The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-12-22

Sa.ryer'S motion and negatived.
\ sketch Of the debate hereafter.1
The committee rose, reported progress
,nd obtained leave TO sit again.
Aud the House adjourned.
Thursday, December IL.
Mr.. Bacon presented the petition of sun
dry armorers and others, residing on the
public 'aad oftl e United States II, Sp ing
held. Massachusetts, stating IN conss qacLc
Ut their residence in that territory, that have
been declared not to be citizens of the state,
and not entitled to Il vote therein, and pray
ing rel:ef.-Referred to a select commmit-
tee.
The Speaker laid before the House lct
ter from the Commissioner OF the General
Land Office, enclosing report OF the Land
Commissioners OF the WESTERN district ot the
territory of Orleans now state OF L,iisana)
which was referred to the committee on
Public Lands
Mr.. Lewis reported bill to incorporate
the.Commercial Company of the city of
Washington. II vice read and committed
NAVAL ESTABLISHMENT.
The House again resolved itsefinto COM
miitce Of the whole, MIR. MACON in the
chair. on the bill to increase the Navy Of the
United States.
IIy. Sey6ert moved to amend the first Sec
ton of the bill by striking out " four screen
fy TOURS aad' so as to erase the provision
Tor building vessels of that description.
Mr.. Cod opposed the motion. He con-
ceved the decision of this question to be vir-
tually 4 decision on the question of main
tanning navy i'll the service of the United
States.
Mr.. Uidgery supported the motion, al
though friendly to an increase of the Navy,
ON the ground that frigates would be of much
nr;l;tv RI N la, .ucr yesSnlr
Mr.. BaSsef followed in opposition to the
motion, and in defence of navy. He tho't
that the 71i's were almost indispensable in
the present slate of things.
The question was taken on strikingou the
74's and negatiyed.
After desultory debate, the committee
rose, reported progress and obtained leave to
sit again.
Friday, December Is.
:veral petitions were presented and re-
ferred.
Mr.. Le7ois reported bill authorizing an
increase OF the capital stock of the Bank of
Washinston.-Twicc read and committed
Mr.. Quincy, frem the committee appoin-
ted to wait OIL the President of the u. States
with a resolution requesting information on
the subject of the manner in which the votes
of medals, swords, &c. to Commodore Preb-
ole and his companions, in 1905, had been
carried into execution, reported; that the
committee had laid the resolve before the
President, and received for answer that he
would pay due attention to the wishes of the
House. $50
The Speaker laid before the House re-
solution of the Legislature of the territory of
Mississippi, expressing their appreciation of
the declaration of war against G.. Britain.
The Speaker al. o laid before the House a
letter from the Secretary of the Treasury,
an account of the receipts and
of the United States during the
year ending the 30th Sept. 1912.
REMISSION OF FINES, &c.
Mr.. Quincy said it would be recollected
that, in the course of the debate the other
day on the subject of the Merchants Bonds,
he had taken occasion to advert to the prin-
ciples' adopted by the Treasury Department
i'll relation to the execution of the laws au-
thorizing the remission of certain fines, Pc
naltes and forfeitures. He had then stated,
that he considered those principles not to be
justified by the terms of the law, and to be
essentially opposed to the principles of Ii
berty and the safety of the citizen. A gen.
tiemah from South Carolina had taken occa-
SIGN to controvert the provisions laid down,
and to doubt whether further examination
would not prove an error in the statement
Mr.. Q. said he had then pledged himself to
The House to bring forward a resolution, for
the purpose of enquiry. To redeem that
pledge. he now proposed tointroduce' reso-
luton. But that pledge was not his sole in
ducement. Withoutsuch pledge, he said.
it had been his intention to have moved a re-
solution for such an investigation of this sub
ject as the nature Of it appeared to him to
require. As the House were already APP
priced of his views, he said he would not
further iutrude on their patience than to in
troduce the following resolution:
I" RESOLVED, That a committee be appoin-
ted to enquire intothe principles and prac-
tice adopted in the Treasury Department,
in relation to the revenue laws, and in mlti-
eating and renting fines. forfeitures, and
penalties, under the same, and that the COM
mittee report thereon to this House"
Mr. Biackiedge observed. that the whole
bearing OF a resolution could not be at once
comprehended by hearing it read from the
chair; but from his understanding Of this
resolve, the committee to be appointed under
it would perform their du = by simply
stating the principles now practised on
without going back to the practice from the
commencement oft the government AS the
object OF the gentleman's observations the
other day appeared to be to impress the
House with belief that the practice re-
Gently adopted ut the Treasury varied from
that originally adopted in that department
| and as it was his wish, Mr.. b. said, to have
both brought before the public. he wished
the gentleman to permit this resolution t.
lie ON the table until tomorrow, that he
might have an opportunity to look into the
subj and make the motion broader thar
It now appeared to him to be,
Mr.. Quincy said if the object of the gen