Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1816-03-01
CONGRESS.
HOUSE or REPREsENT.aTTVES
.Monaay, FEB. s6

- Monday, FEB. 90.
After the reference of sundry petit
tons, amongst which was one presented
Iby MIR. Tucker, from the City of Wash
|lngton, praying that the port of Washing
ton NAV be made a port Of entry.
Mr.. Yancey, from the committee OF
claims. made untavorable reports on
| the petitions of Septa Fillmore and Hen
Inv Remsen and Crowder Cbilds; which
were read aud concurred in ; and bill
for the relief of Patrick O'Fiing, Abigail
I0'Fling and Edmund O'Fling, which was
twice read and committed also, bill
| for the relief Of Thomas Ap. c. Jones I;
which was twice read and committed.
MIR. FORSYTH, from the committee OF
foreign relations, reported a bill supple
mcntary TO the act regulating trade and
intercourse with the Indian tribes, which
was twice read and committed.
The Speaker laid before the Eouse a
letter from the SecretMy Of the Treasu
Try, transmitting the annual account OF
the emoIuments oil the collectors of the
customs which was laid on the table.
The engrossed bill making further
provision for military services during the
late war, was read the third tine and
passed.
/ Then, on motion of Mr. Calhoun, the
House postponed the intervening orders
lof the day, by vote of &c to IS, in Or
der to proceed to the consideration of
| The NATIONAL BANK BILL.
The House having resolved itself In
to committee of the whele, Mr.. Nelson
iof Va in the chair, Oh tn. subject the
bill hayiag been read, establishing a Ma
Itional Bank, with capital Of thirty five
millions Of dollars
Mr.. ccH,onn rose TO explain his views
! OF subject so interesting to the Repub-
lie, aod so necessary to be correctly I'm
idepstood, as that Of the bill now before
the committee. he proposed at Il is
time only TO discuss general principles.
without reference to details. He VAS a.
ware, he said, that principle and detail
Knight be united but lie should at Pre-.
sent keep them distinct. lie did not
propose tocomprebend in this discussion
the power of congress 10 grant bark
Icharters nor the question whether the
Igeher@l tendency Of banks was favorable
or unfavorable to the liberty and prospe.
lpity OF the country; nor the question
1hether a National Bank would be ia.
vorable to the operations of the govern
ment. To discuss these questions, he
conceived, would be an useless consump.
Ition CT tine. The constitutional ques.
ltion had been already so freely and fre-
lqaently discussed, that all had made W
their minis on it. The question whether
Ibanks were favorable to public liberty
land prosperity, was one-pureiy specula-
tive The fact of the existence of banks
land their incorporation with the CONNER
cial concerns and industry Of the nation.
lproved that enquiry to come too late.--.
| The only question was, Oh this hand. I'm.
ider what notifications were banks most
useful and whether the United States
fought Or ought not to exercise the powel
Ito establish bank. As to the question
whether National Bank would be favor.
liable to the administration of the finance.
Iof the government, it was one on which
There was so little donbt, that gentlemen
would excuse him if he did not enter
Into it. Leaving all these questions
then. Mr.. c. said, be proposed to exa,
lmine the cause and state Of the disorders
Iof the national currency, and the CUES.
ton whether il was in the power of con
gress, by establishing a National Bank.
to remove those disorders. This, he OBJ,
seryed, was question of novelty and vi
tai importance question which great.
jly affected the character and prosperity
!oi the country.
rs to the state Of the currency Of the
lnation, Mr.. {. proceeded to remark
tat it was extremely deprecated, and
In degrees varying according TO the DIFF
l!erent sections Of the country, all would
assent. That this state of the currency
twas stain Gu pubac ard prIVare credit.
and injurious to the morals Of the com
munity, was 50 clear position as to re-
quire 40 proof. There wee, however,
other considerations arising from the
state of the currency not so distinctly
felt, nor so generally assented to. The
lstate of our circulating medium was, he
said opposed to the principles ct the fe-
deral constitution. The power was
|giyen to congress by that instrument in
express terms to regulate the currency
of the United States. In point OF fact, he
IL. In