Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1853-12-27
INTERESTING DEBATE IN THE HoUSE-rHE Assls

inst the Senate bin, prescribing the manner oil APP
pointing the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury
being under consideration We give b2sow sy-
nopsis of the most interesting portion OF ihe debate
for which we are indebted to the reports Of the
Washington Union. The bill provides that hereai-
ter the officer of the government, known as ASS
tant Secretary of the Treasury, shall be appointed
bv the President of the United States, by and with
the advice and consent of the Senate.
Mr. Houston moved to refer the bni to the Oou-
mttee on Ways and Means
Mr. Ewing wing, spoke at some length upon the
bill, indulging in some pleasantries at the expense
of the members from Virginia, and, in the course OF
his remarks, paying the Secretary of the Treasury
handsome tribute. lie favored the bill, and moved
to refer it to the Committee of the Whole
Mr.. Horsrox have noticed that my friend
from Kentucky has been, for the last two or three
DAYS. very restless, and looking, have no doubt,
with great deal of anxiety over to this SIDE OF the
House. in the hope that We would spring little
Quarrel among ourselves As we have not done So,
quite as soon as lie desired he has taken this ocea
sion to attempt to throw iirebrand in our midst.
Sir, the gentleman is very welcome to his with
cisms but when you come to examine the JOINT
resolution now before the House, it will be percei-
we'd that it does not Justify the remarks be has
made 1t is incorrect asserted that 1t wars upon
Mr. Guthrie or anybody else. Thegentelnan seems
to have forgotten that thiss the only Assistant Sec
retarv at this time, whose nomination IS not con-
firmed by the Senate He has argued as if 1t were
an attack upon the part of the Senate against the
Secretary OF the Treasury, because they have sin
ped out his Assistant Secretary for the purpose OF
bringing his nomination before that body for conir-
nation.
Now, Mr. Speaker, all of the Assistant Secreta-
ries in all Of the other departments, are nominated
to the Senate for IFS confirmation; the Assistant
Secretary of State is so nominated, and law was
passed at the last Congress, requiring the appoint
mens of the assistant pcstmasers 10 be sent to the
Senate for its confirmation This appointment OF
the Assistant Secretary Of the Treasury Is the only
one not subjected TO that ordeal In my view. 1t Is
proper that it should be made so.
l. however have objections to that resolution, and
propose to refer it to the Committee OF Ways and
Means, for the purpose of amending and correcting
it. The resolution proposes that it shall 60 into eff
feet Immediately upon its passage, to which l OBJ
iect because, if that provision be agreed to, the
resolution may be regarded as an attack upon the
Secretary of the Treasury. That was not the de-
sign of many of the Senators who voted for It. for
they so advised me; but whether it was the design
or not would never consent to vote for the reso-
luton in its present shape am willing to vote for
a resolution which viii require the appointment OF
the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, on va
cancv occurring thereafter to be sent to the Senate
for its confirmation.
Mr., STANTON, Of Tennessee. | will with the
gentlemans permission, make the following sugges-
ton: Let the gentleman propose an amendment,
call the previous question, and then let the bill be
passed, with or without amendments, as the House
may choose.
IL HoUsroN. If had an amendment prepared,
would ofert.
Mr. JONES, of Tennessee 1.-THE gentleman from
Alabama Mr.. HoUsToN will withdraw the motion
TO refer the resolution TO the Committee of Ways
and Means | propose to amend the resolution, by
inserting at the end of the first line after the word
Treasury" the words thereafter to be provided v
and we will have it all right then.
Mr. HoUsToN That is the object | have in
view l do not WISH Mr.. Speaker, TO consume the
time of the House; therefore | withdraw the mo-
ton TO refer it to the Committee of Ways and
Means, and propose the amendment suggested by
my friend from Tennessee, Mr.. JONES, and, upon
that motion to amend, / ask the previous question
After several other motions, Mr.. HoUsToN de-
manded the previous question, and withdrew his
motion to give Mr.. EWING an opportunity to explain
when the debate proceeded.
Mr. EWING explained, when Mr. BAYLY obtained
the floor
Mr. BAYLY. I ask that the second clause Of
the second section Of the second article Of the con-
stitution may be read
The clause was read
Mr. BAYLY desire only to call the attention
ofthe House to that part of the constitution which
has been read-and which am obliged TO the
Clerk for properly emphasizing which refers to the
inferior officers who are to be appointed by the
President or heads of departments. All other than
la apDoiDtad NV the prpsi-
dent, under the review of the Senate. Can there
be any objection to this? Is the Assistant Secre-
tary Of the Treasury an inferior officer whose APP
pOintment is a matter Of little general concern
that il is to be left alone to the heads of the depart
ments or to the President Sir, he stands next to
the Secretary of the Treasury himself 1t was an
omission, quite sure, in the law organizing the
Department of the Inteior--lor | think it was in
the organization of that department that this Asss
tant Secretary was gven--it was an omission not
to require that officer TO be confirmed by the Sen
ate. When, at the last Congress, we gave to the
Department Of State an Assistant Secretary of
State, that omission was noticed and marked both
IN the House and in the other, and the Assistant
Secretary Of State, whose appointment we author
lied then, can only be appointed upon TIE nomina-
ton Of the President by and with the advice and
consent ofthe Senate. This BILL as understand it.
is bill to correct the omission to which | have
ferred, and to produce uniformity.
undertake to say to nv friend from Tennessee
that this amendment of thereafter does not rene
dy the defect. The whole defect IS in the law as it
is and it ought to be remedied at the first oppor-
tunity which presents itself Why insert the word
hereafter Is there a fear that the present As
sstant Secretary of the Treasury cannot stand the
ordeal Of the Senate? II he cannot stand the or
deal that is the very best in the world for
not inserting this word thereafter" Ifhe can stand
the ordeal, then the amendment will notaffect hin
Mr.. HoUsToS. In rep'y TO the gentleman,
would say, SO far that phraseology is concerned,
that have such fear as he has It is not for the
purpose of covering any cases that have already
occurred or Of pointing directly at the Secretary Of
the Treasury, but Of making the law apply TO cases
that may hereafter occur.
Mr. BAYLY. | do not regard this bill as pointing
at the Secretary at all
Mr.. HOUsTON. Isay, furthermore, that the Ian
guage OF the law in relation to Assistant Postmas-
tiers General is Of similar character. The name Of
one of these assistants was presented to the
Senate the other two are holding their offices now,
but their names have never gone before the Senate
for confirmation, becauseno vacancy was made, and
propose to do the same III this case
Mr. BAYLY. l am opposed particularly to the
amendment hereafter" As far as the Assistant
Secretary Of the Treasury is concerned, | have not
a word to say. He is a gentleman I know very