The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-03-05

THE TRIUMPH OF FACTION IN TIE HOUSE Oh
REPRESENTATIVES,.

THE TRIUMPH OF FACTION IN THE HOUSE or
REPRESENTATIVES,
There 10 large class of Offences for the commits
sion Of which the law has made no provision in the
way of penalties. One Of these we recorded yester-
day 10 detailing the proceedings Of the House Of
Representatives, resulting in the defeat Of the bill
making appropriation 70 conduct the mail service Of
the government. The most do is to bring
before the country the chief actors in the work and
invoke attention TO their deeds. The defeat of the
Post Office appropriation bill places it out of the
power Of tho Executive 10 maintain the existing mail
service. The department at most can the
cans receipts up to the close OF the fiscal year. the
sosh Of Jaoe. Nearly all moneys appropriated at
shs last session have been exhausted SO that the
accru.mg income il all that is available; and
tlis ncone viii not be available after the LIST July
aeHs. vi course, il is the duty Of the administra-
ten AZ 10 ADJUST the service 20 the means in it's
hands. This will require prompt suspension OF a
great many routes and a general reduction of all
others Within fsw weeks tho country will BIO
sbls D. determine tho wisdom of the policy which
eonirollcd H. representatives in thus striking down
ths most important and necessary branch Of its pub
Nc baslness
And how was this result brought about What
psinciplc governed the msn who effected i'll Did it
org aie IN wish 70 sconomize public expenditures
Had ll,e mail service ceased 90 be necessary? Did
tas reformers first vote 10 lessen it's burdens by
tsslng away from themselves the franking priviege2
Mas Il the public interest they sought TO promote
ihe people Of te United States deeply interested
Ia the answer that shall be given to these questions
We propose 70 iooA for moment into the whole
case and in order tina, the public may understand il,
we present an abstract Of the House proceedings
oa motion Of Mr. pn.lrs of Missouri under a suspen-
son II the fulas The amendments of the Senate the
Post Office appropriation bill taken from the Speak
~ table when Mfr y moved that they be referred TO
che cssninssce II the Whole the state OF the Union
MT asow, of Pcnnsy lvana, tbon submitted tho fol-
lowing resolution as question Of order
ss.sssea h sra making appropriations
ss 9 he rs once Department the year ending
sspe lseo thereto
isiecnh q said amendments is the
q hti
Mr. a. Referred 20 the article in the constitution which
prohibits the Senate 10 originate bil and
tended that tins amendments Of the Senate increasing the
rates vi postage did increase the OF the Post Of
lice Department. which Congress appropriated in the
manner that II did tha revenue from other u
Mr kirnn, OF fennsy lyania, protested against the
decision Of this question by The Speaker
Mr.. GROW understood he was to have vote upon his
resolution.
Mr. pnslr., Of Missouri, remarked that although the
senate could not originate bills, they could
amend them aud he did not think the point of order
we'll taken.
The sr,agrs decided that the gentleman from Penn
syivania was entitled 10 vote upon his resolution but
la doubt 10 whether not the motion 10 refer 10
the Committed OF the Whole would take precedence of
the resolution
Mr. GRow stated that Il the question should not be
taken ft upon has resolution lie object would be de-
The srsAxsR afssr further consideratiD) decided that
te question had been submitted properly by the gentle
nan from Pennsylvania and the question would be inst
Mr Josrs OF Tennessee, then offered the following
resolution substitute cs the resolution submitted by
Ms Grow; .F
Rs~ The sausaansen % tho House bin s72 In
,s rass 81 ~ssss Is no % sssa % that provision Of
The eo1satsn which iel.fe thai balls shall
10 the Hoased Representatives, s.f
Mr.. 6Row said the amendment had been offered Ia
cioiaoa " De aysssaasa bssa A,ssaJ and M Pfps when
hc withdrew his objection ~ taking up the bill. Jnes,
& arraagma ,ouid b. carried o, he should oas 70 taking
from dc Nass~s abte hs appropriation bis and n. House
seead ~ spsssasr of sx flsy s,sad suspsnd Ne ods
Z Mr. Phelps disavowed any such understanding
But Mr. Phelps WAS pcwcriess, Mr.. Grow, the re-
pnbiican leader Of the IIonse backed by his party,
had threatened 10 defeat all the appropriation bills
aud lhal was enough, he mast have his own way.
So Mr.. Jones, OF Tennessee Withdrew his amend
ment and then, the question being on Mr.. Grows
resolution il was alopted--li1 10 &C.
Aud what Mr.. urows resolution, and the
offence which ,l,e Senate had committed against tho
dignity and the privileges of the House thir-
tecnih section referred to II was al amendment
increasing the rates of postage TO i've cents twas
a revenue measure, at most. tackled to appro-
prasion b and II is the constitutional rgh, OF the
House 10 originate revenue measures Tho dignity
Of Tie House Was offended. The amendment tainted
ar they affected 10 bclisve. the whole BID. They
eDuld not consider any part Of H. They would iu-
ignanily send IL al back 70 the Senate. Grant that
the House right IN ths construction Of the
siiation. iiscy surely had power 20 cure the objec
iion 20 tho bin by simply rejecting the senaio's
amendmont I, was not necessary. IN order that
their dignity should bo vindicatod, 10 prescribe aud
s,rike dogn the meet impoflani branch q As pabic
service by refusing TO consider ibe whole biil
Tho truth IL. that the republicans, under the lead
Of NJ. Grow. were hsnt upon doing all The mischief
ia their power 10 defeat II possible. all she arpro
pration bills 10 stop the wheels o. goysrnment.
They succeeded only 10 their efforts 10 paralyEe
one department. They strangely aided in their
york BY a ieY demguz,. ylth vAow snsy must
share the glory a their gnoble tsiuIapb.' Altar
the soih Of June. We no way by which The coun-