The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1886-01-31
GOVERNOR Cunr,y.s srrrRy,,rp ,ryt,p

An Intimate friend OF Governor Curtin, who saw Inc
remarks the Governor had prepared to make On Inc
occasion OF declining the ch.lrmanship Of the Bank.
ing and Currency Committee, (which the Governor
was advised not to delivery gives the following as
correct IN substance and nearly verbatim repro
duction of what the Governor had prepared 10 say!
Mr.. SPEAKER; l rise 10 ask that may be excustd
from the service TO which II has been your pleasure
TO assign me on the Committee on Banking and
Currency.
In making this request 1t is proper that should
say that my action Is Inspired By no want OF ap-
preciaiion OF the honor have done In assign.
ing TO me position so important and responsible.
But with entire respect for your action and for the
kind motives that have induced you to confer on me
position so honorable, cannot escape the con-
yeton that the tastes and experience OF my public
e IN my hass nS ea me
with usefulness TO this House.
say this In no spirit of self-depreciaiion. have
been long enough IN the public service In many
capacities to have learned the measure of INV apii-
tude and whatever they may be, they are not in this
direction.
hope the House will Indulge me still further in
an observation which desire to make Without pe,u.
lance or personal feeling Ii was your pleasure In
Committee on Foreign Relations. / think / may
venture to say that with the aid Of my able and
spected associates on that committee lis work was
fairly well done and received the approval OF the
House. The usual custom of this House has been,
where the same political organization has retained
control and reelected the same Speaker, that the
chairmanships ofthe committees should remain un.
changed where the chairmen have continued In the
House. 1t would be anectation In me to conceal
that the departure from this custom In my own
has occasioned observation aud excited some feeling
among my friends. desire to say here. sir, that
however congenal TO my tastes the retention OF that
position might have been, and whatever miscon-
struction may arise from the exception made In my
case, have no complaint to make of you, nor have
any other feeling toward yourself than one OF
kindness and respect. But because this departure
from the custom OF the Chair involves, as think,
principle OF great Importance In the relations OF the
Departments of this Government to each other |
hope the House will indulge me In what ceases to be
personal matter whenI say, as do here, that |
Tor one must protest against the interference of the
head OF an Executive Department In the organiza-
ton OF the committees of this House. And / must
express my regret. not only that such interference
snonid have been attempted, but that y should have
have deemed 1t necessary or becoming to interpose
the weight of his official position to influence the
selection of chairman Of the Foreign Relations
tives, can only regard such action as an unwar-
ranfed infringement Of the rights of this House and
The President is reported In the public Journals TO
have said the other day that each Department OF the
Government was responsible only for Its own action.
The sentiment Is worthy of its distinguished author
and in my opinion declares the true theory of our
Government and on the lines Of that theory believe
he intends that his administration shall stand. Why
the Secretary Of State should have thought II be-
coming to have lnfringed Just and obvious prin-
cple by interfering with the organization of the com
mttee OF this House, which supervises not only the
appropriations for his Department, but all OF its
olcia work so far as 1t is within legislative control,
l do not pretend to surmise. The dlscourtesy to a
member OF this House may be OF small account, and
do not wish to magnify 1t, but the precedent is one
OF serious and dem0ralizlng. influence on the public
service, and only perform my duty as an indepen-
dent representative OF the people when say that In
my Judgment II is an evil example fraught with
peril to the public interests.
personal respect for yourself and my appreciation OF
your Kindness In assigning me to the head of the
Committee on Banking ana Currency, must re-
specially ask the House to relieve me from that
service.