ve been created and composed as it
was, it is a good committee now--better than it ever was before;
better, because more familiar with this subject, because its members,
having now become acquainted with each other's views, and having
become accustomed to act with each other, and having studied the whole
subject committed to them, can proceed with much more hope of good
results than ever before. Having a right to report at any time, and
being led, on the part of this House, by the distinguished gentleman
from Pennsylvania [Mr. Stevens], I see no reason why it can not
consider and digest wisely and promptly whatever may be referred to it
and make report."

"We are now considering a report from that very committee," said Mr.
Stevens. "That committee made a report, and I have offered a
substitute for the bill which they reported. If the gentleman thinks
the report of that committee is best, then let him vote against my
substitute. But why send this subject back again to the committee? The
gentleman knows as well as I do how many different opinions there are
in that committee; some of us believe in one thing, and some of us in
another; some of us are very critical, and some of us are not. The
idea that we can consider any thing in that committee, constituted as
it is, in less than a fortnight, it seems to me is wholly out of the
question; and as we have only about some twenty working days in which
to mature this bill in both branches of Congress, if we send this
subject to that committee and let it take its time to consider it, and
then have it reported here and considered again, I certainly need not
say to gentlemen that that would be an end of the matter, at least for
this session."

"The gentleman from Pennsylvania concurred in that report," replied
Mr. Conkling. "He had his full share in molding it and making it
precisely what it was. He supported it then; now he offers a
substitute for it. Why? Because the time which has elapsed since then,
and the events which have transpired, have modified, he thinks, the
exigencies of the case. Is not that as applicable to the judgment of
the committee as to his own? Is it not proper that it should have the
opportunity of acting for once in the light of all the facts and
circumstances as they are to day?"

"Two or three bills on this subject," said Mr. Stevens, "have been
referred during this session to that committee. Why has not the
committee acted on them?"

"If I were the