The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1840-06-30
S p f. f. G. TIT
oF MR. EVERETT OF VERMONT ON THE
CIVIL AND DIPLOMATIC APPRo.
PRIATION BILL

or extravaganza of the expenditure of the nuh
, To money, and the proprety or impropriery o
wv several items OF appropriation. Conrernjn.
'i'e inter have nothing TO saw al present.
may Lave occasion to notice some of them wis,
up ~ ther order for amendment 1 hone SIR
w" neither you nor the committee will lake a.
- ~. Ut Tue mere suggestion OF the subject OF
nc the seeming attempt to divert the
""o OF tiie committees from The wilderness
rebate hitherto INDUCED. l shall take good
,," however, to avoid any abrupt transition
hough Intend nj last to approach the subiec,
:" srh",'ai shall he the approach that you SIM 4
''",uy know when come 10 il; Vet at no time
VIII he very far from, il.
.i'ie II NOT very inappropriate TO notice the
r.,l'"','''s frequently made here and else here
VI me "e'ay of the public business, from the
"ue 'ange OF debate Oh other SUBJECTS an,! pnr.
/ 'c"'ar'y during The consideration of this apuro
lriauo: bill. That there has beeG u.ore irrele.
want dehnte during the present session than in n
ny former session is admitted. IL i, be "A fault.
WIZ ehdeaVor To show where the responsibility
,es'1, 10 use no,neiy expression, 10 place the
s'Iidie on the right horse.
In my opinion, sir, there is not SO much of in
uW'h''ai blame us has been imagined; the evil,
u u DE AN evil, has arisen from want OF The Us.
nai ana appropriate occasion for the general de-
pate on The State OF the Union.
in former times, The order OF debate was pre
served, because The order Of business was pre-
served. In the first years OF The Government The
general debate took place on the answer to the
Presidents speech. On this very subject relu.
ing to The state of the Union, every subject re.
ierred TO in the speech was in order. 1t was the
hrst business of the session. The result was
that all general questions were fully discussed
ana The policy OF The Government settled by the
speech and The answers Of both Houses, and
The legislation was confined TO carry out the pol.
ICY ~ " hch the coordinate branches were a.
greel. iii should hive Glanced tina, either
oranch WAS hostile 10 any measure recommend.
ell or approved by the other, it afforded fair
warning not to attempt the measure.
In 1901 the message took The place of the
speech. but there was no substitute for the ans.
wer OF both Houses, and the policy of legisia.
lion was left 10 he settled on each measure ms it
came NJ. Still there was an enry occasion for
general debate. The message was committed
to Committee of the Whole on the state OF the
Union, where the debate was as Unlimited as for.
taerIy ON the answer to The Presidents speech.
4 have sometimes thought that the change from
the speech TO the message was gain in favor OF
the Executive; Haniiestly SO in case Of differ.
ence OF views between him and the House of
opposed by the answer, was tfI1 oprrlo" WV
man against the opinion o! II majority OF the
House of Representatives. But the message OPP
posed by individual speeches, was left 10 ind-
vidual comparisons, and, while the policy OF the
Government remained unsettled, the policy ot
the Executive alone went 10 the People. l have
sometimes thought, sir that il would he a saluta-
nv course for both Houses, in some way, without
the torInality of going in body to deliver an
answer TO express their sentiments on every part
of the message, before entering OH the business
Of Legislation.
THUS, sir tor many years, the occasion was
made for full debate on all subjects relating 10
the state OF the Union. In Committees OF The
Whole on the stale Of the Union OF the Presl-
dents message was the battle-ground OF parties.
They went into the debate, armed at all points.
TO attack or defend; and, when the battle was
ended, there was Ito motive or Use Tor irrelevant
debate. They proceeded, in order, 10 the bust
ness Of the country,
II was the uniform course OF the AdminisIra.
non party 10 take the lead in bringing on the
general debute. They selected their tirstman,
premier, to move resolutions distributing the
message. The minority never moved first. 1t
WIS the first business OF the session. The de-
bate occupied The portion of the session in which
but little business could be done-tlle interval
( between The appointment of The committees and
their reporting subj for the action OF Con-
gress. Such was the generel course. until win
| in IA few years past. 1t has been undergoing a
gradual change; the Lead has passed INTO me
hands of sub -pren,e,s who have cOntented them
selves with the honor of making the usual mo-
ton Tor the ,iStribu,ion OF the message, and then
retiring to The unveiled Isis, leaving the deDate
TO chance.medey combatants. The general
character Of the debates changed; they became
more desuIlorv. There being 10 opening, Oh
the part OF the Adm inislration, there was nc
great lead TO follow; and it followed OF course
That debate became more extended and desu'to
nv Oh the issue OF particular measures. Suci
was it's character at the close OF the last Adih'h
} is,ration Aud how has il been since the com
: menceuient Of the present Administration L
! Tie session of September, 1887, was cai'eu lo
, the special purpose of passing the Sub Treasury
, There was no occasion or desire OF The discus
, sion of any other subject. AT the TWO last SEES
: sions the message was, as usual, coinmt'eui W.
went into committee, but never got Out ne e.
was struggling discussion at intervals, uni'' I'M
r pressing business Of the sessions engross.d TN
8 " hole time Of the House. Al the present ses
$ sion no motion has been made, TO this day, T.
Z, take up the message Tor consideration; IL s.anu
: committed 10 the Committee Of The Whoie o.
: the state of the Union, where 1t WIZ prooa"'.
! sleep till the end Of the session.
For one, sir, have esired that this nj AM
nroper occasson should hGse been made
: would have afforded some topics OF de.'aie oe
!. side the Sub treasury. The wanton attack OF
> .ha crsL;, ri the S,ntes and State Institutions