The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1814-04-30
side osbo.h Houses Of Compress. We a,

side osbo.h Houses Of Congress. We al
i"ae ;" the measures e.: :.y;so-a.n;, end
extending our military OPERATIONS. Of
this character, acts have been passed,
the objects of which were to encourage
eniistments IN the regular army, and there
by hill ITS ranks. by of. ring encreas-
ed bounties to recruits and on enistments
to authorize the President to cause the Is
regiments OF twelve months men to dc en-
listed h c years Or during the war to
raise three 'egnn. Ets of ritlemen. in addi-
tion to the force tlready auth orized hy law
to autho'izv the Pres.den, TO receive into
service Certain corps Of volunteers which
hail been organized under the volunteer law
which had expired, and who we're DESTROYS
10 remain IN service to-contibue iR service
the ten compan of rangers employed on
the Western and Northwestern frontier to
provide for the better organiz alton Of he ar
my, t,r the consolidation of incomplete re.
g'ments. and for the dimissal of supernume-
rary oihcers; to appoint additional district
paymasters. &c. These measures were all
that appeared to require Legislative inter-
position, unless we include under this head
the acts 20 amend the general militia system,
whicn will render much more useful that
species OF defensive force on which So much
must always depend.
Several laws were also passed auxiliary
to our naval establishment, and 10 the
general system of maritime defeece /;
nnnS which were acts To authorize an in
Crease OF the marine corps to authorize
the appointment of certain officers for
the hotiils sers ce to allow a bounty of
an hun red dollars for every prisoner
brought In by our privateers to authorize
the building, equipment and employ ment of
one OF more floating batteries to author
ne rank to be bestowed on naval officers for
distinguished good Conduct; to regulate the
pay of Ulcers and seamen in the navy. SC.
Among the acts TO encourage and invigo-
rate .he naval establishment, may be also
ranked The ,aw, nov for the first time pass
ed, to gram pensions to the orphans and wi
flows uf persons slain IN board the navy, &
the act 10 grant pensions u officers and sea-
msn serving on board revenue cutters
whilst employed la conscrt with, or in the
Mites OF, our naval ornaments. Nor ought
we, under this mead, TO omit To notice the
honorary votes OF thanks to the officers and
crews OF our armed vessels who have dis
smgu,shed themselves by gallant teats sine
the last Ses ion of Congress, or the more
rubstantiai reward given by the act aatnor
'zhS the purchase by the government of the
vessels Captured from he enemy on Lake
Erie. Among those acts, too, which will
passed, t. perpetuate the spirit which a.
ch!eved the victories that have distinguish
ed and we hope will continue to grace our
arms by land and sea, is the act for the
preservation and display in the Capitol of
tAe hsgs Captured from tue enemies Of the
u ate< II this latter .ct, and n cha.
lone, have Congress equally honorsd the
Army and the Navy. o. the utter neglect
TO awSrd like public honors to the memory Of
our gallant soldiers fallen in battle, as have
been justly awarded to our valiant seamen,
We shall take occasion to speak more mar.
.ticularly here after.
| Ola commercial nature. with the excep-
ton OF the great measure first noticed, the
acts passed at the present session have been
rev and eiating principally
TO reuissions of penalties III favor of isolated
| Cases OF hardship. No one of these is be-
| iieved to involve any principle of MON Mt.
"" the subject of the public lands, vsri-
Gus laws were passed, SIDES the usual &
almost mat!er-of-couTse lew giving flu the,
time TO the purchasers of public lanis 10
complete their payments. 'Fhe law first IT,
importance IN relation to the Public Lands
was the law for settlement Of TIE Yazoc
CLAIMS, which, though il passed TIE Senate
y a large majority, was barely squeezed
nr'ngh the House Of Representative. Be.
sides this act. the title of which is &" An act
| 10 provide Cor the decentralization of certain
claim snts Of Pablo Land in the vi ssssippi
terrtory, acts were also passed for the Fl
MAJ Justment of land tides in the state of
l'ou.siaha and territory Of Missouri .sfon
iir'oing Certain claims 10 land IL the Ilinoi
territory and providing for their cation !;
concerning certificates Of Confirmation of
cl ms to land IN the state of e ,isana &
up enentaiy 20 the act fof aScertainiDe
! ne utes and Claims to land in that part Of
Louisiana which lies East of the river Mi,
Sis>ippi and island Of New Orleans. These
were al the acts Of a general nature that
were passed relative to the public lands,
| Q guard against so long a recess in an
eventual period. as wonId otherwise have
ensued the present adjournrr emit, an act
was passed tlXing the last day OF October
next tor the next meeting of Congress.
"0'ch Will limit the recess TO little more
than six months.
No lay was passed during the session TO
lay sdditionaI taxes on the people. though
Two or three acts Vere passed explanatory &!
ne acts Tor this purpose passed at the last
session. Tie only acts respecting revenue
winch we're passed, were the act to author.
Use loan aud to authorize the issuing al
| lr asury Notes both acts together. calcu.
lHtsd, with the aid of the revenue from ex
istlng impost and internal duties. TO raise q
sum lent sum 10 meet the large appropria-
tons made Tor the service of the curren,
| ,ear.
| W. nave curiously noticed all the acts o.