The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1841-12-15

1
National Inteligencer of Monday had, in some
measure, prepared US for the unusual compound
Of the Committee of Ways and Means. II in
formed us that select committee on the cur
rency TO be composed Of a majority friendly TO
| the President had been resolved on, because the
Committee Of Ways and Means, il was sup
posed, would not be framed of majority of that
character
We have not taken the trouble 10 wade
through the Journals of the House to ascertain
on our own knowledge what has been the prac-
tice but we have learned from authority worthy
of most implicit credit, that it has always
been the usage so TO form the Committees
of Ways and Means and of Foreign Affairs,
that majority on each should be friendly to the
Executive and his measures. Mr.. Adams, we
know, declared this should be the rule 10 guide
the Speaker in his appointments for them; and
Mr.. Bel, also, on the first session Of the last
Congress, expressing his concurrence with this
opinion, said, distinctly, that they should always
be made cooperative with the administration,
House and the opinions Of the Speaker. The
lntelligencer, however, informs us that a select
committee on the currency was deemed requi-
| site, because il was supposed that the Committee
of Ways and Means would consist of majority
friendly TO National Bank
Amid all the violence Of party conflicts in this
country, certain cour,esies have always been
thought due TO the President of the United
States, and have been shewn him even by his
most inveterate opponents. But the rule seems
now reversed not OILY propriely and courtesy
require that the Committee of Ways and Means
should have majority in it friendly to the Pre-
| sident but the prompt despatch of public usi-
ness, il has been said demands it. But to Pre-
sident Tyler no such courtesy is to be manifest
ed, and even the facile execution of the business
of the People may be disregarded, provided any
device can be invented by which he may be
| thwarted To be sure it was in contemplation
to establish select committee, majority of
which should be his friends; but why is prece-
dent sighted and usage contrayened TO superin-
duce the necessity Of select committee? Let
the sycophants of the Dictator answer.
! We find materials for comment in the selec-
ton Of the prominent members Of the other
Committees These we may notice at another
time. But the gross and indecent departure
from propriety in the composition Of the Com
mittee Of Ways and Means, we thought, de-
manded immediate reprobaton
| The Independent, by Peasants, Johnston &
| Woodson, made its appearance on the l4th. 1t
says; -
Our readers may be puzzled at the tactics Of Mr.
w SEES opposition to Mr.. Fillmore's Resolution in
which Messrs. Gilmer, Mallory, Hunter and Profit
voted with him. We presume that his repugnance
was to The Select Committee the Presidents plan
of Finance for when he had failed that, he with
drew his further opposition He probably anticipates
that Select Committee will be composed Gas it is pro.
per it should beg of the friends Of the Presidents mea-
sure, who will thus have the opportunity of perectng
it to suit him and to suit themselves. This is re-
sponsibty which neither he nor they like Let them
| suckle their own brat and not lay it, like founding
at the peoples doors. The Wings don't keep hospi-
tai for all sorts of diseased projects.
The Independent is right, we presume, in
supposing Mr.. Wise's repugnance was to the
Select Committee on the Presidents plan of
Finance There was reason for this repug-
nance. The subject Of finance belonged proper
ly TO the Standing Committee of Ways and
Means, of which Mr.. Fillmore is chairman
So does the subject Of the Tariff belong to
that Committee, unless The majority are de-
termined to proposeo Tariff Of protection, in
stead Of a Tariff Of rerenue Yet we see Mr..
Fillmore first moving-as he did by his resolu-
tons to distribute the Presidents Message-to
refer the Tariff to the Committee on Manufac-
lures, and then to appoint Select Committee
on Finance; thus leaving the Committee of
Ways and Means no subject for its action but
the ordinary appropriation bills What does this
mean Does the majority intend to shrink from
all responsibility? Or do they magnanimously de-
sign toput the poor corporaPs guard in an exhaust
ed receiver? To throw the responsibility on
them, at the moment they are deriding them for
the paucity Of their numbers and their inability to
effect any good whatever? True, at the last
session, select committee was appointed on
the currency, But why No one can tell bet
ter than Mr.. Fillmore. Hon. John Sergeant
was member of the House then, and was pre-
eminently the man for the Ways and Means
Mr.. Fillmore had to be placed there--he knows
why-and committee of equal importance had
to be raised to do justice TO Mr.. Sergeant He
is no longer member and, Of course, there is
no longer personal reason for select commit
tee on finance. There is a reason, however,
which the Independent discloses, and which,
we apprehend, Mr.. Wise and his associates full
ly understood and fully appreciated. The ma
jority, with Mr.. Fillmore at its head, did not
"hke" the responsibility" They had too
signaly failed in the measures which they ''per-
fectadD nj the fra session tsio snt DC
No. The policy now is" Let them suckle
their own brat !,'-and under the seeming fair
ness Of constituting committee Of majority