Year: 1870

CoDgress can give any adequate attention To


District matters The fact was fully admitted


by every member who spoke, and no strong sr


arguments could be desired in favor of giving


self-government to the people Of the District
than those advanced in the course OF that dis


cussion- The debate came up on a motion by


MIR. Garfield, from the Committee on Elections,


hat the third Friday Of each month, from ID.


m. until the adjournment that day, s.shall


when claimed by the Committee for the District


OF Columbia, be devoted exclusively to business


reported from said COMMITTEES; and said com


mittee shall henceforth be omitted by the


Speaker in the regular calls of committees"


General Garfield explained that this was a


proposition to take away from the Committee
for the District Of Columbia their regular place
n the call of committees for either pub ic or
private business, and give them in lieu of that
the third Friday in each month from two O'Clock
to the end of the session. By thus assigning to
that commi' tee beforehand the whole of that
legislative day they would have certainty as to
the time when they can bring their business


Defore the House The resolution, he said


would give them, perhaps, a little more time


than they would get under the regular call of the


committees; but at the same time other commit
tees depending on the regular call would be re-
Geved from detention by the business or the Dis
trict- Ii would be to the advantage of every


ommittee of the House to have this committee
removed from the regular roster of committees.
SO far as calls were concerned. 1t would be also
benefit to the District Committee by giving
them a specific time which they could rely upon
obtaining. The large amount of work which
had accumulated in the hands of the committee
seemed to require such an adjustment as this.


MI Cox said the new rule proposed would net
give the District Committee a great deal of
advantage, but their business had greatly ac-
cumulated. and something ought to be done with
tne view OF enabling them to bring their business
before the House. At the same time they really
would lose by this arrangement a certain place
on the regular call of committees They were
entitied, he said, to some consideration from the
House; for the Congress of the United States is
the ohy authority to which the District can look
Tor the legislatit n which its interests require.


Mr.. Nibiaek urged that the amount OF time
TWO and half hours per month-it was pro-
Posed'o give the District Committee for the
Consideration Of District business was entirely
inadequate. They had the exclusive juristiic-
ton OF all legislation in reference to this Dis
triet, ana U. examination by every Committee
ior the District Of Columbia for the last half
uo1eh years had impressed every member on
those committees that Congress had failed in its
duty towards this District. They had failed tn
consider some Of the NEST important matters in
re'auon TO the people of this District at eyery
session And now to strike the Committee for
he District OF Columbia from the list of com
mittees In the morning hour and to give them
only two and half or three hours every month
Tor the consideration of the legislation of this
District seemed to him to be like a denial of
justice or any fair consideration of the business
OF this District; and, for one, he should vote
against the resolution.


Mr. Garfield suggested that the new rule would
give more time to the committee than they had
now.


Mr. Cook Chairman of the District Commit
tee) here stated that his committee had NOT been
able 10 report at all this session. and their tables
were full Of bills ready for the action of the
mouse. They had been laboring to get more
time, out had become convinced that they
would be unable to do 50. II this resolution
passed they would get at least two and a half
hours Per month, and have a fan chance to
present some business. Congress might per-
haps give the committee night sessions ON those
days.


Mr.. Niblack answered that he should not op-
pose the rule, If the committee were willing to
accept II, but the suggestions of the gentleman
that they might have night sessions every third
Friday, when they could scarcely get quorum
to do business; in view of the fact that the Con-
stitution devolves upon them as one Of the
gravest duties of Congress to ie9isI.ite for this
District, seemed to him 20 be like treating the
District OF Columbia as a step-ehild. He ex-
ffesse 4 his disposition to offer an amendment
allowing the District Committee to remain in
the list of committees in the morning hour in
addition to the two and a-half hours every third
Friday. Dir. Cook and others suggested that il
would be impracticable to get more than that
amount of time for the District Committee, and
he resolution of General (,arfia1I adontaI
under the previous question, without amend
ment.


Under the new rule, therefore, the House,
having exclusive legislation over the District
of Columbia, will give to the interests of
10000 people-its especial wards-just $50 Iain-
utes per month, something more than a
minute to every twelve hundred people. As the
chairman stated, the District Committee has
been unable to get the floor thus far this session.
and, supposing the session to last until June,
the District will, under the rule, get for the
year the grand total of seven hours and half
Seven hours and . half per year to give to the
work of legislating for 10000 people! We
leave 1t to any one familiar with the routine of
Congressional debate and legislation to say
how Tar one hundred and nifty minutes per
month, or seven hours and one half per year,
will 60 towards clearing up the loaded tables of
the District Committee. We remember when
the Senate, some years ago, in a spasm Of re-
morse over their neglect Of their wards-the
people Of this Distriet-undortook to dispose Of
q batch Of District business one afternoon and
evening. They spent something over nine hours
In discussing q single District bill-the Centre
MArket-house bill-and adjourned without COM
ing TO any conclusion. They have tackled the
question once or twice since, but have never got
20 far as a vote on the question OF permitting
the Corporation to remove the wretched
moss-eovered old market sheds. The other
District business, embI acing measures Of vastly
more inportance, Of course remains untouched
AZ was sStd By Mr.. Riddle, In his admirable
speech at Lincoln Hall, 1--WE want as much le,is-
lafion - do many Of the States, and ve hsvs
never had week during any one session sna
often not whole Congressional day The clam
oring demands Of a continent overwhelm Con-
sres, and We must be neglected. With the
highest possible intelligence, the parest inten-
tons, and the kindest dispositions, they can only
misgovern u.s."


This 10 the truth, and none are reader to con-
cede IL than members themselves. They CON
cede the necessity that the District should have
q government Of its swn, with powers adequate
20 act They are ready and willing to give Us
the rf9ht of self-goyernmept Shall vrc ...ant