2l8 KANSAS UNIVERSITY QUARTERLY. 



even a special committee to consider financial measures.* The 

 appointment of a committee of Ways and Means as a special com- 

 mittee was continued until 1795, when it was made a standing com- 

 mittee to hold during the session, and its duty was defined to be " to 

 take into consideration all such reports of the Treasury department, 

 and all such propositions relative to the revenue as may be referred 

 to them by the House, * =^ * to inquire into the state of the 

 public debt; of the revenue; and of the expenditures; and to report 

 from time to time their opinion thereon, "f But it was not until 1S02 

 that an amendment to the rules of order was adopted that "five 

 standing committees shall be appointed at the commencement of each 

 session."! Among these was a committee of Ways and Means, with 

 increased duties and enlargeil powers. The rule accei)te(l tlie exact 

 wording of the resolution of 1795, but specified in addition " it sliall 

 be the duty of this committee * * * to examine into the state of 

 the several public departments, and particularly into the laws making 

 appropriations of money, and to report whether the moneys have 

 been disbursed conformably to such laws, and also to report from 

 time to time such provisions and arrangements as may be necessary 

 to add to the economy of the departments and accountability of their 

 officers." This extension of the duties of the committee of Ways and 

 Means, was a part of the plan of attack upon the independent position 

 assumed by Hamilton, and other Secretaries. >j 



The press of business in Congress soon made it necessary to 

 extend llie committee system, and other committees, having a 

 share in the control of the budget, were appointed. In 18 14 it was 

 resolved " that an additional standing committee be appointed to be 

 called a committee for public expenditures, "|| whose duty it should be 

 "to examine into the state of the several public departments, and 

 particularly into the laws making appropriations of money, and to re- 

 port whether the moneys have been distributed conformably with such 

 laws; and also to report from time to time such provisions and arrange- 

 ments as may be necessary to add to the economy of the departments 

 and the accountability of their officers." However, the committee 

 of Ways and Means remained the most important and most influential 

 of the House, and it was not until 1865 that its duties and powers 

 were lessened in any way. In that year Mr. Cox of Ohio proposed an 

 amendment** to the House rules for thecreation of a new committee on 



*Annals of Congress. Vol. I. p. 670. 



• House Joui-ual. 179;i-!>7. p. 38.i. 



tibid.. 1801-1)4. p. 40. 



SSee ante pp. 18.n-87. 



I House Journal, Vol. IX, 1813-15. pp. ,311. 314. 



•*Coug. Globe. Vol. LX, pt. I. p. 636: aud Vol. LXI. pt. II. p. 13IJ. 



