The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-03-05

and to petition the government for redress
OF grievances"
MIR Bassen said, though the constitution
had prescribed a reconsideration of the bill
when returned. the mode Of reconsideration
was no. prescribed and II might as we'll be
| oy reference to a select committee as in any
| other mode. The bill might perhaps be
amended.-Of their power to amend It
IN its present stage, however, he was not GER
| tain.
MIR Smile conceived the constitution pre-
remptorily to require an immediate decisi-
Mr. Pifkia said. that this question was
new to him. He had no idea that the con-
| stitution precluded Congress from passing
laws to incorporate religious societies for the
purpose of enabling them to hold prope rty,
&c. He had always held the constitution TO
intend to prevent the establishment of ma :.
tIonal church, such as the church of England,
| a refusal to subscribe to the tene,s of which
was to exclude citizen from office, &c
Desiring time for reflection, he therefore
| wish "a the bill to lie on the table for further
consideration.
MIR: Piekmon said, it appeared to him
| that the bill was not an important one, re-
fusal to pass which would be productive of a.
ny serious injury and YET that full dis
| cussion OF the principles it involved would
| occupy The whole of the remainder of the
session. 1t two-thirds of the House were to
refuse to proceed to reconsideration, the
bill would be ihso facfo at an end-and this
he thought would be the best course, &c
considering all the circumstances.
The Presidents message on the subject Of
the Alexandria church bill under consdera-
ton
MIR. Wheaton said he differed widely from
icIr, ~
portance OF the bill now under consideration.
tie did not imagine that they were TO amuse
the objections Of the President to be valid.
and OF Course to dismiss the bill They had
DUTY TO perform as well as the President.
lie had performed his duty in the case pre-
senteo for consideration. And would gentle
men assume it as a correct position be-
Cause the bill was objected to by the Presi
dent that the House ought not to act UNDER
andingy This was not correct princi-
Pc. In his view the objections made by
the President to this bill were altogether flu
tile. Mr.. w. said he did not consider this
Dill any infringement of the constitution. II
1t was both branches of the Legislature,
since the commencement of the govern
nent, h d been guilty of such infringement
| csn!d not be said indeed that they had
been guilty OF doing much about religion :
out tney mad at every session appointedichap
lains. to be of different denominations to in
| exchange weekly between the two Houses
Now 1t bill for regulating the funds of a
religious society could be an infringement of
the constitution, the two houses had so far
infrli ged 1t by electing, paying or contract.
ing with their chapiains; for so far it estab.
hshed two different denominations of reliei
ON. Mr.. w. deemed this a question of We
ry great consequence Were the people OF
4 bau
Was it to be entirely excluded from these
ten miles square ? He should be afraid to
come here ifthae were to be the case. The
want OF time was no sufficient reason against
| giving this subject mature consideration. ~
! what was done ought TO be we'll done For
these reasons he was i'll favor of the bill lv,
ing on the table.
Mr.. Macon quoted precedent of the
proceedings in case similar to this. in pc
neral Washing on's administrator in which
the House, after a consideration of the mes
sage mad come to the following resolution
ResoLued, That Tomorrow be assigned for
the reconsideration of said bill, according to
the constitution of the United STATES. " He
moved that the same resolution be now adop.
| ted.
Mcssrs Lyon and Boyd we're in favor of an
immediate decision.
! Mr.. Southard wished postponement t.
| give him time to examine the bill. He was
convinced that bill might be passed for re
gulatng the temporal concerns of religious
society which would not violate the consti
tuiion but did not say, till he could examine
whether this was such bill OF not
Mr.. Quincy quoted cases of laws which
had passed the signature of the late Presi-
dent, which, in every material respect, ap
peared to him to contain the same provisions
J as this bill.
The motion of Mr.. Macon was adopted
without division.
1 FRIDAY, Feb %,
Mr.. Van Horn reported a bill authorship
a 10 terry within the district of Columbia by
The Potomac Company.
The bill for he relief of Simeon Knigh,
was read a third time, THE bill authori
ses the repayment of Mr. Knight of a sum of
money paid by him to Gen Wilkin,on, un-
der the orders of the war Department, for
extra rations &c. allowance of which is re =
fused by the accountant of the War De
partment. The bill also contains provi-
sion that this bill shall not be held TO sancti
on any such payment as legal
Mr.. Wright moved that il should lie on
the table. His object was to move resolu.
ton requesting the President to lay before
the House statement of the pay of the res
Ipective brigadier generals. Motion LOST
IS Ill
Mr. Wright then opposed the bill on &C =
count or the provision which it COM aned--
lie went into lengthy detail to sbew that
whilst gen. Wilkinson. the oldest brieadier
received, under the law of 1906, but poo