Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-12-13
IN SENATE-DEc. A, ls45.
COMMITTEES OF THE SENATE.
following resolution heretofore offered nv Mr. BsrrsY


was taken up tor consideration
Resoued That much Of the Saith rule as requires tn
appointment OF the several standing committees by ballot
the present sson be suspended and that the appointment
made BY the President OF the Senate.
The question being on the adoption of the resolution
Mr.. MANGUM rose and said he had hoped after the sug
gcstions which had been made by him yesterday that
honorable mover OF this resolution would have induced
to refrain from pressing its adoption. He (M M cout
have no objection, certainly personal objection leave the
matter entirely to the action Of the present presiding officer
The ground which he opposed the passage OF the esou
ton simply because he thought involved the part
the Senate abandonment of their proper Legislative duties
He had not had opportunity though he had them before
him. OF looking into all the pecedents this subject But
the case was very different from that where the power
OF appointing the standing committees devolved upon Pres
dent pro tempore, because in the latter he officer
who responsible the Senate and he should
the discretionary power entrusted to him. he sabe
Cd The Vice President of the United States him.
is officer who holds his Office very different tenure,
and who is in respect responsible to the Senate for the
in which he may discharge the confded him
He did not know that il would at all affect the character
the committees to be appointed whether the appointing power
exercised by the Vice President by the Senate vet
for decency sake he would hope that no gentleman
filling high Office that Of Vice President standing be-
fore the country responsible position, would conde-
scend have thrust upon him this duty where response
by attached In the case OF President pro fenpo he
responsible not only to the country, but that BODY and
must therefore show proper Difference to the will of the boz
dy and this being the case there material difference
. appointments haiOtnp
for them by the Senate. But with regard to having list
made out by meeting of Senators constituting par
iy which list is to the appointments in the hands
the presiding officer, he (Mr NJ could suppose that the
gentleman who occupies the exalted position of Vice Pre-
sdent of the United States would for
suffer himself to be dictated to in that way.
He believed from looking cnrsory through the records of
the Senate it would be found that the power of appointing
the committees conferred upon the presiding officer
of that body until the year 1929 In 1925 exercised
by Mr. Calhoun, then Vice President But dissatisfied
the Senate with the exercise of that power that during
thatvery session the whole and the rule
rescinded From that time forward the power
ercised until 1887, when Col Richard NJ Johnson Vice
President and the for then was that
an extra session of Congress called for special purpose and
it expected that matters of general legislation would
be brought forward The condition of the Treasury that
period which gave occasion for the extraordinary
son And this being the specific and welknown object, il
thought rescnd the rule that
His Objection the resolution then this he thought
that to confer this power upon officer in nowise
sponsb would be the part Of the Senate an abdicaon
Of its duty and that great evil must arise from such
course Suppose the presiding officer be opposed majo
y of the Senate he would have il his power thwar
the views of that majority. He cared button as to
how the appointments made this particular instance
but he did desire that the OF constitutional duties
should rest with the Senate unless they could be made
devolve upon officer distinctly responsible the Senate
Mr. ALLEN said, before submitting the few observations
which he designed to make in reply the remarks of the
gentleman from North Carolina, he desired that the
solution before the Senate had emanated no caucus
Of the Democratic members of that body. II the die
tate of party the offspring far as he could Judge
of any party feeling which might exist in the Senate
Il offered by the distinguished and udcous Senator
from Illinois, because the Senator found that the recent prac
hce Of the Senate had been in strict conformity with the
course presented IN that resolution Having them stated
that the resolution proceeded from concerted action on the
part of the Democratic portion OF that body he would pro-
ceed with the leave OF the Senate make few remarks in
TO what had been said by the gentleman on the other
side And first of ALL the matter Of responsibility for
HrstD made by shod
from North Carolina The gentleman predicated his argu-
ment upon the idea that the presiding officer of this body
not stand in the relation of responsibility this body which
he would occupy he officer temporarily presiding
and elected by the Senate itself His wa that the
responsibility Of that officer is greater than that Of nm
officer temporarily elected by the Senate. The responsibility
the Vice President Of the United States is true not
the Senate, but the Senates maesthe and the
People. His responsibility responsibility the ount
the source Of all political authority II was to that source
from which he derived the right 10 preside according the
Of the Constitution the deliberations of that body
Where could there be higher responsibility save that 10
Heaven ITSELF than the responsibility of public officer 10 the
great mass Of the American people Il responsibility
which operated coercivey than that which was due
merely 10 the Senate of the United States.
But il might be said that officer selected 10 preside tenn
Porary over the deliberations OF the Senate by that body
SELF holds intimate relation than the Vice Pres
dent OF the United States do and that for this reason the
Senate should hesitate confde TO that officer in the same
and the the temporary one This
would be good argument enough the action Of the Senate
concerned the Senate only but when recoected that the
Senate taken from the primary Of all authority and
responsible itself 10 the from which the Vice Pre-
sdent derives his authority the argument ceases to have anv
force Is this action Of tho Senate which concerns the Sc
alone No, sir has reference the law now
er, and tina, power concerns the whole Republic
BUTT said there Of decency in this pro
ceedinT -
Mr.. MANGUM. The Senator entirely misunder.tan5s
what said said for the sake Of decency should be nm
willing presume that distinguished an officer Of the Co
would submit to be dictated by portion Of the
body which be is called preside
Mr. ALLEN Precisely and this is the best of all argu-
why that distinguished officer should have the control
Of this matter because the Senator SAYS he will indie
pendeny of oil 6ictaon is the very best Of human rea-
The very argument used by the Senator an argu
ment in favor Of the resolution II the facts the
Of what they aref that officer subject dctation h
argument would be good argument as he designed it, against
the resolution.
The views Of the Vice President are understood by the ma
ton TO be in conformity with the Of majority Of this
body The majority Of this body responsible to the country
for the action Of the body and bearing this responsibility,
but right that the majority should direct the action the body
On the subject Of precedents There precedents,
both old and young both sides of the question The late
pecedents in favor Of this resolution and he believed
there nothing in the character Of the present Vice Pres
dent which made il necessary deps from those precedents
That distinguished parsonage stood before the Senate and the
country free from sain tIe subject blame any
poacd according to the language Of the Senator from North
Carolina himself that he would commit any injustice or be
guilty Of any derelcton Of public duty, in he had this
power conferred upon him had usually been conferred
or me purpose Of facilitating the transaction Of the public
business whenever the presiding officer known
tam Pouca sentiments in conformity with those Of MAORI
ana M, io the reason that the majority is responsible.