Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1804-11-28
Congressional Register.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
V.Gncsday, .Nop. 81.


imported for the use of that institution, 10
c:.e aInouat OF AIS dollars 81 cents, refer
rcd 10 The cOmraitlee OF Commerce ard
Manufactures.
ny. Speaker lail before The house let
ter and report from tie Secretary of The
Treasury, IL obedience 10 the ac, Of con-
gress establishing the Treasury depart
mcntJ tsc same was ordered TO be printed,
aud referred to th= Committee efYyays
and Means,
The cngrossed resolution authorisine
the President to appoint an agent, who
shall BE- Instructed To coiect all HE ma
tetlai information respecting the actual
condition, occupancy and tile OF the lead
mines IN Louisiana, was upon its thiid
reading.
Mr. Lucas entertained doubt as to the,
proprleiy Of this measure, inderdt t gea
tlemam from New York Or. Mtch.l,l
seemed 10 admit that il was supsf!lucus,
For he had said thai the p.esidcn; Under
proper authority had already appoimed a.
gents 10 explore generally the ierraory of
Louisiana, that they had been some tine
engaged IN that service at The Missouri,
Arkansas, Red river and abcgt Detroit,
ard indeed MAJOR Lewis had heerr sotle
tire al st. Louis, post in the ueiehbor-
hood at these very head mines, and iIom
MS Known entetprIZe and minute enQui-
RES there was good reason for believing
that the subject, which was the object of
the PROPOSED res"l0Iiony wouIibe narrated
IN has general report of tliscovePies.--But
IN adGlion 10 this expectation The douE-
He'.t accompanying The Presidents mes,
sage shed considerable light, the ingorma-
lion as 10 the condition oil the lead mines,
their number, names and value We're tx.s
pIaIhad, aud as lie had heard 10 gentle.
men suggest doubt as 10 the accuracy cf
The na'rauvs, he was inclined to eiT@ti It
iEil credit from the general chara6t r OF
the gentleman who made the commuaica.-
hon and the particular know ledge he1nust
necessarily have acquired by long resi-
denee III the country. From this view OF
tie sabIect he was compelled to acanow-
ledge that hc had altered his idea of tn.
rsSoiutIcn and could tot now ,ote in IL,
favor.
Or. Afichill had hoped that the gentle.
r7rfFoolP eitsJ iVaniastter lhe xplana,iol
ct yesterday would consent 10 the rcsoluti-
or he woo!d now add but a few explanatory
words. ihe obJect OF The resolution was
simply 'oapP0iut an agent TO enquire into
the occupancy & titles of the present hold
CTS S ciaimarls; This required aciyilianvers-
ed ia the municipal laws o!the nations vino
had heFetoiAre held chat territory, not =
na'uCa! Historian or Mineralogist, Que
who was acquainted with the art OF MN.
ing or smelling and testing orcs.-Nei-
Tier did tile Doctor believe it woaid he
necessary 10 send the agcnt to tn. mines
themselves, but 10 the place wh re TIE.
deeds and cCnveyances, conslitu ng the
tile papers of the propriclorS or pretend
ca Claimants arc rScOICcd OF preserved;
whether these were at New Orleans or
what other place, he did net know.--As
10 The expense II WAS not likely to exceed
1000 OF 1000 dollars even ifthe agent was
sent from This Guy, but he imagined lflhe
business could be as well conducted by
The appointment OF an agent in Louisiana,
the President would Instruct the Goycr,or
how TO aci; it might be seen TOO from the
words at the Resolution that i, was mere
temporary employment, not likely to be Of
longer durat,oI' than three or four months,
Tor tho report is instructed to be made ~
lore TIE next meeting Of congress.
Tie Doctor concluded, that if Mr., l..
would reconcile himself to vote for the
present motion upon this explanati-
OH, and he should hereafter dc sire more
extensive examination into The actual cir
cumstances ofthe newly cquired territory,
he mlgh'rciy esrDes, co. operation.
MIR. Luc, observed in reply, that Lou
siana had been held alternately by three or
four nations each Of which in sequence
had granted titles 10 moro or less Of The
lands in question--An examination into
tfose tiles would at this lime excite
high degree Of seusiblity among the inha.
BIT ants, who, he tEof, ought ntueiryou,h.
iul state To he treated Ivy Congress with
tenderness and delicscy. The titles were
various--SOrne derived from The cover
nors oil The country, some from cornnsn-
ders OF posis--7M Many Of the latter he be-
lieved might be considered by tie agcnt
illegal; especially as he had learned that
the commander of ST.. Louis, ~ y. Lou
Iiiana, held paramount authority aver tie
subordinate posts, and that without lis
appreciation TIC lands SO granted would not
b. alloNedj yet tAssl persons Who bc.d