The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-12-16
fHE NATIONAL ERA, WASHINGTON D. c. DECEMBER 49, 1852


mittees, Mr. President, take very little inter-
est except to discharge, 80 far az may be in
my power, any duties which may be imposed
upon me by the body of which am q mem
Der. Whether upon committee or not upon
a committee shall endeavor always to dis
charge the duties which belong to me as q
Senator of the United States, representing in
part the second State Of the American Union,
TO the best Of the abilities with which God
has endowed me. | think, sir, however, that
it is quite obvious, upon the reading Of the list
of gentlemen who are to compose the different
committees and from the statements which
have fallen from the Senator from Wisconsin,
that there is quite number of Senator'S, both
upon these committees and not upon these
committees, who have not been at all consulted
in reference to their organization. IL under
stand the statement of the honorable Senator
from Indiana with reference to the organiza-
ton, it is this: That the party in this body
having the majority of Senators has met in
caucus, and have selected for themselves a
majority of members upon all, or nearly all,
the committees. The list thus made out has
been placed in the hands of another Senator
associated in political action with the minority
party, or rather one of the minority parties in
this body who, upon consultation with his po-
litical friends, has completed these committees
Now, cir, the principle upon which, as the Sem
ator from Indiana has stated, both these gen.
tlemen, representing their political friends,
have proceeded, is to exclude those Senators
who, according to their judgment stand out.
side of the healthy political organizations of
the country
Mr. President my position is well known
at least TO the constituents whom | have the
honor tC represent 1t is that of Democrat,
by the grace of God, free and independent
Democrat holding in good faith and with a
fixed purpose to carry them into every prac-
teal application, all the principles of the
Democratic faith, whether they respect the
rights of persons, the rights of the States, OF
the rights of nations repeat sir, am ready
always according to the measure of my abili-
ties, to give to these principles the fullest prac-
teal application which our Constitution and
principles of Government permit Well, sir il
there is anything in this declaration-and
challenge anybody to point out any part of my
whole political action which is in conflict with
tiff there is anything in that which marks me
out as outside of the healthy political organi-
cations of this country, must be content to
accept whatever reproach belongs to my posi-
ton, wish, however, Mr. President, to test
the sense of the Senate upon this matter and
inasmuch as it is quite apparent that num-
Der of Senators have not been consulted at all
and others have been consulted only partially,
and that there has been, to say the least in
this appointment of committees great injustice
done to some States, and particularly to some
of the States of the West, and several of the
Mates of this Union, will move to postpone
the further consideration of this resolution
until to morrow, that the Senate and the coun-
try may see how these committees are com.
posed; and upon that motion, Mr.. President
ask the yeas and nays.
| The resignation of the Senator from Wiscon-
son caused several new vacancies. 1t was pro-
posed that the Chair should fill them, but Mr..
/ Hale objected and demanded that the rule be
observed. The Senate then proceeded to bal,
! lot.
Mr.. Chase very properly remarked that in
view of the disclosure that had been made, he
felt it due to the State he represented, anC
those who acted with him, not to vote at al
upon the question. After some Intellectual at
tempts to elect, quorum not voting, it wa
agreed that the Chair should Oil the vacancies
And thus ended this dsgraceful scene o
mean prescription If there be anything more
utterly contemplate than the alliance of Sla
very and Hunkerism, we have not yet found il
| ont