Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1860-02-17

4 oOuu pHeTman anu otlCr IIelDeflDe ne
I publicans, it is certainly not very agree
able TO me. TIM0N.
Speaker PenningtOn's Committees.
Speaker Pennington and his council
Tors have at length performed their great
work, and the American people are now
informed INFO whose hands are intrusted
the most important legislative functions
during the Thirty-sixth Congress of the
United States. Never, we believe, since
the foundation of the Government, has
any Speaker of the House performed the
delicate task Of naming committees in a
manner so open to public condemnation
or with such utter disregard of all the
| principles which ought to have guided
his action.
In the face Of the well.known fact that
a decided majority of the House was of
opinion that no endorser of the Heller
pamphlet was fit to be Speaker" that
Mr.. Sherman was only withdrawn when
it was manifest that he could never be
elected and that he (Peunngton) was
only elected because he was supposed to
recognize the compacts of the Constitu-
ton, and advocate obedience to the law,
he has been wicked enough, if be acted
for himself and weak enough, if he was
controlled by others, to place the most
obnoxious of the Heller endorsors at the
head Of all the most important commit
tees, in contempt Of the reiterated opin-
ion Of the House, and the well known
public sentiment Of every section of the
Union. AT the head of the Committee
Of Ways and Means-the most important
in the House-is placed John Sherman
Helferite, who for eight weeks tried in
vain to occupy the Speakers chair. He
has never disclaiHie5 &c vie sentiments
Of ilelfcr's book. his enaogsomout Of
which defeated his elections and yet Mr..
bennington elovates him 10 the highest
position to which he has the power to ap-
point him.
Next we find Mr. Elihu B. Washburne,
of Illinois, Ileferito, placed in the
chair of the Committee on Commerce.
Mr. Mason W Tappan, Helferitc, oc
cupies the first place of the Committee
on Claims; Schuyler Colfax, lIelf6rite,
that Of the Committee on Post Offices
aud Post Roads Cadwalaler G. Wash
burne, of Wisconsin Helferite, that of
the Committee on Private Land Claims;
Mr.. Benjamin Stanton, Helferite that
Of the Committee on Military Affairs !;
Freeman II Morse, of Maine, Heller
lite, that of the Committee on Naval AZ
fairs Galusha A. Grow a Helferite,
that of the Committee on Territories;
John Z. Potter, Helferito, that of the
Committee on Revolutionary Pensions
and Francis 4, Spinner, Helferite, that
Of the Committee on Accounts. All these
men whom Mr.. Pennington has placed
in positions Of power and influence in
the transaction Of the Legislative business
Of the entire nation, have endorsed the
infamous Heller pamphlet, recommend
ing treason, murder, servile Instruction,
and robbery; and not one Of them has
ever denied Or excused the act, or repu-
dated the doctrine of TIE book.
In places Of minor Importance on all
the principal committees numbers of Hell
ferites-eonvioted but impenitent traitors
arc to be found But this is not all.
At the head of the Judiciary Committee,
in house where some of the ablest and
most distinguished lawyers in the country
have seats, is placed John Hickman
and at the head Of another committee,
on which such q man as Hindman, OF
Arkansas, has a subordinate place, John
Il. Haskin figures.
Another remarkable feature Of the
Pennington Sherman committees is the
gratitude displayed towards ;he South
Americans for services rendered, and
the favors conferred IN advance for future
aid, in the nomination of five out of the
twenty-throc to chairmonships of COM
mitiees Thus we 6nd John 4. Gilmer,
Of North Carolina, chairman Of the COM
mittee on Elections George Briggs, of
New York. Of the Committee on Rovo-
lutionarY Claims; Emerson Etherdge,
Of the Committee on Indian Affairs I;
Robert Mallory, Of the Committee on
Roads and Canals and Robert Hatton,
of Tennessee, of the Committee on Ma
val Expenditures. We have observed
With indignation, not unmixed with con-
tempt. the manner in which South Amer
leans have coquetted and toyed with the
black-repubieans aud how American
votes have been found on every impor-
iant occasion in sufficient numbers to en-
able the baek-reFublicans to effect their
purpose
We do not complain that honest dem-
ccrais have been offered no fayors by the
Pennington-Shermanites Weihink that
their proudest badge Of distinction is chat
they have been passed over by such a
party. Nor do we specially wonder at
the fragrant manner in which the Pen
nington-Shcrmanites have sacrificed the
public interest TO subserve party purpo-
Sos or crafty personal spite. We need
only cite one instance Benjamin STAN