The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-01-02
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 2s.

Mr. Smith prcsentedthe petition of Chas.
Mynn Thurston, for himself and others, pray.
ing for services during the revolutionary war );
which was referred to the committee of
Claims.
Mr.. Bassctt, from the committee to whom
the subject was referred, reported bill for
| incorporating the Protestant Episcopal
Church, in the town of Alexandria, in the
district Of Columbia, which was read twice
| and referred to a committee of the whole.
Mr. Campbell, from the committee of WAYS
and Means, reported bill making appro-
prlatons fer the support of government du-
ring the year SOS, which was read twice and
referred to q committee OF the whole House ON
Friday next.
Mi. Porter said, that as the act for the re-
| lief of debtors now stood, adebtor must at all
| events submit toimprisonment at least thirty
days before he could he relieved. and then
the discharge was only against the particu-
lar debt for which he was confined, altho
there might be other actions against him for
Tor each OF which he was liable to the same
length ct contine as in the first instance
1t appeared to Mr.. p. that this law bore hard
on the honest but unfortunate debtor. He had
long been of opinion that it was unjust and i'm
polite 10 confine debtor in Jail who had
eFinced the strongest desire to comply with
the obligations of justice by surrenderine ND
IL
could be devised which would guard the
rights of the creditor, and at the same time
save debtor, who acted with integrity to-
wards his creditors from confinement in the
common jail, where his energies might be
paraliZed, his morals perhaps injured, his
oharacte deprecated, and which might pre-
Vent him from hereafter becoming useful to
himself, family or country, it Would indispu-
tably be worthy an enlightened legislature.
lie then moved the following, which was a.
greed to.
Reaofued, That committee be appointed
to enquire whether any and if any what alte-
rations are necessary in the act for the relief
OF persons imprisoned for debt, passed the 9th.
day OF January, 1900 with leave to report by
bill or otherwise.
Mr. Holmes, from the committe of Claims
to whom the subject was referred, made
report unfavorable to the petition of Peter
LandaiS, which was ordered to lie on the ia
BILE.
MIR. Gray, from the committee appointed
to enquire into the expediency of amending
the ordinance TOR the government of the North
Western Territory so far as relates to the
duties OF the supreme and superior judges of
the Indiana Territory, reported a bill to a.
mend the ordinance for the government of
the North Western Territory which was
read twice and referred to committee Of
the whole.
Mr.. Gray moved that the petition of Ro.
bert Nlabry, presented at former session, be
referred 10 the committee Of the whole to
whom was referred the bill reported by tho
committee OF Claims barred, &c. Agreed.
On motion of Mr. tI,ldiev the House went
into committee Of the whole OF the report
Of the committee of Elections to whom was
re-connitted the report Gu the petition of Jo-
shua Bagpey; and the resolution concluding
the report being under consideration as fol-
lows:
Resokped, That VIM McCreery, having
the greatest number OF votes, and being duly
qualified, agreeabiy to thc Constitution of the
United STATES, is entidcd to his seat in this
House.
A lengthy discussion took place, as we'll ON
the report, as on the various amendments
proposed as we have given the former de-
bate on this subject at great length, we shall
now conhne ourselves to a brief statement of
the course OF procedure on this strongly CON
tested question: ...''
Messrs Findley and Sturgcs supported the
report, and Confirmed the statement. of facts
and procedure before the committee, as de-
tailed in the former debate on the subject.
MIR. Lar moved to strike out of the reso-
lntion. the words "agreeably to the constitu-
tion Of the U. States"
va COt"SDyIV "SH suggested inc rrCprIc-
~ Of Mr.. Loves Withdrawing his motion, and
renewing it in the whole House, when the
votes on the question could be recorded.
Mr. LoVe declined Withdrawing his snend-
ment.
Mr.. Kcy objected to the motion, because
the House would by agreeing to such an a.
TDendment, express an opinion that a mem
Der could be entitled to his seat, without be-
ing duly qualified; which was absurd.
Mr.. Lore defended his motion, and dccla-
rcd his wish TO be, to avoid decision on the
rights of states.
Messrs. Aston, G. w. Campbell and u
pham opposed the motion.
Nj. Smile said tilsTe was no member in !
he House but believed thst RI. McCrecrv
vas qualified BY the law ct INC United States |
ind be Could not Conceive the object of the
notion.
Mr.. Macon shoild I~cser voting on the re-
solution IN TIC original general form in which
ne committee had placed it in their first re-
sfTt.
Mr.. Nel.sr dcci-ree his firm be;isf that