The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-08-12

session OF "a Coumttcc, mtgut Do proper IOr
public ses sion oil tue wnce House. Yet 1t rs often
happens thai the secret methods OF CON tlccs are
undesirable and that there ought to Ue publicity OF
executive details, and such publicity Is frequently
necessary TO The purposes oil an administration
anu exposition OF its policy. Onic,a reports Of
the proceedings before the Committees therefore
puoishcd. McnDcrs OF Congress have not always
time STUDY them fnev are there 10 represent DIS
trc,s ano states many o. the IN have special work
attend TO In The Inherent commttecs and n they
give tue rest OF Their timo TO stsnng to wnt actu.
ally goes on IN the deiiocratve assembly little moro
can DO asked OF them. But u lew words spoken by
tue mead oil department would place tue wuoie Of
Congress on tLe same vantage ground as n embors
of comnittec, aud this wouid 90 particularly neces
sary " u should happen mat select committee
10 not representative its character I'D de!b-
erations therefore, not important 10 the action Of
tho House.
DRAFT or Dill TnE suBJgcr
Formulated into ON, TINS cusnge would run
Be II enacted by the Senate aud House OF Repro.
sestatives, &C, Tnat tho Secretary Of state, the
Secretary OF War, me secretary Of tue Treasury the
Secretary Of the Navy the secretary o Interior
the Attorney Generai anu The Postmaster 1sncrai
snail be entled ~ occupy seats tue noor OF eber
house. with the privilege Of discussing any measure
appertann TO their dspartnents under sucn rules
may he prescribed.
src. q rnat the said secretaries and Attorney
General and the Postmaster Gegsrsi attend the scs.
SONS oi the Senate aud House OF Representatives, m-
mcdistey on the opening OF the sutngs on-----oi
each week, and give information Ia reply to questions
asked under tho rules.
rnis would secure 10 the secretaries ,he right
them to attend. And, that limits might DO placed
upon the rRht OF inquiry, the rules oi the two Houses
might DO amended ~ the manner proposed by tho
select committee, OF which Nr. Pcndicton, OF ono
was chairman In 1854 Those amendments we're tn.
tended Tor the House OF Representatives only, but
could be made to apply to tue senate MS wcI tbat
the Clerk OF tue Senate aud OF the House OF Repre-
scntstives shall keep notice books, IN which they
shall enter, on the request Of any member any rcso-
luton requiring information from any VI tue Execu-
tive Departments or any question Intended To be pro
pounded 10 any member OF tue Cabinet
RULES THAT SHOULD GOVERN
The mninBcr giving notice OF such resolut on or
question could at tho Same time ave notice that
the same snail be called upon - or -
oi the succeeding week, provided that no sucn
resolution or question shah BE- called w,
except BY unanimous consent, WITHIN loss nan
throe days after due notice shall have been g,vvn
The clerk could on the same day which notice Is
entered, transmit To the chis officer OF the proper
department copy of the resolution or question: 10.
gctber with the Dauis OF the member proposing the
same, asd OF tho day when u Will come before tho
House Tor actiO0 On - and - OF each
week, before any other business SHAH be up,
except by unanimous consent, the resolutions an a
questions could be taken up in tue ordcr 10 VIII ich
tney have been entered upoa the notice book that
dy. The member onorins . resolution could stale