The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1873-12-13
suppresslnR any liberalization.

The Republicans have majority exceed
ing twO-thirds in the House of Represent
atiyes, and must expect to confront all the
responsibility which that great political
power involves. Thus far the action OF
that body in seating bogus members from
Louisiana, against all the accepted usages
aud in defiance of the well. known facts of
the case, is by no means promising. This
extreme partisanship, without a color OF
law or OF justice to excuse it, indicates but
too clearly the temper and the reckless
purpose of thu majority on every political
question that may arise.
Even worse than this is the movement
made by Mr. Poland of Nermont on Thurs
day last, which has not attracted the seTi
Gus attention that it deserves He proposes
TO amend the rules of the house with these
additions
"RULE-.-All resolutions calling for information
from the pr, sident or from any department to b,
laid before Congress shall first he r,ferr to some
appropriate standing committee OF the House for a
report 10 ne necessity and prOpriety Of making
such q call, and such committee shall report there
without delay, and shall be authorized to report
at any time.
"RULE--wheueyer any resolution or proposl-
ton shail be offered by member for an investga-
ton by committee Oi the House. relating to he
conduct or acton Of any member thereof, or any
Office or department OF the government, or Of any
person or subject within the authority of the House,
such resolution or pro. iosiSi0n shall
he referred to some appropriate stand
ing committee Of the House for report whether
there Is reasonable or probable cause for Hyestqd-
i0H. Aud the member vhering such resolution or
proposition shall appear before such committee and
ate to them all the know ledge and information
upon which such resolution prOposiOn Is offered,
ana ali his grounds for believing such investigation
ought 10 be made And th,reupun, without any
unnecessary uelay, such committee shall report to
be ordered 1t shall BE- IN for such committee
To report at any time and the question of accepting
r, jecting the report Of such committee amend
ments thereto shall be taken without being delay
ed by uilatOiy motions"
These two monstrOus propositions GO
further than was ever before attempted, Il
strike down the rights of the minority.
which the rules are designed 10 protect. aud
u deny To the people the means of pass
ing safe Judgment upon the acts and con
duct OF their Representatives III Congress.
Let 1t be borne in mind that nearly every
important committee i'll the House is com
posed OF eight Republicans and three Dem
0crats- almost three to one-Or in thai
ratio when the number is less than eleven
I ais is the partisan foundation upon which
the scheme rests. Ii there was no Other
objection, that would be sufficient to DIES
troy all confidence In its impartiality.
The first proposed rule makes the com
nittee the absolute judge OF the neces
slty and prOprlety OF making call fol
information. How eau they determine Tia,
necessity until the member making tn,
call discloses his object? In the interes
of his constituents he has the right to asl
for any information from the President q
any department. The House may retus
To pass the resolution, as is often done, bu
the right has never before been rcstricte
III any way.
A ministry in the British Pariianeu
that would refuse information could NJ
stand day against popular resentment
Such a thing is unheard OF. In this cuuI
try the ma jJrity mas often refused the mos
reus inable inquiries ;.and worse than tina
the departments have audaciOusly assume
t. withhold answers, even when the d,
mand was made without dissent. Now
Is proposed 10 ~ much further
The second rule is still worse than I'll
other, it that is possible. The committe
Is to determine whether there Is reason
able or probable cause tor investigation.
Some OF their own members may be COZ
templated by the mover OF the inquiry, AN
yet they arc to decide whether they shuuI
be investigated or not
Ii such rules had existed in the last Coz
gress the Credit Mubilier investigate
could never have been ordered. 1t woul
have been strangled in the committe
Tooms VI Dawes, Uagield, Ames, Scvhel