Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1806-03-31
CONGRESS
OF THE
NITED STD TE S.
HOUSE or REPRESENTATIVES,
Weaatlaay, Mareb a6.


appointed TO bring in bill supplementary TO the
militia act Of the difsia Of Columbia.
The committee on public lands on the petition
Of 4l-- Robertton, made report concluding
with relolntion that the petitioner have leave
70 withdraw his petition, under the imPrsiiion
that if any prosi6on be made FOR ms Gale, e
fhould be of general nature including all lake
cafes.
Mr.. BIacklssge. From the bea information
I have bsen able TO coileet, byan examination
Of ths documents laid on our table, as we'll as
by conyetGasion with gentlemen better acquaint-
ed with the tnhiea than myfelf, find that from
the Ealss of pubic lands already made, there will
be 10 be coceisd in the courie of sboutfour years
: upwards OF aooooos of dols., from thelame four
&c, of information likewife learn, that IN the
courie OF the prelent year, IN The rate OF ONO
only. upwards oi 200 600 dollars are TO be paid,
or the lands mutt be fold 70 raile the balances
frem the pcflans owing this enofmohs FUN, and
thar fales Ger a part of it are to commence IN
this or the next month. The petitions Preiented
20, congrefs az this icflion, praying tor an ex'
renfion Of credit for the balances due from the
petitioners, and depicting the diftrefes TO which
many mutt be reduced if our laws are rigtdly
enforced, ought 10 draw our attention to what
is TO be the probable consequences of fyitem
which In practice is found likely sob!!rg largely
in debt Go the government, 10 comfortable a pro-
portion of the citizens of any fiction OF the
union. To my mind there is nothing more obs
yioas, than that if the Prefcnt ftem Of filling
our lands IS pcrieyered in, the peace of the union
may and probably viii nor be preierved. Men
who have paid three.fourths or perhaps more OF
f. Co. Shair 1aSH
icyera years hard labor in improving them, cam
rot feel very RrongIy attached, nay, mutt feel
ansaycfGon, to government, whole rigid poii-
ry, in consequence of their having tailed TO pay
the balance which may be due, takes from them
nor only their lands and improvements, but re.
fufes even 20 refuad thar part of the .Pnrchate.
money which may have been PAID Let the
nomber Of peIGons of this Description increaie to
that extent to which our prefsnt sytem naturally
Heads, and fear, fr, il will be i1?oiiole to en-.
force your laws. Ne man will dare to BID at
syour faes, his life muR be in danger if he does
and though the lands in luch cafes would revert
TO the government, what good would it do TO
them The &rt purchafer is 10 podehion, and
abe fPiris Of the community in which he lives is
IN favor of his holding it. To evIa him you,
mutt refort to force, the consequences Of which,
are too obvious to need defcription A Commit
tee of this houic has alieady decided the prlnci-
pie thar it would be improper to grant longer
indulgence TO thofe whole time of cre9ir has ex
pised. To have decided othcrwife would have
been TO adopt towards your debtors for the pnr
chafc of your lands, apraeilce directly contrary
from that which under Gmilar circumstances OF.
hardhip has been uniformly obletved towards
your debtors az the cufom hoHfcs: difinetion
which cannot, as conceive, be juRifed by any.
principle of policy or jufice. know OF no
way by which the evils TO be apPrehended can be
Is eAfeSfusly averted as TO put top TO the prac
<ice of telling the public lands on credit, and
with the view to bringing the fubjea before
congrefs, and aicertalning their opinion upon II,
] beg leave TO iubmit the following rsiolution ~
ReyoiVsd, Thatthc committee on public lands
be inhrueted 60 enquire into the exPediency OF
repeating all Each parts of the eyeral acts for she
fae of the lands of the United States as author
ifes credit on any part of the pnychaic money,
and that they report their opinion theseupon.
Mr.. Newton moved an amendment, going tcs
refer this rciolution 20 the committee of ways
and means, which did not preyail-Ayes IS-- :
When the retolution was agreed to without a.
6iyiGon. z
Mr.. G. w. Campbell, from the committee te
whom were referred fuadry memorials from thu
iegilature and inhabitants Of the MGifippi ter
risory, reisuve 70 TIC Embellishments of hofpisaL
at Natchez, made a report in favor of aiding
iach an inRisuticn, by granting s 600 acres OF
land. 4
Referred to committee Of the whole houfi
soa Monday. &
A meiTage was received from the fenate, fiat :.
ing that they Unfit on their anendnsos to tn.
bill for fixing shc compensation of the officers Q,
fhe houle: that they have agreed TO the refolo
tion returning thanks to MIR. Nifen, the Danila,
csniut az Tripoli: thar they have agrced.o sh~.
lr.n6ments of the houie I'd the Ohio road bill