New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-02-13
THE COMMITTEES OF THE HOUSE

Onmlttees ia very dlifcult tasK, 10 crIcise tho
manner in which this is done, is very delicate per-
formance Some errors will be unavoidable. Enter
prisng merchants and manufacturers will occasion
ally turn up where gentlemen learned in the law are
more needed, whilepersOns who vespent heirliveS
nstorng away legal lore will be put places where
farmers and mechanics would be more appropriately
found But accidents of this sort will happen In
families far better regulated than the House OF
Representatives. There is, of course, faut-fndihg
with the manner in which Gov. Pennington nus
framed his Committees Some of this Is douo'eSS
capricious, and some of it just.
As q general rule, the chalrmen OF the Oo"'n''
tees are well selected. OF course, Dir. sherman Is
at the head ofthe Ways and Means; Mr. Z. d. ASH
burne is restored to that of Commerce. Slr. ool'aA
nres;des over Post. Offices and Post-Roads; MI
Tapnan Voluntarily withdrew from the JUDICIARY
leaving its chair to Mr.. Hickman, while ne taxes
that of the equally important Committee Oh CialuS;
Mr.. Burlippame has gracefully deferred to Gov.
Corwin on Foreign Affairs; Mr.. Stanton takes the
lead on the Military Committee as does Mr. Morse
On that of Naval Affairs; Mr.. Grow resumes his
old post At the head of the Territories; Mr.. Thayer
takes the place formerly occupied by MIR. Bennett
on the Public Lands; Mr. Israel Washbum prefers
seat on the Ways and Means, to the chair OF
Elections; Mr.. C. C. Washburn takes the lead in
the important Committee on Private Land Claims;
Mr.. Haskin will look sharply into the state OF the
Excheauer as the head of the Committee Oh Public
Expenditures; Mr.. Petit occupies the chair of the
Library; and SO on. for we cannot go through the
list.
The composition of some of the Committees has
excited remark. Mr.. Gilmer, South American, and
lately candidate for the Speakership is placed at
the head of the Elections, as is Mr.. Etheridge in
the chair of Indian Affairs. 1t seems to us proper
that that political organization should be recog-
nized: and. with five Republicans on each OF these
Committees, we see special objection to assign
ing the chief post to such able and liberal men as
Messrs. Gmer and Etherdge. Mr.. Briggs is
Chairman of the Committee on Revolutionary
Claims, which on the whole is very proper ar
raDgement.
The Committee of Ways and Means is made up
with reference both to the ability of its members,
and their opinions on the Tariff Mr. Winter Da-
Wis. whose manly vote for Mr.. Pennington brought
order out of chaos, is worthily placed next to Mr.
Sherman. Mr.. Stevens will look after the coal and
iron of Pennsylvania; Mr. Morrill, will take care OF
the wool of Vermont; Mr.. Washburn will see that
neither the shipping the manufacturing interests
of New-EDgland suffer detriment; Mr.. Spauldlng
will speak for the Empire State; while the expert
ence of Mr. Phelps will be valuable in counsel, and
Free Trade will find able champions in the meta
physical Mr. Mlson, and the impetuOus Mr. Craw-
ford. As il stabds, this is Tariff Committee.
The structure of the Committee of Commerce is
perhaps without precedent. Heretofore New
York, Boston, Philadelphia, and Mobile or New
Orleans, have almost invariably had representatives
on this Committee Now, New-York alone, of all
the large seaboard Cities appears on the Committee,
in the person of Mr. John Cochrane its Chairman
under Mr.. Speaker Orr. Of the nine members,
six reside inland. However, the upper lakes,
teemng with commerce, have their faithful repre-
sentatiyes in Messrs. Washburn and Wade, while
Gen. Meorhead of Pittsburgh will look after the in
terests of the Western rivers Messrs. Smith,
Lamar. and Clemens will doubtless protect the
little commerce they have down South, while MIR.
Eliot of New Bedford, whose State builds, owns,
and sails more ships than all the slave-holding
States put together, will champion o,ean-bound
New England. 1t was thought that New-YoIk was
entitled to another member of this Committee, and
| Mr.. Carter of Flushing was spoken Ut as suita-
| able person for the post But he was finally as
| signed to the chair of the Committee Ou the DIG
| trct Of Columbia, where his long acquaintance
with the affairs of the commercial metropolis, his
enlarged views of what the capital city of the
Union ought 10 be- and his abilities as floor men,
Der, will make him. perhaps, useful as if he had
taken the other place.
Still we believe we only express a prevailing
opinion in saying that the Republican members from
| New-York-tbe first State in the Union-haye not
received what they were entitled to expect in the
| formation of the Committees. New-I0rk gave to
the Speaker % of the III votes that elected him.
| From first to last, and without yariableness or
shadow of turning her Republicans adhered to Mr..
Sherman In the distribution of the elective Offices
of the House, she has received nothing. La respect
of the intellectual capacity of her represen .ation,
| she stands second to none of her sister States.
| Yet she has not chairman OF single
one of what are usually den ominated the most
| important Committees, nor are her Repubh
cans Represented at all on more than three or four
| Of those Committees, nor have they half dozen
cons pcuous positions on Committees usually ranked
| in the second class
We have already spoken of the chairmanship of
| three committees assigned to New-YOrk But
neither of the gentlemen occupying those positions
! ol.;n,s 20 ho strotIv n Panuhcan Five others are