The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-12-30
THE HOUSE RULES.
Speech of Hon. E. Barksdale on the
Report Of the Committee on Rules.

Congressional Record, December 10TH
Mr.. BARKsDALE. Mr.. Speaker, the
pending paragraph to distribute the
appropriation bills, is the Aaron's Rod of
all this controversy. / shall supper,
the majority report Just as it is, 81
trust that its friends will keep theisfhes
unbroken and adopt It as 1t cap rom
the committee. ! submit, siTstnsat eneie
has been an infinite amosit OF irreie-
want discussion INTRODUCED INTO the CON
sideration of the eeestion- artisan
politics, personalities, ordinations and
recriminations. II tending to lnflame
the passions I'D to prevent judicial I'M
partialisv. 1T might well DE asked,
what h<siness have they here at such
an hogfas this2"
| Nsw, sir, the considerations that
roperly enter into the discussion of this
fquesion are these: Will the distribn-
tion of the poi 5 of the Committee on
Appropriations tend to salutary, intelll
gent, ana economical legislation VIII
it secure to this House its right to su
premacy over legislation which it Is call
ed upon to enact? Why sir, to state the
propositions Is to answer them. A com
mittee appointed by the Speaker with
reference to the aptitude and fitness OF
its members is presumed to be more
competent to deal with the business OF
the department to which 1t pertains,
than any other committee. The physl-
clan who makes diagnosis of disease
| is more capable of prescribing for II
than any amount of skill outside.
Take the Committee on Naval Affairs,
Z II A. I Ta
pointed by the Speaker with direct
reference TO the aptitude OF its members
for that branch of service. And will
YOU tell me they are less competent to
deal with the affairs of the Navy and to
prescribe the amount that is needed &c
| maintain it than any other committee
| however able? And so with every other
committee which has to deal with the
affairs Of the Government.
| Here the hammer fall
h Mr.. BARKsDALE. | should like to be
allowed a few minutes more.
Mr.. RANDALL. / ask that the gen
tleman be permitted to continue his re
marks for the time ne has indicated.
There was no objection.
Mr.. BARKsDALE. To devolve upor
the Committee on appropriations the
duty of reporting every appropriation
bill is to impose upon it a task which il
| is not capable of performing satisfac
| torily. The result will be, as 1t ha'
been heretofore, that bills will be re
ported at the close of the session, and
members will be compelled to choose
between the alternative of adopting
items which they do not approve or Of
rejecting the whole, and thus forcing al
extra session with all its attendant
burdens upon the Treasury.
1t has been well said that the House
of Representatives is the great master
body OF the legislative department OF
the Government. It's representatives
come directly from the people. There
are no midT lie men between them and the
real soyereigns of the land. The CLAUSE
of the Constitution which devolves upor
it the:sole power of originating revenue
bills. attests the high mission to which
it was appointed by the veneratec
trainers of that instrument. 1t is the
business of the Ways and Means Com
mittee to provide the necessary revenue
1t is the business of the House to dis
burse it wisely and economically for The
maintenance of the Government. Tx
vest this power in a single committed
violates the true theory of the Govern
ment, and places upon the shoulders o
this House an Old Man of the Sea t,
fetter its energies and obstruct it in tn,
performance of its functions. | trus
it will assert its rightful prerogatve
| aud throw off the incubus.