The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-12-24
COMMITTEES OF THE sENATE-A START
LING EXPOSURE.


Wednesday, December 10th, in the Senate,
the Committees having been announced, Mr..
HAMLlN spoke az follows:
On the organization of the committees of the
Senate, every Senator knows the form and d.
rection to the business of the Senate is mainly
dependent. 1t is through these committees, to
aVery great extent-to much the greatest ex.
tent-that the business Of the Senate is pre-.
pared aud presented to the Senate for its &C.
ton. Now, sir, as one of q minority in this
BODY, personally | can say-and l think may
truly say that | believe | represent the whole
minority personsliy-we might have no objec-
Ton to any cast that the ma ority of the Senate
might see fit to impose upon US. We do not
seek responsibility personally. We do not ask
icr position for the purpose of position. But
rs the representatives of equal States, we have
obligations imposed upon us from which we
cannot and ought not to shrink. AS the repre-.
sentatives of equal States, we are entitled to an
equal representation in the organization of this
BODY, and are under obligations to our con-
sutnencies to discharge, so far as we may be
ieole the duties that are incumbent upon US
here.
lhese committees are unequal, unjust, and
SECTIONAL. What are the facts? We have
sixty two members of the Senate-thirty two
are from the non-slaveholding States, thirty are
rom the slaveholding States. The whole mum.
Der OF places upon com mittees is one hundred
and twentysix. Numerically, upon an equal
representation, there should be assigned to SEN
stors from the slave States sixty one places,
and to Senators from the free States sixty five.
ne cast, although it has been slightly modified
lhls morning, L think is not substantially
changed. As it was made and presented to
lne minority, | suppose the changes will not
exceed one. By that cast there were assigned
70 he slave States sixty seven, and to the free
o'ates hfty-nine, showing disproportion OF
eeh. The whole number of committees of the
SENATE Is twenty-five. OF these committees,
mere are from the slave States to be found ma
Iorihes on thirteen, and msjorities Of but nine
rom the free States and of these nine where
hsjorites are composed of Senators from the
ree States, three are wholly unimportant-tbe
committees on Enrolled B lis, Engrossed Bills,
ana 10 Audit and Control the Contingent Elk
Penses of the Senate-leavipg. therefore. in
TACT, the proportion of thirteen to six.
Tracing the matter along still further. find
that the party With whom act on this door
consists OF twenty, being within fractio, of
one third OF the Senate. They are entitled
upon terms of equality, to thirty nine places
upon the committees; they have thirty three
assigned TO them. Seven of those thirty three
are on the unimportant committees to which /
nave alluded, leaving them actually but twenty.
OK On committees of any considerable impor
.ance. L ind that on sixteen committees of
Iie senate the charmen are selected from the
sse states, and on six from the free States
Anu, 70 guard the succession, flor can come
10 other conclusion,l precisely an equal
Oh men from the slave States stand