On the 24th of December, 1828, the following resolution, submitted by Mr. Eaton, was considered and agreed to:

Resolved, That the thirty-fourth rule for conducting business in the Senate be amended to read as follows:

The President pro tempore of the Senate shall appoint the committees of the Senate; but if there be no President pro tempore, the Senate, in the appointment of the standing committees, will proceed, by ballot, severally, to appoint the chairman of each committee, and then, by one ballot, the other members necessary to complete the same; and a majority of the whole number of votes given shall be necessary to the choice of a chairman of a standing committee. When other committees shall be appointed by ballot, a plurality of votes shall make a choice. When any subject or matter shall have been referred to a committee, any other subject or matter of a similar nature may, on motion, be referred to such committee.

(The adoption of this amendment to the rule disclosed the fact that the appointment of the committees by ballot was found to be tedious. and unsatisfactory, and that it was preferred to leave the appointment of the committees to the President pro tempore of the Senate, that officer being responsible to the majority of the Senate for his action on the subject, but that the Senate was not willing to leave the appointment of the standing committees to the Vice President as presiding officer, he not being responsible to the majority for such appointment, particularly where he differed politically with such majority.)

At the session of 1829-30, viz, on the 7th of December, 1829, on motion by Mr. H. L. White, and by unanimous consent, it was

Resolved, That the thirty-fourth rule for conducting business in the Senate be so far suspended as to authorize the Senate, in the absence of the Vice President, to elect, by ballot, the chairman of the Committee on Finance.

(The cause of this proceeding being that it was desired that Samuel Smith, Senator from Maryland, then President pro tempore, should continue to hold the office of chairman of the Committee on Finance, which he had held at the previous session;) and on the 9th of December, 1829, on motion by Mr. Woodbury, the Senate proceeded by ballot to the election, and Mr. Smith was duly elected, who then, as President pro tempore, announced the appointment of the committees.

On the 18th of January, 1830, on motion by Mr. Smith of Maryland, it was

Resolved, That the Committee on Roads and Canals be considered a standing committee.

At the session of 1830-31 the same proceeding took place in the appointment of the committees as at the preceding session.

At the session of 1831-32, the same.

At the session of 1832-33 Hugh Lawson White, of Tennessee, was elected President pro tempore of the Senate, and on the 10th of December, 1832, he announced the appointment of the standing committees, not placing himself on either of them.

At the session of 1833-34, the political majority in the Senate having changed, and the President pro tempore (Hugh L. White) elected at a previous session having at this session resumed the chair, upon whom, under the existing rule, would devolve the duty of appointing the committees of the Senate, and he being then in the minority, on the 9th of December, 1833, Peleg Sprague, Senator from the State of Maine, of the majority, submitted the following resolu

tion, which was considered and agreed to by yeas 22, nays 18, Mr. White, President pro tempore, being, at his request, excused from voting, viz:

Resolved, That the thirty-fourth rule of the Senate shall be so amended as to read and stand as it did prior to the 24th day of December, 1828.

This change restored the appointment of the committees by ballot. On motion by Mr. Sprague

Resolved, That the Senate will, on Thursday next, the 12th instant, proceed to the appointment, by ballot, of the standing committees.

Thursday, December 12, 1833, the special order of the day recurring on the appointment, by ballot, of the standing committees of the Senate, on motion by Mr. Grundy of Tennessee, that the subject be postponed to Monday next, it was determined in the affirmativeyeas 28, nays 18.

Monday, December 16, 1833, agreeably to the order of the day, the Senate proceeded to the appointment, by ballot, of the standing committees, in conformity to the thirty-fourth rule, and having severally elected the chairmen of the said committees, then elected the remaining members of the same, respectively.

At the session of 1834-35, viz, on the 1st of December, 1834, on motion by Mr. Grundy, and by unanimous consent,

Resolved, That the thirty-fourth rule of the Senate so far as respects the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads be suspended, and that the present committee (consisting of Mr. Grundy, Mr. Ewing, Mr. Knight, Mr. Robinson, and Mr. Southard) on the Post Office and Post Roads be continued, with all the powers vested in them and subject to all the duties enjoined on them by the resolution of the Senate of the 25th day of June, 1834.

(The resolution of the 25th of June, 1834, adopted on the motion of Mr. Sprague of Maine, was as follows:

Resolved, That the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads be authorized to sit in the recess of Congress to continue the examination of the condition and proceedings of the Post Office Department, with power to send for persons and papers, and to take the deposition of witnesses, either by personal examination or on commission, and to report at the next session.)

On the 2d of December, 1834, on motion by Mr. Poindexter, and by unanimous consent,

Resolved, That the thirty-fourth rule of the Senate, so far as respects the Committee on Public Lands, be suspended; and that the present committee (consisting of Mr. Poindexter, Mr. Moore, Mr. Prentiss, Mr. McKean, and Mr. Clay) be continued, with all the powers vested in them, and subject to all the duties enjoined on them by the several resolutions of the Senate at the last session, relative to frauds in the sales of public lands.

(These resolutions were passed on the 5th of March, 1834.)

On the 11th of December, 1834, all the other standing committees were appointed by ballot, agreeably to the rule.

At the session of 1835-36, viz, on the 16th of December, 1835, agreeably to the rule, the Senate proceeded to the appointment of the standing committees by ballot, in the first place of the chairman, and then of the remaining members.

At the session of 1836-37, viz, on the 12th of December, 1836, agreeably to the rule, the Senate proceeded to the appointment of the standing committees by ballot, first of the chairman, and then of the remaining members.

At the session of 1837, viz, on the 7th of September, 1837, on motion by Mr. Hubbard, another standing committee was added by the following resolution:

Resolved, That the thirty-third rule of the Senate be amended as follows: After the words, "A Committee on the District of Columbia," insert "A Committee on Patents and the Patent Office."

On the same day the Senate proceeded, agreeably to order, to the appointment, by ballot, of the standing committees, and had elected the chairman of three committees, when,

On motion by Mr. Clay of Kentucky (of the minority), and by unanimous consent,

Resolved, That so much of the thirty-fourth rule as requires the appointment of the several standing committees by ballot, at the present session, be suspended, and that their appointment be made by the President of the Senate.

On the next day (September 8, 1837) the Vice President (Richard M. Johnson, of Kentucky) announced the appointment of the standing committees, the chairman of which were appointed by ballot on the 7th instant, and then announced the appointment of all the other standing committees.

At the session of 1837-38, viz, on December 6, 1837, on motion by Mr. Grundy (of the minority), and by unanimous consent,

It was agreed that the Vice President appoint the standing committees of the Senate for the present session.

On the 7th of December the Vice President, accordingly, announced their appointment.

At the session of 1838-39, on the 5th of December, 1838, on motion by Mr. Hubbard, and by unanimous consent,

Resolved, That the thirty-fourth rule of the Senate be so far suspended that the Presiding Officer of the Senate shall appoint, for the present session, the members of all the standing committees of the Senate, with the exception of the chairman of the Committee on Commerce; and that the Senate shall, previous to any such appointment, elect, by ballot, the chairman of that committee.

Whereupon, on motion by Mr. Hubbard, the Senate proceeded to the election, and on counting the ballots it appeared that Mr. King of Alabama (then President pro tempore) had a majority, and was elected chairman of the Committee on Commerce.

On the next day (December 6) the President pro tempore announced the appointment of all the committees.

At the session of 1839-40, the proceedings in the appointment of the standing committees were similar to those at the preceding session.

At the session of 1840-41, the same.

At the special session of the Senate in March, 1841, there were no standing committees appointed.

At the session of 1841 (1st sess. 27th Cong.), commencing in May, 1841, viz, on the 1st of June, 1841, on motion by Mr. Clay of Kentucky (of the majority),

Ordered, That the Senate will, at 12 o'clock to-morrow, proceed to the appointment of the standing committees of the Senate.

On the 2d of June the Senate, agreeably to order, proceeded to the appointment of the committees, by ballot, under the thirty-fourth

rule, and, having thus appointed the chairman of all the committees, on motion by Mr. King of Alabama, and by unanimous consent,

Resolved, That the thirty-fourth rule of the Senate be so far suspended that the President pro tempore shall appoint the remaining members of the several standing committees.

On the next day (June 3) the President pro tempore (Samuel L. Southard of New Jersey) announced the appointments accordingly. At the session of 1841-42, viz, December 9, 1841, on motion by Silas Wright, of New York (of the minority), and by unanimous consent,

Resolved, That the thirty-fourth rule of the Senate be so far suspended that the Presiding Officer of the Senate shall appoint, for the present session, the standing committees of the Senate.

On the 14th of December the President pro tempore (Mr. Southard) announced the appointment of the committees.

December 15, 1841, the Senate proceeded to consider the resolution submitted yesterday by Mr. Mangum, in relation to the public printing; which was amended, on motion of Mr. King, and agreed to, as follows:

Resolved, That a standing committee of the Senate be appointed, to whom shall be referred every question on the printing of documents, reports, or other matter transmitted by either of the executive departments, and all memorials, petitions, accompanying documents, together with all other matter, the printing of which shall be moved, excepting bills originating in Congress, resolutions offered by any Senator, communications from the legislatures of the respective States, and motions to print, by order of the standing committees of the Senate, of reports, documents, or other matter pertaining to the subjects referred to such committees by the Senate; and it shall be the duty of such Committee on Printing to report, in every case, in one day, or sooner if practicable.

On motion by Mr. Mangum,

Ordered, That the committee consist of three members, to be appointed by the President pro tempore.

On the 20th of December the President pro tempore announced the appointment of the said committee.

On the 17th of February, 1842, Mr. Morehead submitted the following resolution for consideration:

Resolved, That a Committee on Retrenchment, consisting of five members, be added to the standing committees of the Senate, whose duty it shall be to take into consideration the expenditures of the Government in the several departments thereof, and to inquire whether any, and if any, what, retrenchments can be made without injury to the public service; and to report thereupon, together with such propositions relative thereto as to them shall seem expedient.

February 18, the said resolution was agreed to, and on motion by Mr. Morehead (of the majority),

Ordered, That the committee be appointed, for the present session, by the President pro tempore.

February 28, the President pro tempore (Mr. Southard) announced the appointment of the committee.

At the session of 1842-43, viz, December 8, 1842, on motion by Mr. Huntington of Connecticut (of the majority), and by unanimous consent, a similar resolution as at the preceding session was passed, and on the 12th of December the President pro tempore (Willie P. Mangum, of North Carolina) announced the appointment of the committees.

At the session of 1843-44, viz, December 5, 1843, the thirty-fourth rule was suspended on motion by Mr. Richard H. Bayard, of Delaware (of the majority), and on the 11th of December the President pro tempore (Mr. Mangum) announced the appointment of the committees.

At the session of 1844-45, viz, December 4, 1844, the thirty-fourth rule was suspended on motion by Mr. Benton, of Missouri (of the minority), and on the 9th of December the President pro tempore announced the appointment of the committees.

At the special session of the Senate in March, 1845, viz, March 5, Mr. Woodbury submitted the following resolution:

Resolved, That the thirty-fourth rule of the Senate be so far suspended that the Presiding Officer of the Senate shall appoint the members of the several standing committees of the Senate, to act on any business appropriate for them at the present session.

The Senate, by unanimous consent, proceeded to consider the said resolution and agreed thereto.

March 6, the Vice President (George M. Dallas) announced the appointment of the Committees on Naval Affairs and Military Affairs. March 10, the Vice President announced the appointment of all the other standing committees of the Senate.

At the session of 1845-46, viz, December 2, 1845, Mr. Breese of Illinois (of the majority) submitted the following resolution for consideration:

Resolved, That so much of the thirty-fourth rule as requires the appointment of the several standing committees by ballot, at the present session, be suspended, and that the appointments be made by the President of the Senate.

On the 4th of December the Senate proceeded to consider the said resolution, and disagreed to the same yeas 20, nays 21.

On motion by Mr. Mangum (of the minority),

Ordered, That the Senate proceed to the appointment of standing committees on Monday, the 8th instant.

Monday, December 8, on motion by Mr. Sevier, that the election of the officers of the Senate and the appointment of standing committees be postponed until to-morrow, a division was called for by Mr. John M. Clayton, and, on motion by Mr. Sevier, the Senate adjourned.

December 9, 1845, the Senate proceeded, in pursuance of the thirty-fourth rule of the Senate, to the appointment of the standing committees; and appointed a portion of the chairmen of those committees.

December 10, 1845, the Senate resumed the appointment, by ballot, of the committees, and appointed the remaining chairmen. The Senate then proceeded to the appointment of the remaining members of the several standing committees, in pursuance of the thirty-fourth rule of the Senate; and

The President of the Senate, having announced the state of the ballots for the members of the Committee on Foreign Relations, On motion by Mr. Sevier,

Ordered, That the members of the said committee be arranged as follows: Mr. Cass, Mr. Archer, Mr. Sevier, Mr. Atherton.