The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-03-26
FRIDAY. MARCH "a. 1884.
cLrsx TO THE commrrrrr ON AGRICULTURE

that this pTlvate-udy Dill.
MIR ALLEN 1 wish 10 make remark with respect
10 The motion made by the honorable senator from Cali
iona with regard 10 the appointment OF clerk to the
The PRESIDENT The Chair decides the question
out Of order Unless unanimous consent be gyen il can
not be considered now.
Senate TO allow the matter to be considered at this time
wish 10 make an explanation with regard TO il.
No objection being made the Senate proceeded to the
consideration OF the motion submitted yesterday by Mr.
WELLER reconsider the vote by which the Committee
on Agriculture were authorized % employ clerk
Mr.. WELLER. will lake this opportunity TO state
that necessity for the appointment OF a
clerk to that committee Ordinarily Of course, do mol
desire ontefere with OF the standing committees OF
the Senate and whenever the chairman OF one OF those
committees shall ask the appointment OF clerk take
il for granted that such clerk is Indispensable and
have re neray voted for them But from the know ledge
when I have OF the Committee on Agriculture, | could
not any or petence Tor the appointment OF
clerk that committee. II is well known believe, TO
the Senate that that committee has very little business 10
transact and ordinarily does not meet than two or
three times during the whole session OF Congress Now.
opposed 10 these appointments where they are not
absolutely necessary. am opposed to creating office
for other purpose than TO provide place Tor some
diyidual who may desire 1t.
II the chairman OF the Committee Agriculture will
say that such Office is necessarythat clerk is inds
pensabe the management Of the business Of that
mitieel shall be the last senator upon this floor to
terpose any objection but until satisfied that there
is necessity for this office, am unwilling that it should
be created know sir, that il would be thankless
task aemptto reform the abuses which have crept into
the Senate should not only destroy what little nlu-
ence may have in this body but should receive the
thanks OF one, il were TO attempt 10 correct the very
many abuses which have crept into this body. On
the other hand. if the honorable senator from Rhode
Island will say that this Office is necessary and that
clerk is Indispensable Tor the proper discharge OF the one
rous duties that imposed upon that committee,
will al once withdraw the motion TO reconsider and will
MIR. ALLEN. MIR. President the resolution which
offered yesterday, authorizing the Committee on Agrcul
ture employ clerk, not in the usual form OF
lu,ions authorizing the appointment Of clerks continue
during the session, but only intended to give them
authority to occupy clerk during the time that IT
might be necessary for the transaction OF the business OF
the committee have personal favors to grant, and
do desire the creation of the office for any OF
that kind; and far from wanting clerk to assist
in my own concerns, have gentleman IN my own
family who has for years performed such duties for
me. think il is for the interest of the committee that
they should have clerk during the time that they have
occasion for the services OF Subjects have been
ferred that committee which require considerable labor
on their part, and which il could not be expected that
they properly attend to without the assistance of
clerk. They only desire clerk emporariy-perhaps for
two three weeks and it will be noticed that the
luton does not authorize the employment OF clerk du
ring the session. IS has been usual u Other
the information of the Senate Ii was accordingly read
as follows:
Resolved That the Committee on Agriculture he author
lied to employ clerk
Mr.. WELLER Tha, is without any limitation or re-
srctiOn and the fair and legitimate inference is that the
committee desire TO employ clerk during the remainder
of the session. II the honorable senator from Rhode
Island intended to restrict in the adverted to-
there should certainly be change in the phraseoogy
Mr.. ALLEN. II was my intention, in offering the res
olution, that the clerk should not be appointed until
the end of the session. | dreamed of having
clerk appointed to continue through the session it
was only intended to employ one during The time The
committee had so much business before them.
Mr.. WELLER 1t seems TO me that the phraseology
OF the resolution should be changed 10 make il
conform to The views expressed by the senator from Rhode
was adopted must be reconsidered.
Mr.. ALLEN. think it ought 10 be left with the
mittee TO decide how long the services OF clerk
Mr. WELLER II The motion 10 reconsider be adopted
the phraseoogy OF the resolution be changed as
TO conhne the employment OF the clerk TO such Time
the committee may deem necessary aud proper for the
Transaction OF their business.
MIR. ALLEN 1 have no objection to that amendment,
Mr.. WADE. Asto the propriety of appointing clerk
TO the Committee on Agriculture, will say that do not
pretend to know whether it very important that we
should have clerk or not but u am not greatly mis-
taken, there other committees whose duties are no
greater than that have bad clerks appointed without
any opposition. and II is certainly equally proper that we
should have There is the Committee on Roads and
Canals. for instance; doubt whether that committee
ever do anything am not very certain, but believe
that majority Of this body bold that there is no cons
works yet that committee has clerk The Committee
on Re,renchment and Reform also have a cerk-a per
manent one, believe but do not really know how
much they have for him 10 do Our chairman supposed
that might want clerk for little time but we
did not contemplate having permanently. For my
part Mr. President cannot help thinking that is quite
proper that we should have clerk is for some OF
these other committees 10 have one and | think we
should have full as much for him to do.
Mr.. DOUGLAS. | should like it very much better If
this resolution was extended 10 allow a clerk 10
each of the committees of this body-not only to act In
the capacity Of clerks to the committees but TO perform
that duty Tor the members OF this body think there is
always enough writing 10 keep that number OF clerks
employed, and properly employed Each senator has
more or less OF that which be done by clerk and
think there should be clerk that every member
of committee could 90 TO- and thus be enabled 10 hay
paper copied when he wishes.
Mr.. WADE | would inquire whether there has not
been resolution adopted 10 that eiecil
Mr.. DOUGLAS II was confined 10 committees hay-
ing six members.
Mr. MORTON Being a member of that committee.
MIR. President desire 10 submit an amendment, which
may meet the wishes OF the senator from California
The PRESIDENT An amendment is not in order
The question Is recOnsiderng the vote By which the
resolution adopted.
The question being then taken, upon a division the
PRESIDENT stated that il evidently not carried
only eight voting 10 The affirmative.
Mr.. WELLER shall ask the yeas and NAYS upon
this question.
The yeas and nays were ordered
Mr.. WELLER. MIR President, | expressed nv will.
ngness moment ago TO vote for The appointment OF a
clerk to this committee long the public interest," in
the estimation OF the committee, mg hi require The Sen
ate. by the which has just been taken, have de-
cided that they will allow that committee to employ
clerk. whether the public interest demands it not in
other words, ii To be the desire OF certain
here, not far from that that committee should be al
lowed TO employ a clerk merely for the purpose of
giving him his compensation, without any reference
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