Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-06-10
All which is respectfully submitted.
Acting Secretary of,he Trcasur

w. JONES,
| Acting Secretary ofthe Treasury
| Ireasu-y Department, .JGne 9, 1915.
| The report was read and referred TO The com
nittee OF Ways and Means.
/ THE JUDICIARY
| Mr.. John G. Jackson called up the resolution
which he submitted for consideration day or
| two ago, in The following words.
Resoioed, That the following be added to
| the standing rules and orders of the House
An additional standing committee shall oe APP.
pointed, at the commencement of each session,
VIZ a coRmittee ON the judiciary, to consist =
seven members. 1t shalt be the duty OF the
SAID committee to take into consideration ALI
such petitions and matters, o. thi:igs touching
judicial proceedings, as shall be presented or
may come IN question and be referred to them
by the House, and To report their opinion there
upon, together with such propositions reiqtive
thereto to them shall seem expedient's
MIR. jackson said he had been induced to
submit this resolution, from the consideration
that our laws are in many instances defective,
and it is of the utmost Importance that they
should be amended; and that this object could
be best attained by the appointment of stand.
ing committee, TO whom should be referred all
propositions for establishing new courts aud
regulating their powers. He recoilec;ed two
Cases, failing within his own observation, which
had led him TO contemplate s0re such proyi.
sion, and it was not without some surprize that
he found it had hecn PISSED over SO long. As
long ago as during the existeDce of the inter-
nal taxes, one OF those eases occurred. II
would be rccoilected, he said, that prosecute
ons might be commenced in state courts for
the penalties attendant on iniract IONS of those
laws. In pursuance OF tins provision prose-
cution had been comm need in Virginia ia an
interior court; judgmentwas rendered against
an individual, who 1T was manifest had not con
formed to the provisions OF the la.s The. case
was carried to higher court, loweveY, and OF !
the ground that the constitution had vested tnt
Judicial power OF the u. S. in the supreme court
and such other courts as Congress might esta.
bilsb, II was decided that 1T WAS not in the
power OF Congress Co confer Jurisdiction on the
state courts. The offender of course escaped
Another case occurred lii the course of the las.
year, IN which a prosecution vas instituted
against a posl.rIder, Tor having opened tho
public mail travelling from Ohio to Kentucky
The fact was notorious. The same q,es ION
occurred again, and the same decision took
place. The r'livic.uRi was permitted to escape
without punishment. An amendment to our
laws was inquest ionahly necessary in this r.
spect To conSi4er such cases at the various
applications for altering the organic atiou @
location of courts, &c. he consiIered the ap.
pointment of a standing committee necessary
With this view, and also 10 render the dec sions
of the House more uniform on these appli csti-
ons, as they would be if II referred to the
same committee, lie had thought proper to
propose th.s amendment to the rules
No opposition beng made to the motion, il
was adopted without division
Mr.. Fisk, from the committee of Elections,
made report OIL the petition Of BurWell Bas-
sett, coDtesting the election OF Thomas 81. Bay
ley; concluding with the following resolution
1" Resoloed, tIlat - - weeks be allow
Ell TO the Partlts to procure testimony relative
to the election, and that the committee OF e
iect'ons have power to examine testimony and
make order relative thereto"
The blank having been filed with the word
flee, The report WAS aggeed TO.
MIR. Nelson, after few remarks expressive
of his expectation that some Other gentleman
would have offered resolution to t,,is effect
offered the following:
" Res9lved That for disseminating informa-
ton among the good people of the U States, it
is expedent 10 admit stenographcrs into the
house OF Representatives, and that the Speak
or of this House do cause other seats to be pro-
videdfor such additional stenograplers ss may
he admitted according to the standing rules
and orders OF this House"
After some conversation, this resolution was
on motion of Mr.. Aston, referred 10 a select
committee, with instructions to enquire nto
the sxpediency of amending the rules and or
ders Of the House III this respect.
And the House adjourned.