that he should have an oppornnitypehaps
than onebeore the close of the session. Ia explain at
large his views IN regard to these high he should
content HIMSELF for the present, with stating and en-
forcing the reasons which had determined hmand he
thought would Gas they ought determine the House
TO vote without any hesitation, for the amendment OF
the gentleman from Virginia. He would be glad il he
were fortunate enough to satisfy the Chair itself that
the course marked by that amendment was the pro-
per one He would not for the world that any thing he
did In that Hall should be fairly construed into will
iul respass upon the jurisdiction Of the Chair still
more INTO wanton slur upon the character Of the
speaker lie had Che sadly TOO high sense Of what
was due to the relations that subsisted between that
gentleman and the House-as President and the mem
oeIs OF high deliberative body. He knew that the
ohclal dignity OF that officer identified with that of
.he Rouse mat hspersona feelings recommended
IN peculiar manner to its tendeTest protecton and
he would promise the Chair that il might count with
confidence on receiving at his hands-what certainly il
would cost him no great effort Of generosity to afford
the most ndugent the most delicate, and the most
scrupulous attention. both to the and to the other
But, sir, (said Mr.. ~ if the Speaker stands, /
think he does IN false position in relation TO this sub
ject it is his frends-they, mean, who profess to be
his exclusive ends-hat have placed him in it. Not
satisfied with claiming for the Chair, belonging to it
OF night, power does not possess they have chosen
TO rest their preension grounds bad the claim
itself Not only does their argument not prove what
they purpose, but it leads, il proves any thing at ALL
to the very opposite conclusion II their law is bad,
their logic is Instead Of showing that the House
ought as its rules now stand, to confde the appoint
ment OF this committee to the Speaker, it would Justify
the House In deprlying him of the power, even if it
hitherto belonged 10 him What is it ?! Say the gen.
tlemen, your committee ought to be composed Of mem
beers OF whom majority should be favorable to the Ad
mlnlstratlon. This is their first assumption. Then
they proceed to their second proposition, which that
the Speaker is pledged to his party, and bound upon
principle to appoint such committee and from these
premises they draw their conclusion that he is properly
vested with power to appoint it, and should be allowed
to exercise it in this In other words, the House,
which has been called upon by the Executive to insli-
tute extraordinary inquiry INTO the causes Of de-
falcation itself extraordinary to demand the most
rigid scrutiny, ought, contrary, shall show, to every
sound principle, conhde that inquiry to committee
so constituted as to be- by the confession Of gentlemen
advocates rather than Judges Of the Department OF the
Government whose conduct is the subject Of investiga
ton.
Nothing indeed, can be more extraordinary than the
whole course Of those protesting be the exclusive
friends of the Administration this subject. If
stranger the proceedings Of this House had happen
ed into it, for the first time, when the gentle
man from New York was making what | must be per-
mitted to call his very singular opening speech--a
speech in which he said all that he ought not to have
said and left unsad all that he ought to have saba
speech which he yesterday boosted had occupied the
House but ten minutes, and in the course OF which,
will add, he did not give single second to any argu
ment to show that the investigation he demanded
should be carried a-such,a stranger would natu
rally have asked what foul conspiracy had beer detect
ed who they that were moving with such "a
stealhy pace in deep Darkness to some purpose as
dark .
Here Mr. CAMBRELENo disclaimed any intention Of
ndulpng in denunciation, and asked what he had said
that could be so Interpreted.
Mr. Legare, Did the gentleman mean nothing by
voting in the dark" and stunning responsibility !"
Did he mean nothing by the private interests to which
he so significantly alluded Would he venture to
utter mputations in an assembly of gentlemen, about
" Morris Canals, and things of the sort, of which he
(Mr. L. knew nothing, and then ask, nnocently,
what he had said that could be considered denunca
ton!
mr. Cambreleng here made explanation,
scarcely heard by the reporer OF which the purport
seemed be that what he had said the subject of
the Conservatives and the Morris Canal in reply to
Mr. Wise, who urged, reason against the Speakers
appointing the committee, that it would be constitu
ted as to shield the wrong doors of his paryhat
he made charge himself &c ]
Mr. Legare. Sir call the attention Of the House
and of the country to the avowa that has been just
made The gentleman from New York is OF the
most ancient and experienced members of this House
he is its official leader; the accredited organ Of the
Administration; guide and adviser, followed by
party here and does he talk Of stunning response
bility and shielding fraud Does he hint at combina-
tons protect peculaors because they disgrace this or
that political party by assuming its name! and then
come forward before the American People, and cooy
confess that he has uttered language Of this sort with
out any Of the responsibility which 1t imposes
upon him : That they were mere idle words, thrown
out at randum against gentleman OF one party, be-
he and his friends have been attacked by another
gentleman OF different party But will omit what !
was going to say this head. will no. hold the gen.
eman to language so nconsderately uttered. will
proceed with the argument which he said not syllable
to mpugn. and will show concusvey that, by adopting
the amendment Of the gentleman from Virginia, the
House. far from departing from every precedent violat.
ing every principle and tramplng under foot the rights
Of the Chair as had been confidently alledged, will
only be exercising its undoubted rights, according
to the very letter Of its positive and written rules.
Why, sir, 1t was but very few moments after the
gentleman from New York had taken his seat that the
Speaker read from the chair the law which, from time
immemorial, has governed the practice of this House
BY rules, the Speaker is charged with the appoint
ment Of committees unless the House shall see ut 70
order otherwise in which they shall be chosen by
ballot The law is your tablet stares you IN the
FACET is clear, direct nnequvocal In general the
appointment of committees is referred to the Speaker
said by my colleague the way, (Mr' rick-
ems for the sake OF convenience but the unqueson-
able power Of this House TO make the appointment
itsefhas been expressly reserved and whenever case
shall arise ealing for the exercise of it, the choice shall
be made by ballot And now, sir, ask, how comes
it that nothing was heard OF the darkness and the
odousness Of this form Of proceeding Are we better