Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1816-02-10
HOUSE ca REPRESENTATIVES,.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
Monday, February 5.
MI. Smith, from Maryland, appeared
and took his seat.
Mr.. Lowndes laid before the house a
letter from the Secretary of War, trans
hitting an estimate from the Secretary of
War OF the sums necessary Cor the Ord
nance Department for the vear18l6.
Mr. Peasants, from the naval commit
tee, made report on The petition OF Capt.
Charles Stewart, accomplished bv bnl
rewardng the oficers and crew of the Con-
st.u1on FTigate, for the capture of the 8ri-
fish sloop OF war Levant.-Read and CON-
mi ted.
The Spes lcr Lard before the house p
letter from tEc so. -rnor of Ohio, announ-
cling the unanimous rejection by the lie.
gsla.ure of chat state, of the amend
ments proposed to the constitution by
the states of Massachusetts and Connecti-
cut.
On motion of Mr.. johnson of XIV. the
committee on the subject of the Militia,
were instructed TO enquire into the expe-
diency OF paying for the term ofsix months,
the Officers and soldiers IF the Militia who
were taken prisln az Fort Meigs, in the
late war, y hen under the command ofCol-
onei Dudley, who fell III battle on the occa-
sion.
Mr.. King Of Mass. offered for consider
alton the following resolution, after a few
introductory re marks:
RsSotUed, That t!.c committee on FOREIGN Re.
stions be in5rue,ed to enquire into ;he expedency
o! excluding trcm tie ports IT the United STATES
all lorcgn ve7ses owned in, corning f-or, bound tn
or touching AZ any ofhis Britannia Ma-sty's posses
sio's in the West Indies and On the continent oF
North America, from which the vessels of tie o.
hded states are excluded and of prohibiting or
INCREASING Tie d'"s on the deportation in fnreign
vessels Of any ariiclcs, thc CrOsth produce or ma
nuhtciure Of such possessions.
Ater some short debate, the resolution
was ordered TO lie on the table.
The motion Of Mr.. Randolph, TO enquire
into the Causes Of the variance in amount
Of the statements obtained frorl the Trea
sary III 1909 and at this time, in regard to
the receipts and expenditures Of the 90.
yerament since the year 1760-was taken
up and agreed to, 10 objection being made
to it.
The house resumed the consideration
OF the proposition of the committee OF
Ways and Means to continue the Direct
lax at TREE Millions. Mr.. Pickens's
motion to re@u e the Direct Tax from three
to two ~ Hons, was negatived, after a few
observations from Mr.. Brigham and Mr..
Fickens. lie then moved 20 reconsider the
vote on repeating the tax. Mr.. Barbour,
in neat and forcible speech, assigned the
reasons why he was opposed to the con-
tlnuanre OF this taX--beCsuse he believed
II might be dispensed with, without any
detriment to the public interest. On mo-
ton Of Mr.. Forsyth, Mr.. Lowndes as
sentlng to it, the SUBJECT was ordered to
lie on the table, TO take up the following,
the decision of which was considered to be
more urgently demanded.
THE COMMERCIAL TREATY,
The house hen, on motion Of Mr.. For
syth, resolved tsrlf into 2 committee ofthe
whole, on the bill from the Senate, con
Corning he Commercial Convention with
Great Britain.
% motion Of MIR. Forsyth, the bill was
amended from its declaratory form, BY
striking out the whole Of the bill, and
inserting in leu thereof. in the very
-erms, the bill which passed this bouse S..
geral days ago, and was rciSeted in the
Senate.
This motion Mr.. FoysEth supported by
4 spesct, which he compared The me
ITS Of tue two bills, and condemned
30 Scna,c's bin as an int. rferrn,e with
l2 Jud ritl power, and also as an at
emp. 'fprive th,s house oe is Jus; I
over bob relation 20 the originaton |
prof's ous fleeing the pu0lic reve-
j. Wing beer tbas amended, was
. FoI.ec 10 3 asasc and lhe question be-