New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-12-11
The Committees of the House.


celor Oxensteirn, and see with how little wis
dom the world is governed Often as we have
been reminded of this, we were never more
forclbly impressed with it than in scanning the
Standing Committees of our new Congress,
especially those of the House. Let us consider
them:
The Craftsmanship of the WAYS and Means is,
in the present desuetude OF the Executive pow
er, practically the most important station In the
Government. 1t has been assigned by Speaker
Boyd to George S. Houston of Alabama, gen
temsn, to speak mildly, of very moderate ablli-
ties, and of totally inadequate requirements
and business habits. How such an appointment
came to be made, we cannot imagine. We
knew Gen. Bayly would be disranked, as was
ripht. for he lacks capacity for the post and had
fooishly voted against Boyds's election as
Speaker. The best man for the post on the Op-
position side Of the House is probably Gen.
Armistead Burt of South Carolina bitter
Nullifer, but thoroughly a gentleman, who
would not do a mean thing, and who would have
treated the Administration Just as fairly and
literally IN the matter of Appropriations, as if
MS own party had been in power But neither
did he vote for Boyd and next to him the post
should have been rendered TO Mr.. Disney OF
Ohio. who was formidable competitor for the
Speakership. A strong effort was made 10 Sc
cure the post to Geo. W. Jones of Tenn-a
narrow and illiberal partisan; and it seemed
likely on Saturday TO be successful, but was
finally overruled. Yetwe consider Jones decided
ly ADLER and better qualified TO lead the House
than Houston.
At the head of the Committee On Public Lands,
we had strongly hoped to see the name of An
drew Johnson of Tenn.-an avowed Land Re-
former, but at the same time an advocate OF
making the Bounty Land Warrants assignabe-
two positions which pe cannot reconcile though
he may. We should have been still better
pleased had this post been assigned to Gov.
j. d. Doty of Wise, an able Democrat and Land
RetOrmer The Craftsmanship of this important
Committee has been given to Willard P. Hall of
Missouri, who Is not Land Reiormer-at least
If he Is we could not discover 1t while serving
with him on this Committee in lSi9. Henry ID.
Moore of Penn. is the only man on the new
Committee whom we know as a Land Reform
er we hope there are others; but the aspect Of
the Committee assures US that no earnest resist.
snce will be made by 1t to that gigantic scheme
of speculation,-the making of the Bounty
Land Warrants assignable II we only had
Land Committee which would append to that
measure the simple proposition that no actual set
tier on the Ppbic Lands should be dispossssSsd
Of The qTarier-ssctiOn (or eighth on Which his
dueliing uGs located and that no Public Land should
BE- sold erer .reept to actual settler, we be-
lieve the measure thus amended would 10
through both Houses without check, and lay
deep and wide the foundations OF Reform in
ferior to none other IN importance and bench
cence.
The Committee on Commerce, we fear is 80
constituted as to give little chance for River and
Harbor bill True. the Chairman ID. l.. Seymour,
of Troy is night on this question, and indeed we
know no practical question on which he differs
from the Wings, though he chooses to look for
votes mainly to the Democracy; but he has only
two avowed " higs Duncan of Mass, and Walsh
of Md on his Committee, with A. II. Stephens,
OF Ga, Union come-outer from the Wing party
Stephens cannot be counted on for Rivers and
HsIbors, and which two of his Democratic col
leagues Mr.. Seymour can induce to concur with
HIM and the Wings In reporting as good bill
as that of last year, we cannot guess. Perhaps
ne knows, however; at least. let US hope he
does.
The committee on Naval Affairs embraces
no single Member from any of the great seaports
hardly one from the whole Atlantic seaboard
1t would seem to have been christened by
mistake.
We cannot retraIa from commenting on
some of the personal dislocations presented by
these singular Committees.
We do lot believe there would DO any serious
jisseu; among the old Members 10 the ayernent
tbs, the ablest man in the present House. or at
less: lie a5es! Wing, is Thaddeus Stevens Of