The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-19
4 REMARKABLE EPISODE.
THE ATTEMPT TO RUN THE GOVERN
MENT BIZ AN oLIGARCHE.

FaiIure or the Experiment or 1soa to Al
miuister the Gevernnent or the United
states By = COMMITTEE OF states,-No
Governnsent ut All for nearly -Four
Months = ConHicts In the Connittee.
It may surprise some people to learn that the
Government of this country was once com.
mitted to an oligarchy- but 1t 10 true.
IE LISA the Federal Congress, just before Its
r.,surnment at Annapolis on Juno 8 to meet in
Trenton on Oct. so. appointed n Committee Of
the States" which was authorized to carry on
the Government during tho Interim.
Thomas Jefferson, in his autobiography, says:
As the Confederation had made no provision
for a visible head of the Government during the
vacations OF Congress-, and such q one wac noe
essnry to superlntond the executive business. to
receive and communicate with fol- eign Minis
tcrs and nations, and to assemble Congress on
sudden, extraordinary emergencies, / proposed
early in April u7s4) the appointment OF q com
mitteo Of tho States to consist of q member
from each State, who should remain in session
during tho recess of Congress-; that the func-
tions Of Congress should DO divided into cxecu-
tive and legislative, the lattor to be reserved,
and the former. by Q general resolution, to DO
delegated to that committee"
Jefferson was mistaken In the statement that
sthe Confederation had made no provision for O
Vinlblo nohu OF inc SOVoTnu1onL curing inc, va
cations of Congress-" Tho ninth of tho Arti.
Giles of Confederation expressly authorized the
appointment of q Committee of the. States"
for that purpose, and the tenth prescribed it's
powers. But Jefferson, as Chairman OF o COM
mittee, did mako o report on the subject, and on
May 20 Congress- passed q resolution " that the
Committee of the States, which shall be ap-
pointed pursuant to the ninth of the Articles of
Confederation and Perpetual Union, to sit In the
recess Of Congress for transacting the business
of tho United States, shall possess oil the pow
ors which may DO exercised by seven States In
Congress assembled with certain exceptions
therein specified. Before this. on May 2. JEFF
$erson had been chosen Minister Plcnipoten.
tisry to act with Adams and franklin In nego-
tiating treaties with the European powers, and
had left Annapolis to prepare for his departure
for Europe.
flames Monroe, who was then in Congress,
wrote him June l:
Two points have boon effected since my last, the
putting the once of finance into commission and the
establishment Of the Committee of the States and ap-
pointment Of tire members. Each State nominated
ia own member, and Congress confirmed the prefer
ence. The committee consists Of Mr.. Blanchard
N. H). Dana tMass.). Ellery Or. -. Sherman Comm.
Dewitt IN. ", Dick IN. j.. Hand (Pa.), Chase CMd),
Hardy Va.). Spaight (N. Co. and Read Is. CO.. For
she States not represented on the floor any member
who presents credentials may take his seat. The
members may also relieve each other at pleasure.
9heoe resolutions were introduced by Mercer and
supported by Read. by which the appointment
q this rule continues longer than tho present
Congress-. or rather committee-is taken out of tn.
hands OF Congress and vested In the delegation Of
eachState. and. OF course, given to whomever the
chance Of q popular vote may place at the head OF
she delegation; for those who pay n delicate atten.
sion to the sense OF tho State must take that sense
fF0nn Rurh ayfdanCa ma l,nfaro tto.~ ~.
powers OF tho committee are confined. SO that no in.
Jury can be effected. sherman and Dana will neces-
earily govern 1t. Read and Spaight will be together;
Hardy will probably be of the same society. and "a
the part they will act will perhaps be rather an In.
temperate one. they will have no weight themselves.
and throw the indinerentst into the other scale.
The committee met June 4, the day after Con-
gress adjourned, and organized by the election
Of Samuel Hardy Of Virginia as Chairman.
Eleven members were present, Georgia not ap-
pearing until June 80, when William Houston
presented his credentials from that State, and
Delaware never was represented at Annapolis.
The committee does not seem to have taken
hold OF work very vigorously, for 1t Immediately
adjourned, as the resolution of adjournment
states, for the benefit of the health Of the mem.
bcrs. and to give an opportunity for some respite
after the long session and weighty business
lately before Congress-" Roger Sherman and
Charles Do Witt, the delegates from Connecti-
cut and New York, returned home, and their
the COMMITTEES. On the 4 45sh Of Z" June fne s' bnt fS 20
members M were present. and there wos
were adopted for the government Of the com.
mittee. More than q month had thus passed
without the transaetion of any business. and
eome Oh the members were getting very tired of
loahn2 about Annapolis. whose summer climate
was not conducive TO their comfort. The East.
Srn members especially were anxious to get
home too more salubrious atmosphere. They
managed to endure it. however, until July 23.
when Mr.. Dana, seconded by Mr.. blanchard,
moved that the committee adjourn on Aug. i,
70 meet at Trenton on the second Monday OF
Maryland, Virginia, and Georgia voted against
this, and. as 1t required nine votes to determine
any g except that Of adjour,nment from
0lanchard, however. had made up their minds
not TO stay much longer, and they so informed
Elbridge Gerry, The day before:
We have made up n table OF New Hampshire, Massa
HIVE II hath been prodnctiveo OF SOME good; but W here
some persons are totally disincl!ned TO do business,
anee is besides Independently necessary, for we have
only nine states on the floor. everything must be at a
business. Yet the burthrn Of this is sogieat that
The SeHehi Of the 1pI ha% ai,hoa ana bse sHsry t SSs,u 5ass 1 6St +
been accustomed to do bu 'iness on that doy. Vexed
nays upon the question. but 1t was carried against
me. The barrenness Of our journal makes me
ness cannot be done, aud retire home to do my private
business This j shall do the beginning OF next
uonth, | have already spoken Of the adj
5oarnment OF last Saturday; Monday and this day we
adjourned for want OF members, Georgia being alb.
sent az the call OF the House yesterday, and Virginia
and Georgia to-day. Thus have we lost three DAYS
shrough mere Indifference or inattention.
On tho Sd of August, Dana, supported by
Blanchard, renewed the motion for adjourn
ment. and 1t was again defeated. Matters
fssehed q climax on Aug. IL. This journal of
being made by Mr.. Hand. seconded by Mr..
would be required during the debate, New
hampshire withdrew. whereupon the Com.
mittee Of the States adjourned to 10 O'Clock
to,morsow;" This entry gives no .intimation OF
bet who Withdrew, Mr.. Blanchard Of New Hamp.
shire. TO Elbridge Gerry. written Aug. II, ex,
plains IT, and gives his version of the affair.
] hope you will not censure us for leaving An.
napols, We tarried until the 18th In a disagreeable
situation enough; At no time more than nine States
and; OF course, one voice put a stop 10 any debate
~. Dana introduced a motion for an adjournment &c
Trenton. second Monday In september. Nnw Hamp
ehlre, Massachusetts,, New Jersey, North Carolina, AM
South Carolina were in favor OF II; the other state,
Were against u. Mr.. Dana and myself told the com
mittee that we were unwilling to tarry, being unde,
necessity OF returning to our own States, and nothina
to do In the com milton Tho xvaaI No..