Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1816-04-25
HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES

MIR. Chappell, from inc Co'ii'ilIslc0 "
Pensions and Revolutionary Claims.
made untavorable reports on the petitions
| Of Mary Sears and Daniel M'Crmmln'
Mr.. Robertson reported bill torre
printing the Edition OF the Land Laws ;
which was twice read.
The House took up for consideration
I,he amendments made by the Senate 10
THE bill from this house to regulate the
assessment of the direct tax, &c. one Of
| .yb;ch was the addition OF section dl-
recting a revision of the assessment and
valuation of property in the state OF De
5Iaware. The amendment, il appeared
vas predieated on a petition OF the LIE
lsislature ofthat state, growing ont of the
alleged injustice ofthe board of principal
asses ors. who had altered the valuation
If property made report by the as
sistant assessors in different counties, so
as to produce very unequal and unjust
of the direct tax among the
!counties of the state. The committee OF
Ways ana Means, to whom the amend
lnent had been referred, recommended a
| lis greement thereto; and the questioo
was on concurring with the committee.
The amendment produced q good deal Of
debate, in which Messrs. Clayton, Shelf
Hey, Wright, Ward of Mass. and CASTOR
supported, and Messrs. Lowndes and
IIngham opposed the adoption OF the
amendment. By the advocates OF the
amendment, it was urged that the con-
lduct of the board of assessors was par
| tiai, unauthorized, unjust and oppressive
and required the revision provided by
the new section. The amendment was
opposed on the ground that the proper
business of the board was to supervise
and equalize the valuations OF the assis-
tant assessors that although taey had not
acted conlormably to the letter OF the law
IT'LL tie result of their decision was the
same as if they had proceeded in strict
accordance with The Law, aud that it was
an error in form only and that if this a
amendment was agreed to, it would open
| a door to endless applications tor the re
vision of assess nents, etc. 10 establish
the above points, a variety of arguments
aud illustrations were used, which pro-
tracted the debate to considerable
length. The report of the committee OF
ways and Means was finally disagreed
to by decided ,najnlitory, and the a.
Imendment of the Senate concutredi in.
Mr.. Peasants, from the Naval COM
smittee. reported till to fix, the peace
establishment # the marine corp, ire
lducing it to Que thousand non-comaIls-
stoned officers and privates; which was
Twice read and commit ed.
Ihe bills on FRIDAY ordered to third
reading, were read third time accor-
dinghy anu passed with single excep-
ton, which was
The engrossed bill respecting vaccina-
ton. This bill was laid OF the table !;
OH motion of Mr. Southland, who stated,
| in making the motion, that member of
the commttee which reported the bill.
who was at present absent from indisposi-
ton, had received important information
from the vaccine agent. and also from
officers of the army and navy; and had
in consequence prepared some amend
ments which he wished to make to the
bill, TO introduce vaccination into the ar
my and navy-to give time for this, Mr..
| S. asked that the bill might lie on the
table day or two.
SPECIE PAYMENTS.
The House proceeded to take up the
Ibill TO provide for collecting the public
revenues in the lawful money of the coun-
try Ito enforce the payment of specie. !
Mr.. Calhoun meved to amend the bill
|by adding several additional sections,
authorizing the issue of millions of
Treasury Notes, not to bear interest or
be fundable, to be received in all dues to
| the United States, providing the usual
penalties of counterfeting, etc.
The amendments were ordered to be
printed, and the bill was recommitted to
committee of thewhole house for the pur-
pose of considering the amendments :
lit beng decided by the Speaker that it
was necessary to take that course,
Ia answer TO some enquiries put BY MIR.
Grosvenor. Mr.. Calhoun ii stated as his
intention to move to fill Up the blank
with fifteen millions, as the amount of
Treasury Notes to be issued.
The House then took up the unfnish-
ed business of Friday; being the bill
from the Senate to increase the salaries
lof our Ministers at the Courts of St, Pc
tersburg, Paris and London, Ito 12,00G
dollars per anuum y which bill had pas
Sed fhrnnrh q com miftee nf the whole