on was pending, political topics were the object of
debate, but were rarely acted upon, as the condition of the House
prevented anything like political action. Nearly all the measures
adopted were of a non-political character. The chief work of the
session was devoted to appropriations, and the preparation and
enactment of a tariff bill. At that time, the great body of
legislation was referred to the committee of ways and means, which
then had charge of all appropriations and of all tax laws, and
whose chairman was recognized as the leader of the House, practically
controlling the order of its business.

By the 13th of March, I was able to say, in behalf of the committee,
that all the annual appropriation bills were ready for the
consideration of the House, and promised that if the House would
sustain the committee, all these bills could be passed before the
meeting of the Charleston convention. Notwithstanding the partisan
bitterness which was exhibited against me while I was a candidate
for speaker, I had no cause to complain of a want of support by
the House, in the measures reported from that committee. Since
then the work of that committee has been distributed among a number
of committees.

The first political contest was caused by a message of President
Buchanan, protesting against action under a resolution by the House
of Representatives, passed on the 5th of March, providing for a
committee of five members, to be appointed by the speaker, for the
purpose of investigating "whether the President of the United
States, or any other officer of the government, has, by money,
patronage, or other improper means, sought to influence the action
of Congress for or against the passage of any law pertaining to
the rights of any state or territory." The committee appointed
came to be commonly known as the Covode committee.

This message was regarded as a plain interference with the
unquestionable power of the House to investigate the conduct of
any officer of the government, a process absolutely necessary to
enable the House to exercise the power of impeachment. Upon the
reception of the message I immediately replied to it, and a general
debate arose upon a motion to refer it to the committee on the
judiciary. That motion was adopted and the committee reported a
resolution in the following words, which was finally adopted after
debate, by a vote of 88 yeas and 40 nays:

"_Resolved_, That the House dissents from