The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1815-02-01

The engrossed bill to authorize the pur-
chase of a certain tract of land for the use of
the United States (in the vicinity of Platts-
burgh) was read third time. and passed,
and sent to the Senate for concurrence there
in.
Thursday, Jan. Is.
Mr.. PledsorfS of Va. from the committee
OF Naval Affairs, TO whom was referred the
bill from the Senate to authorize the Presi-
dent of the United States, to cause to be
buLt, equipped and employed, one or more
floating batteries for the defence of the wa
tiers OF the u. States, reported the same with
out amendment, and the bill was twice read
and committed. 1N
On motion of Mr.. Taylor, the committee
OF military affairs was instructed to enquire
into the expediency Of repeating or amending
so much OF the act for establishing rules and
articles for the government of the armies of
the u. States, as relates to the infection of
corporal punishment.
On motion of the same gentleman, the
committee of ways and means were iAstruc-
ted to enquire into the expediency of impOs-
ing duty on silver plate and jewellery man
ufactured tor sale, in the hands of the manu-
facturer.
Mr.. Taylor also submitted for consideration
the following resolution.
Resolved, That the committee on so much
OF ~ message of the President of the u. S.
as rssates to the militia. be instructed to en-
quire whether any, and if any. what provision
ought to be made by law for assessing. collec-
ting or renting fines imposed on officers,
non-commissioued officers and privates, by
militia courts martial.
Mr. NJ Coy IT IA. moved to amend this
motion by adding thereto the following :
. and that they enquire into the expediencv Of
increasing the fines OIL such officers, non-com-
nIissioned officers and privates for offences
under the militia laws ;" which motion was
negatived.
The motion of Mr.. Taylor was then agreed
to as moved by him.
The House proceeded to the considera-
ton of the bin from the Senate authorship
the purchase Of the Library of Thomas JEFF
ferson.
A motion was made by Mr.. Lewis that the
same be postponed indefinitely.
For the motion 66
Against it IS
A motion was then made by Mr.. Cootey
| Of DeIazvare to postpone the further consi-
Iteration of the bill to the 18th day of March
next.
For the motion 6s
Against it "a
The question was then stated on the pas-
sage Of the bill.
w. kUlg of-11aSS. moved to recommit the
bill with Instructions to select committee n
report new section, authorising the selection
OF such of the books belonging to said Library
as might be necessary or useful to Congress
IN their deliberations, and to dispose of the
remainder at public sale.-This motion was
negatived. ayes Sc.
Mr.. King afterwards moved to recommit
the bill to a select committee, with instruc-
tons to report new section authorisng the
Library committee, as soon as said Llbrarv
shall be received at Washington, TO select
thereirom all books of an atheistical. irreE
sicus and immoral tendency. If any such
there be, and send the same back TO Mr. Ief-
| ferson without any expence to him. This
motion Mr.. n. thought proper afterwards to
withdraw.
This subject, and the various motions re-
lative thereto, gave rise to a debate which
lasted till the hour of adjournment which.
though it afforded much amusement TO the
auditors, would not interest the feelings or
the judgment of any reader. 1t is probable
the debate may be skctched off at some time
when we have more room for il. Those who
supported the bill IN debate, were Messrs
Wright, Fisk OF VT. Rhea 81 Hurlbeyt and
those who opposedit were Messrs King of
Mass. Farrow, Cannon, Hanson, Grosyenor.
Pickering e Webster.
Those who opposed the bill, did SO on ac-
Count OF the scarcity of money, and the ne
cessity of approprating it to purposes more
indispensable than the purchase of a Libra
ry /; the probable insecurity of snch Libra
ny placed here the high price to be given
for this collection its miscellaneous and al
most exclusively literary Gnstead of legal *
historically character &c.
To those arguments, enforced with zeal
and vehemence, the friends of the bill repli-
ed with fact, wit and argument, to shcw that
q nnTCh12P q Hp oc
credit, could not effect the present resources
of the u. States that the price was mode
rate the library moro valuable from the
scarcity of many of its books, and altogether
q most admirable substratum for a National
Library.
The final question on the passage of the
bill was decided az follows, by Yeas and
Nays:
For il 81
Against it II
And the House adjourned.