Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-04-13

by orders drawn by the minister of the
United States in France, upon the treasu-
~ OF the United States, who should be
charged with the whole amount of such
payments, until he should exhibit satisfac-
tory proof that such orders were issued con-
formally to the convention. These orders
had generally been drawn in favor of the
persons IN whose favor such debts had been
liquidated, and there had been no difficulty
IN giving the American minister credit for
this amount, when they were presented and
paid in that form. Towards the close of
that adjustment, however, there remained
about $4,000 francs to be applied for the
benefit OF claimants, in order to complete
the 20 millions-the amount of which was
liqudated in favor of sundry persons having
debts due from the French government. In
stead, however, of drawing bills for the suon
as usual in favor ofthe claimants, the French,
government insisted, for reasons which did
not distinctly appear, that our minister
should draw for this amount i'll favor of the
| cashier of the French treasury, that gov
eminent assuming upon itself the payment
OF the particular claims on whose account
they were drawn. This arrangement was
| resisted for some time but ultimately acceded
| to by General Armstrong. under a wish
| iiHally to close so important a transaction.
Notice of the manner in which it had been
conducted was given by him to the govern
| ment, and the treasury officers being OF
opinion that tile amount of the bills il
paid could not under the circumstances be
| credited to him, he requested that the paw
mcnt OF them might be refused or suspended
until evidence Of their proper application
should be furnished by the French govern
ment. 1t was however the opinion OF the
secretary OF the treasury that under the lazy
| Of l,esf Il L
to refuse the payment of the bills whenever
presented, which had not yet been done, and
| there was still an opportunity to prevent
their payment. The subject had been hro't
before the committee of WAYS and means, by
the, secretary of the treasury, some time
since-who from the difficulties attending
| the transaction had at the first instance de-
clined to Interfere recently however, the
| committee had been given to understand
that portion of the sum of the JIl5, 600
francs, instead of being applied to the pay
inent of the debts due co the claimants, in
| whose favor they had been liquidated, had
been diverted and applied for the benefit Of
| a person in no wise entitled to it under the
provisions of the convention, and to whom
nothing had heen allowed Under these Cir
cumstances and in concurrence with the o.
pinion OF the secretary of the treasury, and
agreeable to the wish of general Armstrong,
the committee had thought it their duty to
| report bill authorising the treasury de-
partment to suspend the payment of the
bills, whenever they should be presented,
until the French government should have
furnished satisfactory proof that the amount
OF the bills has been applied for the purpo-
ses provided for in the convention.
The bill was passed to second reading,
and referred to a committee of the whole
house on Wednesday.
Messrs. Wheaton and Law obtainedleaVe
OF absence to the end of the session.
Inc Clerk of the House [P. Magruder1
obtained leave of absence for three weeks,
Mr. Grundy said that lie was instructed
by committee to make report OH q sub-
Ject, which having been first agitated with
closed doors, 1t was perhaps proper that the
report should be made in the same manner.
nc therefore moved that the galleries be
cleared
On the suggestion of the Speaker, Mr.. G..
Withdrew his motion TO make way for the
| consideration of the following business
The House resumed the consideration of
the amendments of the Senate to the bill for
the admission OF Louisiana into the Union
and to extend the laws of the United States
to that state. The amendments were se-
verally considered /; and one relating to sa-
laries was discussed in committee of the
whole, Mr. BasSen in the chair. The a.
mendments were all agreed to, including that
which separates from thisbhl the provision
for extending the limits of the new state so as
to include portion of the Florida Territory.
The bill further providing for the govern
ment of the Territory OF Louisiana was read
a third time
Mr.. M'Kce opposed its passage on the
ground of the incompatl5i!ity of the second
grade OF government with public peace or
tranquility. He dilated on the disadvan-
tages OF this grade of government, under
which the whole population was sometimes
thrown into the greatest ferment and com
motion for the most triling cause, to
watt feather or to drown a Ay." He ad
verted to the petitions against this law from
the people of that territory; it appeared
they were themselves divided in opinion in
relation to the change. He was not there
tore for throwing this frebrand amongst
them.
Mr.. M'Kee concluded his objections bv
moving to postpone the bill to the first Men
day in December next.
Mr. Aston opposed the motion. He drew
a comparison between the first and second
grades Of government, favorable to the lat-
ter, though he expressed his adherence of
the territorial form of government in aDy
shape. The complaints of divisions and dis
putes under the second grade of govern.
ment were not attributable tn any de-
feet in the second grade, but to the des-
potlc nature OF the first, in which the,
people were not represented and had no op-
portunity Of making their grievances known
&c.
Mr. Porter observed that this subject APP
peared likely to occupy considerable time.
and as it appeared to him of minor impor
lance to topics which were before the House.