The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-02-21
STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE HOUSE
AND THE SENATE.

Speaker. While he is expected to place those
having relation to particular interests under
the control of the Party that elected him, he is
bound to regard the right of minorities to have
their views fairly and fully represented. Great
tact, too, is required in dealing with personal
claims, sectional jealousies, and local interests.
So embarrassing are these circumstances, that,
as If by general consent, Speaker is usually
exempted from severe criticism in the discharge
of this part of his duties. He may err, but
where there is evidence of sincere purpose
to act fairly and honorably, his errors are over
looked.
Comparing the Standing Committees of the
Senate with those of the House, one is struck
with the peculiar advantages Of the mode of ap-
pontment adopted by the latter. In the House
the presiding officer appoints them; in the
Senate they are elected, but it is only in name.
A caucus of the ruling Party agrees upon
them, in advance, and all that is left for the
Senate is, to sanction the programme. An in
visible power determines the nominations-th
election by the Senate is only a ratification.
They are just as much appointments, as if
made by the presiding officer. But there is this
important difference: caucus is irresponsible;
it may do mean things, mischievous things, and
yet brave public opinion-for it is secret, soul
less, many -headed-no one man can be held
accountable at the bar of the Legislative cham
Der, or of public opinion. Were the Speaker
of the House, in his construction of Commit
tees, so indecently sectional, illberal, and I'M
Just, as the Senate caucus always is, he could
not look the House in the face, or command
enough of its respect to make his position, as
Presiding Officer, tolerable. His reputation
for justice and sagacity, his social comfort,
his hold on the good will of the MEMBERSHIP
strongest support of his authority-all being
at stake, these considerations, apart from any
inherent rectitude of purpose, will be apt to
exclude sectionalism, favoritism and the play
of personal antpathies. In secret caucus, on
the other hand, no individual being response
BILE, the most ignoble considerations may pre-
vail, and conclusions be arrived at, such as no
honorable man would be willing to be openly
accountable for.
When Mr.. Cobb was Speaker of the House,
and afterwards, under Mr.. Boyd, while the
Committees were so organized as to secure to
the Oligarchy and its Northern allies the as
tendency on political questions, the Anti-Sla-
very minority was treated with some respect.
Prominent places were given to its ablest Rep
resentatves, and even Mr.. Giddings, obnoxious
as his decided course had made him to many,
occupied responsible positions on important
Committees. But in the Senate, that same
Oligarchy, acting through a secret, irrespon-
sible caucus, has constantly labored, not only
to exclude Anti-Slavery men from influence in
the Standing Committees, but to fasten upon
them geographically to degrade them.
For example, in the Senate there are fourteen
Anti-Nebraska members, eight of them repre-
senting States which in 1852 gave thirty-one
electoral votes, and an aggregate popular vote
of $4,000; six of them representing in part
States which, in 1852, gave eighty.four electoral
votes, and an aggregate popular vote of
l,l75,000. In other words, these fourteen
Senators represent Sovereign States, who give
twoffths of all the electoral votes, and contain
nearly one-half Of the aggregate voting popu-
lation of the country. Some of them are men
of extraordinary ability and experienced states
manship. Some of them have been before the
Public for quarter of a century, have occu-
pied the highest positions, and have long been
members of the Senate. These gentlemen
are not only excluded from any control of the
Committees that may be styled POLITICAL
policy for which we do not blame the ruling
Party-but they are excluded from any places
upon them at all; the attempt is made to de-
grade them. Not one of them is placed on
the Committee on Finance, not one on the
Committee on Military Affairs, not one on the
Committee on Naval Affairs, but one on the
Committee on Public Lands, not one on the
Committee on Indian Affairs, not one on the
Committee on the Judiciary, not one on the
Committee on the District of Columbia, but
one on the Committee on Territories, not one
on the Library Committee Collamer, former
Postmaster General, is at the tail end of the
Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads,
Seward, Sumner, Fessenden, Hale, and Wilson,
men of mark and Senatorial experience, are
slowed among Committees of little influence
and much drudgeryl
Behold the results of caucus appointments,
of Senatorial subservience to caucus manage
ment shaped by Oligarchical Despotism
Now look at the Committees of the House,
organized by one mana Republican Speaker
The important political Committees are placed
under the control, as they ought to be, of the
Republican members, the general proportion
being FIVE Republicans, four Anti Republicans.
But the minorities are fairly and handsomely
recognised Their abest leaders are not ig-
Notwithstanding to Senate caucus usage
but placed in prominent positions, where they
may fully represent and advocate the views of
those who sympathize with them. Cobb, Jones.
Letcher, Stephens, Orr, Clingman, Humphrey
Marshall Houston, Phelps, Richardson, and
Fuller, are not packed away with the lumber
of Invalid Pensions" and Unfinished Bust
ness" but figure on the Committees on Elec-
tons, Ways and Means, Judiciary, Indian AT
fairs, Foreign Affairs, and Quitman, of Missis-
sppi, is made head of Military Affairs.
This is Republican justice and Eberality, ex.
ercised by a Republican Speaker of the House
Compare his conduct with the neanly pro
scriptive action of the Senate caucus, and say
which is the more chivarous, the Republican
party or the Oligarchy; which is the better
mode o. appointing Standing Committees
through secret caucus, or g responsible Pre-
siding Officer?
HOW SLAVERY EXISTS IN THE DISTRICT.