Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1871-03-17
cove RESSIO.N.sL.

The third session of the dist Congress
closed on the 4th of this month, and the or
ganizaton of the 42d Congress Immediately
followed. As the members of the House
are chosen for two years, a new organiza-
ton becomes necessary at the expiration of
their term of Office. The organization of
the House consists in the choice of speaker
and other officers, the appointment of the
various standing committees, &c. The of
flee of speaker is very important one, as
he has TO preside over that body, enforce
order, and see that the rules of the House
are duly observed. He also has the APP
pointment of the several standing commit
tees of the House, which requires sound
judgment, a spirit of fairness, and good
share of independence. Mr.. Blaine of Me-,
who was speaker during the 4lst Congress,
having given great satisfaction in the dis
charge of his duties was unanimously elect
ed as speaker for the present Congress, and
most of the other officers of the House who
served in the last Congress, have been re-
elected. AS yet only part of the commit
tees have been appointed.
In recognizing the Senate no presiding
officer is to be elected as the Vice President
is ex-officio president or presiding officer
of the Senate, and holds the place during
the four years of his Office as Vice Presi-
dent. The standing committees of Senate
are not appointed by the presiding officer
of that body, but are elected by the mem
bers thereof. The mode of doing this, as
we infer from recent proceedings, is as fol-
lows: The Senators belonging to the party
in the majority-at present Republicans
meet in caucus, choose committee to make
up the several committees and report to the
caucus, and if a majority of the caucus ac-
cept the report of their committee, it is I'M
derstood that the Senate when in session
will elect the persons thus selected-or at
least that the members of the party will
give their votes for such persons. This
seems to us an awkward, circutous, I'M
statesmanlike mode of doing the business,
and we wonder that it should be practiced
in so dignified a body as the Senate.
The standing committees of the Senate
for the 42d Congress have been appointed
in a manner, we believe, satisfactory except
in the case of the committee on foreign re-
lations. Mr.. Sumner of Massachusetts has
been chairman of that committee for many
years, and has performed its duties with
great ability and faithfulness, and in man
ner highly satisfactory; but last week he
was displaced from that position and Mr..
Cameron of Pennsylvania substituted in
his stead. Various reasons were assigned
for this change, as that Mr. Sumner and the
President and Secretary Fish were not on
friendly terms of personal intercourse,
though their official intercourse was agree
abe enough; that the President was anx-
ious to have this change made; that Mr.
Summer was not in harmony with the adj
ministration in relation to the annexation
of San Domingo, and the Alabama claims,
and so on; all which reasons if made even
in good faith, do by no means justify the
action of the Senate, and there is a wide
spread and general dissatisfaction in eonse-
quence of the measure. We believe 1t to
be unwise, uncalled for, wholly unjustifa-
BILE and detrimental to the interests of the
country, and we deprecate it for the follow
Ing special reasons:
/. 1t takes wise, upright, independent,
experienced and trustworthy statesman
from an important position, and puts in his
stead an intelligent, skilful and unreliable
politician.
2. 1t will serve to diminish public conf
dence in the administration of President
Grant, if it is true that he advised or favor
cd the measure.
8. 1t throws an apple of discord into the
Republican party, which will tend to dis
ira t and divide it, when it is very impor-
tant it should act tremendously in adopting
and carrying out measures of undoubted
justice and public utility.
4. 1t will serve TO weaken confidence in
the Senate in the minds of the people, lead
ing them to the belief that some of its mem
bers, at least, are not governed by those
high and patriotic motives which become
"IIonorable Senator's"