The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-12-24
gmemtp> Strth Congress.
SECOND SESSION
IN SENATE.
TUESDAY, Dec. -, 1910.
cnARrER oF WAsnINoroN

continue in force the chartering the city OF T" s
ington, aud moved that il be referred to seiect com
mltiee. i. . -,
Mr. MERRICK objected TO having the bill refer
red 10 select committee instead of letting u take the
usual course and 90 the Comnittee for the Ds'nc
OF Columbia He objected 10 the course as proposed
Nv the Senator from Michigan, because the subject
was one Of great importance the citizens OF the DIS
ct and therefore IT seemed to him that any subject
or matter properly referring to the interests Of The DIS
trct Of Columbia should 80 TO the committee having
| that business under consideration.
| Mr. NORVELL said he objected to placing tins
bill IN the hands of a committee who are known not
TO be in favor Of the measure proposed, ana when II
was known that in the organization oil that cohtiee
the members of II belong TO one political party alone
He therefore thought that his honorable friend from
| MARYLAND should object 10 having the subject 10
90 TO q select committee. Furthermore, II was MS
misfortune last session, in drawing the bll, 10 have
| omitted two important provisions WIN view 70 SCI
himself right this point and on these grounds, ne
| hoped the gentleman would not object.
/ Mr. MERRICK said he was far from presenting
any obstacle but the mistake mentioned winch
had occurred in the drawing OF the BILL the correction
could easily be made when II came up the Senate
| | don't know how (sad Mr.. M } the gentleman un-
dertakes announce hastily the character OF the
committee and the opinions OF the gentlemen who
compose it, have been myself and am now IN iaVor
of renodeng TO a certain extent the charter Of the
city of Washington. have consulted no party views
in the matter had not the organization OF the Com
mittee Tor the District OF Columbia; 1t was appointed
/ BY the Senator from Alabama, who differs with me
| politically and believe, with nearly all the members
| who compose the committee. | hope that no party
considerations may be grated with tins matter hope
the bill will be referred where in my opinion, pro
perly belongso the Committee for the District OF Co
| lumba.
Mr. NORVELL insisted that there was mem
Der Of the Senate who did not look to party dstlnc-
tons in what he did There certain principles
| Of Government which II was well known parties
ere divided and Mr.. n. avowed that he was not ex
empt from strong and decided party bias lie called
| for the yeas and nays,
! Mr.. CLAY, of Alabama, expressed the hope that
the Senator from Maryland would withdraw his OPP
position AT the last session the leading motives of
individuals was to extend the right of suffrage in the
District The bill to effect this went SO far to be
ordered its third reading but unfortunately two or
three clauses of the bill found TO have been omit
ted in consequence OF which proposition was made
TO supply these omissions by unanimous consent, and
when this refused, Mr. G. moved to lay the bill on
the table which was done, under notice that the sub
ject would be again brought up But in the recess 1t
had been charged in the newspapers that every gentle
man who was in favor of that bill was in favor OF abo
Ition in the District and this proclaimed in every
| party sheet, and both Mr. G. and his colleague had
been thus implicated, and this imputaiion had been
made generally against every fir end Of universal SUIT
irage in the District. II was, besides, principle of
! Parliamentary law, that proposition should be com
United to its friends, and he hoped, therefore, when
the question should be taken, the select committee
! would be permitted to do themselves justice
| Mr. MERRlCk. Ii ! understood the Senator
from Alabama, he intimatcd that the Committee for
the District of Columbia hostile the extension
of the right of suffrage
| Mr. CLAY. j so understood.
| Mr. MERRlCK said he, at the last session, dis
tnctly avowed that he was advocate for univeral
suffrage 1t prevailed in his own State, and he at
all times and under all circumstances, was an advo
cate for the right of universal suffrage
i MIR NJ denied that it was the Parliamentary prac-
tcc always to send memorials to committees known to
! be favorable to- them, and not the custom of
this body to ask whether committees were favorable or
not. Ii true that the presiding officer, when he
selected committees, generally selected majority who
favorable of the object especially before Them
and, instance of this, in his selection OF the
Committee for the District of Columbia 1t was usual
to select majority favorable 10 the interests OF the
District. But ii every memorial must nave commit
tee favorable TO its object it might be necessary to
raise a special committee on every memorial
! There were many particulars, Mr.. Nj sad, which
ourht TO enter into new charter, for this city which
were not in this bill. There ought, for instance, to
be new distribution OF municipal power IN the various
wards And there were great many other conslde-
ratons involved which properly belonged to the com
mittee having the general charge of the affairs OF the
/ District But he satisfied to submit the question
by yeas and nays.
Mr. PRESTON also argued agains: lis being
Parliamentary rule that propositions should be sent
TO committees respectively III their favor. Where
1 investigation demanded which charges were
founded then it was customary to grant committee
favorable to the investigation And when the Senate
had settled the principle OF measure, 1t was sent to
committee favorable To il in order to carry il out fully
But in general, the rule of the Senate was to send
any subject to that committee who had the charge OF
its correative subjects and on this general ground,
this subject ought TO 90 to the Committee for the DIS
trict OF Columbia, whom MIR u. described as having
extremely important part to perform IN the way OF
sub legislation and especially as the District at
fairs too much neglected by Congress who could
not give them the necessary attention. lie animated
| that il might even be well to have something like
/ Tor luoypT hp T. upprc-
Gated the idea that party and party principles
should be applied and forced nolens r0lcnS upon the
people OF the District without reference to their wishes
or actual condition and he characterized the existing
| committee for the District eminently qualified 10
take charge of It's affairs, while committee selected
from distant points Of the country could not be fit
for IT,
In regard to universal suffrage in the District MIR
2 had not expressed opinion and he thought it a
question of great difficulty 1t had long prevailed in
his State; but there were other saveholding
States in which half were deprived OF that right And
member of the Senate he greatly hcsitated 10 APP
ply at this South Carolina doctrine 10 the Dis
rict of Columbia and he would 1T least first look how
II would affect the interests prtjudiccs, and wishes Of
the people. And all party considerations on the sub
ect he again utterly rcpudiatcd.
MIR SOUTIIARD also earnestly argued in favor
of sending this suhjec, to the Committee for the DIS
trIc This was paramount subject, which would
affect the interests of all the people and would the
Senate be guilty of such soecIsm TO send this to
particular committee and leave to the general commit
tee those subjects only Of partial bearing and Of
minor importance
Mr. S admitted that the Committee for the District
was constituted in manner altogether extraordinary.
There was other committee like it, lin It's politics
But wise faithful, and intelligent committee
| could not be constituted
Mr. ) also argued against Its being the parliament
tary rule 10 send propositions 10 committees respective
/ " favorable TO them
He also insisted that however correct might be the
general principle of universal suffrage regard should