Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1804-02-25

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as briga.ie general Wilkinson, whose sa-
larry was limited 70 2,7Oo dollars, while
colonel Burrows received s,39e dollars Il
year.
lie observed thai he had rot had on OPP
portunity OF investigating the ether &C
counts in the statement :. but he had seen
enough of them 10 convince him that the
corps ought to be reduced. He asked
whether it was the interest Of The United
States TO support this establishment al an
enormous expense when the adjustment
OF our differences in the Mediterranean
had nearly rendered their services unne
cessary in that sea. II was not, however,
he said, his intention, 10 dwell an the sub
je:i. lie y7as fully convinced the corps
might be dispensed with, without any in
Jury to the United States. For this pur.
pose a law had passed Congress two years
ago, and it was well understood that the
continuance Of the officers in the service
arose solely from mistake in wording it.
NJ. Varnuui said. if he understood the
effect of the amendment II went TO reduce
the officers and not the men it would
therefore leave The men without any per-
son to command them. This, he appre-
hended, would produce state of chaos.
The Question was then put on Mr..
Eppes's amendment, which was negativ-
ed-Ayes 45-Noes so.
On motion of DR.. Lcib the Period from
which the reduction is TO take place was
Fixed to be the Ist of March.
When the committee rose and reported
the bill, which the House Immediately
took up, and ordered to third reading to-
morrow-Ayes IS.
A bill for tire relief OF Samuel Corps.
having passed through committee OF the
whole, was ordered to third reading to-
morrow.
The House went into committee Of the
whole, on the bill to amend the charter OF
Alexandria.
An unsuccessful motion having been
made to wave the ordinary reading OF the
bill, 1t was in part read, when DR.. Leib
moved that the committee should rise,
and ask leave to sit again.
Henbserved that as the bill had not been
printed, il was difficult to understand it :;
from that part which he did understand,
he was persuaded certain principles were
sanctioned by il which it did not become
Congress 20 couutenance. Certain quail
iiicat,0ns OF electors as well as elected were
reqnired which were improper, lMr. l..
particularly alluded to the requisilion of
freehold estste,l
Nir. Eppcg stated his understanding,
from a respeGtshIe inhabitant Of Aiexan
dria, that the bill differed materially from
the propositions sgreed to by the citizens
Of that town.
After some remarks from Mcssrs. J.
Lewis, Findiey, Smile and Sau,hard, the
rising Of the committee was agreed TO.
On ,rotino Of Mr.. Jackson the House
took ~ the bill making provision for The
application OF the money heretofore APP
propriated to the laying out and making
public roads leading from the navigable
waters enp,yin8 into the Atlantic to the
Ohio river.
Mr.. ]. Clay moved to postpone the bill
TO The ist Monday Of December.
Lost-Ayes 4l--Noes 20.
Mr.. x. Griswold moved so to amend the
first se6tion, as to vest the President with
general power to appoint three com
missioners 10 designate route, to be re-
PTtru l" NOi'SI SoSs iDT thSi' Oi'nd(e Oe-
cision, which motion, after short con-
ver'ltion, was agreed to by a considerable
majority.
M. Lyon offered motion for en-
powering the President to designate the
routes.
Lost--without division.
The committee rose and reported the
bill with several amendments, in which the
House concurrei and ordered the bill to
third reading 90 Wednesday.
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