The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-12-10

ed by the House before the appointment of standing com
! mlttees, as foows
Resoiped, That tho standing committees Of the IIoa.e
for the present session OF Congress, be appointed
Mr. VlNTON observed that, in a few DAYS the rule.
OF the House-and among them the authority of appoint
ing the standing commees-woud expire and the com
mittees, as he understood II, would fall with them III
therefore proposed amend the resolution Of the gentle
man from Indiana, BY substituting therefor the olo~
ing:
Resoiped That, in lieu of the Committee on Commerce
tnc following be added 10 the standing committees Of ts
House. viz
"a Committee on the Commerce with Foreign Nations
which shall have charge OF all que ons 3nccnins the
trade of the United States with foreign oo untries.
liz IA o9mm i ON the Commerce among the siair.
trade between the several States OF the Union.
| The SPEAKER ruled the proposed amendment out OF
order, it proposed change OF a rule of the House
which required one days previous notice.
| Mr.. VlNTON then moved 10 amend the resolution so
as to except the Committee Commerce." and in sup
port OF the notion said his object in making the exoep
ton to bring up proposition for the division of the
present committee into two standing committeesone
have in charge the commerce with foreign nations, and
the other that between the States The constitution recog
Missed these distinct branches of trade and gave power
to Congress to regulate each. The Committee on Com
merce was very old. 1t was adopted when the trade Of
the country was in its infancy and when its foreign
commerce was considered of much importance than
its home trade Since then, however the domestic trade
among the States had become OF much greater importance
than even the foreign trade and that disparity would
every year become more striking Our foreign trade
now, with one exception, larger than that of any other
nation, and OF sufficient Importance to give ample
employment to most industrious committee; aud
yet both branches of trade were placed in the charge
OF single committee They wofully def
cient in their knowledge of the home trade With
coasting and home trade evidently destined to ex-
coed the home trade of any other nation, they
yet without the means of obtaining just knowledge of
t The ConSress over ths commerce among the
between those cities and New Orleans much the trade
between Cleveland and New York The whole coasting
trade and the trade with the States of the Interior or that
prap tpu h, he
constitution. A committee that had charge tina sub
jet would be fully employed upon questions OF the deepest
interest to the whole country Such committee would
have time to collect and present to the country such facts
as would enable the people OF the United States to form,
to some extent just appreciation of themselves and their
capacities. He frank say that he desired the es-
adjustment of such committee probable means of
bringing the public mind to of the importance of
home department. which existed in almost all wellor-
otherwise than of vast utility TO the country; it would
greatly assist the Legislation of Congress, and enable them
to know what as people, they were doing, and what
was In then power to accomplish.
Mr. COLLAMER suggested that the resolution be
amended to provide for committee internal
merce, in addition to the usual Committee on Com
merce.
This amendment requiring the unanimous consent of
the House to its entertainment, without days pre-
vious notice. and Mr. RaETT Directing, il was ruled out
MI. vINToN submitted some further remarks in ex-
PLANTATION
Mr. l. E. HOLMES expressed the hope that the
House would give this proposition of dividing the inter-
nal from the external commerce of the country favora
bic consideration. There was in his opinion. great
rence had shown him that half the time of the Committee
on Commerce occupied in the discussion and nvest
CATION of fishing bountes and various other matters OF
similar interest, properly connected with the internal
commerce. to the exclusion Of business relating to the
external , commerce OF tho country.
Mr. SCHENCk remarked that it was suggested that
the House should consent to The appointment of two
committees, to divide the labor. That could be
done only by general consent, which could not be OBJ
tanned. He therefore moved to suspend the rules in
order to enable them to act the resolution OF the gen.
The SPEAKER observed that the motion was not in
Mr. SCHENCK asked if the gentleman from Indiana
Mr. HENLEY would not modify his resolution to
effect his (Mr $50 object'
Mr. nEN MI. could not agree to the proposition
Mr. RHETT said that his objection was grounded on
the desire to avoid the debate which would come up,
The number OF committees named in the rules, and,
therefore, difficulty could arise in the organization;
but the proposition te create committee necessarily
involved discussion He not to be understood to be
in favor of the organization of the new committee. He
proposition of the federass in the days OF Alexander
Hamilton, and was unconstitutional The object was 10
bring into the vortex Of the House the business of inter-
nal improvements That was the gentleman's object,
He would not deny il. He too candid to deny it.
There might be another little object in it. There
little sprnkling of aboitionsm in it, 1t was designed to
facilitate the transmission of slaves from State to
another.
Mr.. !. +. HOLMES here asked by what process of
logic the division OF could increase the power!
Mr. RHETT proceeded With vastly growing COM
merce, they had been all the time going well, and
nothing had appeared to justify the idea that the Com
mittee on Commerce inadequate to the discharge of
its duties They did not complain that their duties
too onerous. When a committee of commerce
raised, it with view to the foreign commerce of
the country But if internal commerce committee
raised, would tend to consolidate the government,
and establish home department, embracing objects
which many believed to be unconstitutional He (Mr.
had always been opposed and he would continue be
opposed, to any such project
Mr. McCLELLAND thought that the last speaker
entirely misunderstood the object of this resolution.
They had already committee expressly designed TO act
on internal improvements That power, then had been
already distributed But he disagreed in part from the
gentleman from Ohio. He (Mr. McC) thought that the
committee already in existence competent TO dis
charge all the business belonging this subject of
which did not belong to it, had been stated by the
gentleman who had alluded TO the fishing bounes. II
the committee were properly constituted it should be-
il would be fully competent for the discharge of all the
duties which legitmately belonged to it. II proper
to distribute that committee throughout the Union
to prevent any jealousies.
Mr. VINTON begged an opportunity to explain. lie
charge of the home trade from the foreign commerce
Mr. NcCLELLAND resumed 1t was almost impos.
sble to- separate foreign and internal commerce the
|lakes-commerce which pirook of both characters
Mr. c. J. lNGERSOl.L Gin his seat:) And across the st.
Lawrence.
Nlr McCLELLAND continued for few minutes to
enforce his views; and when he concluded, there
general calls for the question
Mr. SCHENCK then gave notice of his intention to
the House should fail: