THIRTIETH CONGRESS, 1847-49. 499 



then no debate could arise except upon the previous ques- 

 tion — the previous question being debatable under the Par- 

 liamentary law. 



Mr. White inquired in case this resolution was adopted, 

 if it did not place all the bills and resolutions, &c., on the 

 calendar as they were at the close of the last session — if it 

 did not leave the House precisely in the position in which 

 they were at the close of the last session ? 



The Speaker replied in the affirmative. 



Mr. White said, then, that a proposition of this character 

 had been referred to the Committee on Rules, and remained 

 unacted on. He wished to know whether it would not be 

 competent to reach it in the ordinary way ? and whether 

 there was, therefore, any necessity for the adoption of the 

 amendment of the gentleman from. Tennessee ? 



Mr. Geo. P. Marsh said he did not rise for the purpose of 

 impugning or defending the conduct of the Board of Regents, 

 or even for the purpose of entering into the discussion of 

 the merits of this motion ; but simply that it might not be 

 inferred from his silence that any member of the Board in 

 this House was opposed to the adoption of the resolution. 

 On the contrary, he was now, and had been from the time 

 it was offered at the last session, decidedly in favor of its 

 adoption. He was satisfied, from what he had seen of the 

 management of this institution, that a committee such as 

 was proposed by the gentleman from Tennessee would serve 

 as a most wholesome and necessary check upon the proceed- 

 ings of this institution. He believed that the Board of 

 Regents would be, and ought to have been long since, made 

 acquainted with its direct responsibility to the power which 

 had created it. 



Mr. R. B. Rhett, of S. C, said, for the reasons which the 

 gentleman from Vermont had assigned, he trusted a commit- 

 tee would not be appointed. He wanted no such direct respon- 

 sibility as the gentleman had spoken of. He was opposed to 

 any connection of the Government with this institution ; and 

 he would suggest to the gentleman from Tennessee that his 

 establishment of a standing committee was the very method 

 of all others which was to give permanency to this institu- 

 tion, and attach it forever to the Government. The only 

 way to get rid of it was to let all the money be paid over to 

 these gentlemen — the Regents, and the Government cut 

 themselves loose from it entirely. He was opposed to any 

 committee, standing or otherwise, which set up a congres- 

 sional supervision over the Regents of this institution, or 

 over the institution itself. He hoped, therefore, unless the 



