ect Committees of Senate and House--Reception Given by Mrs.
Spofford at the Riggs House--Philadelphia Convention--Mrs. Hannah
Whitehall Smith's Dinner--Congratulations from the Central
Committee of Great Britain--Majority and Minority Reports in the
Senate--Nebraska Campaign--Conventions in Omaha--Joint Resolution
Introduced by Hon. John D. White of Kentucky, Referred to the
Select Committee--Washington Convention, January 24, 25, 26,
1883--Majority Report in the House.

Although the effort to secure a standing committee on the political
rights of women was defeated in the forty-sixth congress, by New
York's Stalwart Senator, Roscoe Conkling, motions were made early
in the first session of the forty-seventh congress, by Hon. George
F. Hoar in the Senate, and Hon. John D. White in the House, for a
special committee to look after the interests of women.[81] It
passed by a vote of 115 to 84 in the House, and by 35 to 23 in the
Senate. On December 13, 1881, the Senate Committee on Rules
reported the following resolution for the appointment of a special
committee on woman suffrage:

_Resolved_, That a select committee of seven senators be
appointed by the Chair, to whom shall be referred all
petitions, bills and resolves providing for the extension of
suffrage to women or the removal of their legal
disabilities.

DECEMBER 14.

Mr. HOAR: I move to take up the resolution reported by the
Committee on Rules yesterday, for the appointment of a select
committee on the subject of woman suffrage.

Mr. VEST: Mr. President, I am constrained to object to the
passage of this resolution, and I do it with considerable
reluctance. At present we have thirty standing committees of the
Senate; four joint and seven special committees, in addition to
the one now proposed.

The PRESIDENT _pro tempore_: The Chair will inform the senator
from Missouri that a majority of the Senate has to decide whether
the resolution shall be considered.

Mr. VEST: I understood the Chair to state that it was before the
Senate.

The PRESIDENT _pro tempore_: It is before the Senate if there be
no objection. The Chair thought the senator made objection to its
consideration.

Mr. HOAR: It went over under the rule yesterday and comes up now.