Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1816-02-10

The Senate was principally occupied
to-day on Executive business.
HOUSE OF REPRESENE2
MONDAY, Feb. ).
Mr.. Smith, from Maryland, appeared
and took his seat.
MIR. Yancey, from the committee Of
Claims. made unIavorablc reports on the
/ petition of Ralph NJ. Pomeroy, of e Colonel
jP.P T. Schuyler, and of Thomas Jones ;
which were read and c0ncurred in.
! Mr.. Lo,oRaes laid before the house let
ter from the Secretary of War. transmit
ting an estimate from the Secretary of
War OF the sums necessary for the Ord
nance Departures for the wear 1916.
Mr.. FiedSdnts, from the naval commit
tee, made report on the petition of Cap
tam Charles Stewart, accompanied by a
bill rewarding the officers and crew of the
Constitution Frigate, for the capture OF the
British sioop of wal Levant.-Read and
committed.
The Speaker laid before the house, a
letter from the Governor of Ohio, aunnunc-
ing the unanimous rejection by the I1egis-
lature OF that state, Of the amendments
proposed to the constitution by the states
OF Massachusetts and Connecticut.
| On motion OF Mr.. Johnson Of XIV. the
committee on the subject of the Militia
were instructed to enquire into the expedi-
ency of PAYING. for the term Of six months.
] the officers and soldiers Of the Militia who
were taken prisonersa at Fort Meigs in the
late war, when under the command of Col.
Dudley, who fell in battle on the occasion.
MIR. King of Massachusetts offered for
consideration the following resolution, af-
ter few introductory remarks:
Resolved, That the committee on For
eign Relations be instructed to enquire in
to the expediency OF excluding from the
ports of the United States, all foreign ves-
sells owned in. coming from, bound to, or
touching at, any of his Britannia maiesty's
possessions in the West Indies and on the
continent of North America, from which
the vessels of the United States are exclud
ed: and of prohibiting. or INCREASING the
duties on the importation in foreign YES
sells OF any articles the growth, produce, or
| manufacture of such possessions.
| Alter some short debate. the resolution
was ordered to lie on the table. Further
particulars in our next.
The motion of Mr.. Raniolph to enquire
into the canses of the variance in amount
OF the statements obtained from the Trea-
sury in 1909 aud atthis time, in regard to
the receipts and expenditures of the 90
vernment since the year 17S9-Uas ia
ken up and agreed to, no objection being
made to it.
The house resumed the consideration of
the proposition of the committee orYYays
and Means to continue the Direct Tax at
Three Millions. Mr.. Pickens' motion TO
reduce the Direct Tax from three to two
millions, was negatiyed, after few ohser-
vations from Mr.. Brigham and Mr.. Pick
ems. He then moved to reconsider the
vote on repealing the tax. Mr.. Barbour,
in neat and lcrcible speech, assigned the
reasons why he was opposed to the CONT
nuance OF this tax--because he believed il
might be dispensed Nth without any de.
triment TO the public interest. On motion
of AIR, Forsyth, SIR Lowndes asserting 10
| it, the subject was ordered 20 lie on the Ia
bic, to take u the following, the decision
of which was considerable be more urgent
| IL demanded,
TIE COMMERCIAL TREATY.
The house then. om motion of NJ. For
syth, resolved itseifinto committee of The
whole, ON the bill from the Senate. con
cerEing the Commercial Convention with
Great Britain.
On motion o. Mr.. Forsyth, tic bill was
amended from its declaratory form. by
striking out the Whole OF the bill, ard in.
sorting in leu thereof, il the very terms.
the bill which passed this house several
days ago. and was rejected in the Senate
This motion Mr.. Forsyth supported BY
a speech, in which he compared the me
ritS of the two bills, and condemned The
Senate's bill interference with t!Ieiudi-
cial power, amt also as al attempt to de-
prive this house Of its Just powers in rala-
ton TO the Originsti6n of propositions af-
fecting the public revenue.
The bill having been thus amended. was
reported to the house; and the question
being on the concurrence in the amend
ments made in committee
Mr.. Lynn delivered speech Of about AN
hour in length, against the bill. and a.
gainst the necessity Of legislation on the
subject to whom Mr.. Forsyth briefly re-
Piled.
The question on concurring in the a.
mendments which 20 to substitute tho bill
which first passed this house, in lieu of the
Senate's bill, was then decided as follows
For the amendments 81
Against them TO-
And, thus amended, the bill was order.
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