he business in the
departments and otherwise that my constituents ask me to perform,
I could not discharge half my duties in this chamber; and every
senator, I dare say, has the same experience. It is to the
public interest, therefore, in my judgment, that every senator
should have a clerk. I am unable to employ a clerk from my own
funds; many other senators are more fortunately situated; but
still I must do that or move the appointment of a special
committee for the purpose in an indirect way of getting a clerk.
It is not right.

It has been said that if senators each have a clerk, for
instance, a clerk at $100 a month salary during the session,
which would be a very small matter, the members of the other
House would each want a clerk. It does not follow. There is a
vast difference. A member of the other House represents a narrow
district, a single district; a senator represents a whole State.
Take the State of New York. There are thirty-three
representatives in the House from the State of New York; there
are but two senators here from that State. Those two senators in
all likelihood have as much business to perform here for their
constituents as the thirty-three members of the House. There is,
therefore, an eminent reason why a senator should have a clerk
and why a member of the House should not.

I cannot vote for the appointment of select committees unless you
raise a select committee for every senator in the body so as to
give him a clerk. You have appointed select committees for this
business and for that. It gives a few men an advantage when the
business of the country does not require it, whereas if you
appointed a clerk for each senator, with a nominal salary of $100
per month during the session, it would enable every senator to do
his work more efficiently both here and for his constituents; it
would put all the senators on a just equality; it would be in
furtherance of the public interest; and it would avoid what I
consider (with all due deference and not meaning to be offensive)
the unseemly habit of constantly moving the appointment of select
committees in this body. This is all I have to say. I vote
against the resolution simply because I am opposed to the
appointment of a select committee for this or any other purpose