Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-01-05

also be stricken out and all the privileges granted to
other States on their admission will be- awarded 10
Kansas. Let US then nope tnat tne end oi this iui
broojo ia at hand, RAPPHANEocK.
FROM WASHINGTON CITY.
TCorrespondence ofthe Richmond Enquirer
WAeHISGroS, JANUARY lst, 1888.
| Happy New Yesr!-Nature's self seems to echo
the wish for it s lovely day. The sun shines out IN
ali Its splendor; bright to the young who are Just
dawnug into manhood, with the hopes and snt,clpa
tions of the future glowing upon them genlai ana
pleasant, and giving renewed vigor ana wsrmth 10
those who have past the meridian of life and whose
aspirations and hopes lead them-from their know
ledge of the past-o look up from Nature to Nature
God. We certainly are blessed ana iaVofea
people. =. .- ,,..,,..,;o. ,ovo
published articles editorialy and oherwis reflect
Ing unustly in my opinion upon Mr. Speaker Orr, in
regard to the formation OF the committees OF tne
| House Will you permit an "old stager" to notice
some of the objections made by the writers of the
articles alluded to, and TO venture the assertion
from intimate acquaintance with the members OF the
House. that Col. Orrs course, upon this important
subject so far from being cause of complaint, has
given general and great satisfaction to very large
majority OF themi
an know who know anything, that even had the
Speaker the power Of divining the true feelings and
wishes of individual members az to the position each
| would like to have on Committees, from the very
nature of things from diversity OF interests and sec
tions il would be impossible TO satisfy all and that
pO6S6eoSu
experience and intimate knowledge, as Col. Orr un
doubtedly is, of the qualifications of the members,
still he would OF necessity be forced to disappont
some, and know Of no gentleman who has filled the
Speakers chair but has been complained OF more or
less.
The whole number of Standing Committees of the
House are thirty-eght but Of this number there are
only SIXTEEN which are of prominent character and
of national Importance the balance being Committees
which are seldom never called together and the
most of them relating merely to the immediate affairs
of the House and of no public interest. There are
twenty three States represented by Democratic mem
bers in the present Congress- and had COL Orr given
only one Chairman of the sixteen important Commit
tees to each State there still would remain secen States
| which could not have Chairman. Neither The South
nor your State have any cause TO complain as to the
| manner In which the Speaker has distributed the
Chairmsnshps, for the South has twelve out OF the
sixteen important Committees, (your State getting
two of them while Virginia has been more than ia
vored and, if any partially or mistakes have been
made it certainly not against her, for find no ess
than screen members from your State placed second on
the most important COMMITTEES, each Of hom acts dn-
ring the absence at The request Of me chairman as
the head of the Committee. will give their names
\ and positions: ~
| Committee on Commerce-Hon. John S. Millson.
Committee on Claims-Hon. NJ. X. H. Garnett.
| Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads-Hon.
Paulus Powell.
Committee on Military AGairs-Hou. Charles j.
Faulkner. -,
Committee on Foreign Atalrs-Hon. George w.
Hopkins. ,,,...
Committee on Terrtores-Hon. William Smith.
In addition to this array. far greater than given to
any other State, the Hon. t. s. Bocock is Chairman
of tbs Committee Naval Affairs, Second to none
in importsnce) Hon. W. 0. Goode, on the District OF
Columbia, and Hon. VIM. Smith, on Special Commit
toe on Printing.
Objection was made in one of the articles, because
General Millson not appointed Chairman Of the
Committee on Commerce. Now, while most cor.
daily agree with the writer in awarding to General
Millson eminent abilities as clear headed and prac.
teal statesman sti it peculiarly due to the great
State of New York, and especially to the city OF
New York-at whose port the greater portion of the
commerce of the country s carried on, and where
MOI than one.third Of the whole revenue ia collect
ed-,hat it should have the Chairman of the commit
tee of such vital Importance to its interests. The
Hon John Cochrane who has been appointed to this
position, although a new member, is every way
Qualified for his important AID arduous duties, by bis
early education as merchant and the post be held for
years as Surveyor of the port Of New York. and also
because of his integrity OF character, his indomitabe
energy, and his fine intellectual requirements. The
Speaker. with proper decacy of feeling, and as an
acknowledgment Of the merits OF General Mlson,
placed him him second on that committee.
feel confident that the editorial article in "The
South did not emsnate from the pen Of it's editor,
for be is too well versed in political affairs not to be
aware that it has always been courtesy due to the
Administration for tho Speaker to appoint such gen.
tleman az Chairman of the Committee on Ways and
Means as would be most agreeable to the wishes OF
the President and the Cabinet, with whom as Chair
man, they must have constant intercourse The wri.
ter states that Col. Orr committed an error in not
appointing Mr.. Lecher inp.ssd of MIR. j. CLANCY
Jones' Had the choice, as 10 who should fill this po-
ston as chairman OF the most important committee
of the House. been et to the discretion OF inc speak
or, every principle Of right would have dictated to
him that he should have conferred the place on Mr.
| Phelps, of Missouri. Mr.. Phelps was candidate for
the Speakership, but generously and nobly waived
any claims he thought he possessed in favor OF COL
Orr and this alone should eDtite him to some recog
ntion but added TO this, his long experience Of elk
teen years service in the House, being one of its old
est members and the prominent posts heretofore held
| by him, well entitled him to the place. In saying
this far is it from my thoughts or wishes to detrac
one particle from the ueearned and well.deserved
| reputation of MIR. Lechsr, for know him to be one
of the sblest Legislators in the country, and in every
way we'll qualified to fill any position his State or
country may confer upon him, and hope, before
long, that may speak OF him as the Governor OF the
| noblest Commonwealth of the Confederacy.
Theedtoral in "The South condemns the Speaker
for not appointing Judge Caskie, Chairman OF the
Committee on Judiciary, while its Washington Cor.
respondent praises him for comforting that post on
Mr.. Houston, of Alabama, and is quite eulogistic
upon the talents of that gentleman, all OF which no
doubt is we'll deserved but must be permitted to
cay, that look upon Judge Caskie as one OF the
ablest jurists in Congress. possessed OF com.
prehensive mind, profound thinker, and OF
enlarged national views. aud in fact, well ad.
apte4 to occupy the position Oh Spormau VI
the Judiciary Committee with great credit to
himself and to the country; and am sure, could
the Speaker consistently with a proper regard TO
other States have placed him at its head, he would
have done so, but he could not we'll give Virginia
another Chairman, he certainly has acknowledged
his confidence and regard for Judge Caske by giving
him the second place that COMMITTEES, for no man
in Congress stands higher among his fellow members
than that gentleman.
The Speaker is also taken to task for placing Bur
lingame on the Committee of Foreign Relations, but
for what reason cannot conceive Mr.. Buringame
was second on that Committee during the last Con-
eress and as his party ia now in the minority it mat
tsrs little az the editor o! "The South we'll knows,
whether he be on that Committee or placed on any
other 80 far "a he could influence 10 the slightest de-
gree the action of the Democratic members. trus,
the writer will not blame COL Orr for not putting Mat
teson, whom the Corruption Committee reported a
resolution to expe Last Congress and who resigned his
seat, on any Of the Committees.
For one l think rhe Speaker has performed the
difficult and deics,e duty Of framing the Committees
with great inpartialty and With desire to promote
the best interests of the whole country while he has
proven himself well qualified, in all respects to pre-
side over the deliberations Of who the repre-
sentatvss of the greatest Republic of the World
Devoted to the South and jealous Of the slightest in
vssion Of her rights ardent State Rights man. still
Col. Orr's comprehensive mind embraces every por-
iion of the Union and / am sure be will devote his
giant intellect to the advancement Of all and to the
| olo.v nd honor of our common country.