Huntsville gazette., 1882-01-14
FORTY SEVENTH CONGRESS-.

CONGRESS reassembled on tho 9TH. In the
Senate, bills were introduced: By Mr.. An
thony-To promote the efficiency of the Navy !;
by Mr.. Maxey-To increase the efficiency. OF
the Signal Service of the Army; by Mr..
Plumb-To provide for the disposition OF a
portion of Fort Hayes Military Reservation,
Kansas .....I In the House, Mr. Orth rose to a
question OF privilege, stating it grew out of
and affecting the recent appointment of COM
mittees of the House. Before stating the
question specifically, he said: 81 ask indul-
gence to announce that it is my purpose at an
early day to introduce for consideration and
action q proposition to change the method of
selecting committees The vast and diversi-
lied interests OF the country are all more or
less affected by Congressional legislation, and
this legislation, as is well known, is almost
exclusively controlled by the action of the
committees. For this reason their formation
assumes Importance and is invested with re-
Sponsibility too great to rest in the hands of a
single individual, however capable and hon.
est and patriotic such individual may be. AS
now exercised it is emphatically a one-man
power, and such power is always dangerous
and in conflict with the principles of republi-
may not at some future period be used to the
detriment of the best interests of the people.
And now as to the question of privilege. You
have seen fit. sir, to assign me two committees,
namely: second place on Rules, and Chair
man of the Committee on Civil Reform. By
the kindness and unwaverlng confidence OF
my constituency, have beenfortwelve years
a member of this House, and am now enter
ing on my seventh term of service here. With
two exceptions there is not another Repu5h-
can member who has thus long represented
his people. During that time that have served
as member and Chairman on the Committee
on Private Land Claims, as a MEM
Der of the Committee on Ways and Means,
mittee on Foreign Affairs, part of that time as
its Chairman. With one exception, possibly
two, 1 am the only Republican member who,
at any time prior to this session. has g ever r
HO1se. In view of this fact submit that the
Speaker in his recent action has done an in
justice to me and my constituents, Tor the re-
lations between a Representative and his
constituents are clearly interviewer that
injustice to one is necessarily an injustice to
the other They naturally feel pride and
Representative, and especially when such
recognition is regarded by custom as attach
ing to long years of service. For this injus-
tice there is, however, no remedy. All that
can be done is to protest against it, as do
now for myself and constituents, and for
reasons that do not require specification, l
respectfully ask the House to excuse me from IN,
Rules" The Speaker: "The Chair does not
understand that it is necessary for him to vim
dicate himself by speaking IN n reply, @ IL must tSa
Chair does not undertake to challenge the
statements charging him with injustice, that
the Chair acquiesces in the views taken by
the gentleman from Indiana" Mr.. Orth's re-
quest was granted. Mr.. Hewitt On. Y.) was
relieved from service on Committee on Pubic
RrildinUS and Grounds. MI. HeWetr (Ala.)
offered q resolution reciting the fact that the
Khedive of Egypt had presented to the United
States the obelisk known as Cleopatra's Nee
dle and rendering to his Hlghness the khe-
dive the thanks of tire people OF the United
States for a gift which only the Oldest of ma
tions could make and the youngest could
most highly prize. Adopted
In the Senate, on the 9Th, Mr.. Davis vaca-
ed the chair for the dayto Mr.. Garland.
resolution by Mr.. Maxey, instructing the Sec
retarv of the Interior to furnish report of the
survey of the United States and Texas Boun-
Diary Commission made under act of June 5,
1873 and if no final report of said commission
was made to report that fact, together with
maps of surveys, and report of the work so
far as it was prosecuted, was adopted. Mr.
Windom introduced bill appropriating
money for the selection Of a site and location
for a Government building in Minneapolis,
Mimi. Mr.. Hale's resolution for special
committee on the mode of electing
the. President and Vice President, and
of counting and certifying the vote,
was disposed of by reference to the
Committee on Privileges and Elections. The
relating to pension frauds, offered
nv Mr. Davis wv. Va.), Dec. ID, having been
called, discussion ensued upon the amend
ment by Mr. Edmunds, striking out the direc-
ton to the Secretary of the Interior to give
his opinion on such legislation as ne Thought
advisable Mr.. Edmunds argued that the
President alone had power to recommend
legislation. Mr.. Hill (Ga.j contended that
while it was the duty of the President to do
this there was no limitation on the power OF
Congress to get opinions from others. MT
Davis wv. Va) in the course of debate said
the Secretary had estimated that OF hundred