Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1816-01-09

| tue sales of those lands would in n great de-
gree render the measure uanece ssary, and
greatly lint the unpleasant eff cts which
It's execution Will certain produce. He
therefore submitted the following resolu-
ton.
Resolved, That the committee on the
Pub Lands, be instructed 10 enquire into
The eXpedicncy OF extending by law TO all
settlers on the Pubic Lands of the L.. 5.
who have settled thereon, Since the ist
day or january. 1903, the same privilege
extended to such settlers prior to that day
by the ed section Of the act of Congress,
passed March Sd, 1907.
his resolution was agreed to, without
debate, by majority of 30 or so votes.
The bill from the Senate for the relief
OF Joseph Anderson, was twice read and
committed.
Uniform BANKRUPT Lagv.
Mr.. King of Mass. offered for consdera-
ton the following resolutions
Resolred, That the situato on OF the I'M
fortunate merchants and traders, reduced
by misfortunes, & by circumstances beyond
their control, from competence to want,
now demands that Congress should exer-
else the power vested in them by the peo-
pie. for the relief of the unfortunate debtor,
by the establishment of an uniform system
of bankruptcy throughout the U. States.
Resolved, That the committee on the
judiciary be instructed TO prepare and re-
port bill to establish an uniform system
OF bankruptcy throughout the United
STATES.
Mr.. K. said, that as a bill on this sub
ject would require much labor in perfecting
its details, he thought it " ould not be worth
while to put this burthen on any commit
tee, unless the house should show DISPOSE
ton to adopt the principle. He had there
fore thrown his motion into an imperative
form. The power to establish such sys-
TEN, was expressly given in the Constitu--
ton, and being given, Mr.. K. contended,
was not intended by the trainers of the
constitution to lie dormant there, but TO be
exercised for the benerit of the people
Mr.. IL. cited as evidence of the popular
sentiment on tbs h ad, the acts of the Leg
isla urcs of severai Of the states on the sub
ject, some of which had been declared by the
| Judges, unconstitutional, inasmuch as the
constitution had expressly given the power
to the general government. This was
| strong reason why Congress ought to act on
the subject. MIR. K. called the attention of
the house to the situation of the merchants
whose fortunes had for some years been as
huctuatlng as the waves and to the opc-
| ration on the mercantile community of the
| against An enemy, and SO cruel in operation
| to them. Every motive, IN short, which
| ought to actuate legislators or gentlemen,
Mr.. h. remarked, ought to aduce the house
to grant the relief dies red to the suffering
merchant and tradesman
Mr.. Wright, in few observations on
| this subject, denied the right of State Judg-
es to decide ag inst the validity of insol-
vent laws, passed by the states.
Mr.. ThrooP, moved that the resolutions
| be laid on the table, and be ordered to be
| printed.
Mr.. Jackson required division of the
| question Oh this motion.
Mr.. Taylor of New-York expressed his
views on this subject, which were, sub
stantiaiiy, that he was willing and he pre-
! sumeG there would be no objection to vote
| tor an enquiry into this subject, though he
was UNIV ling. without investigation, to de-
eide in favor Of a general bankrupt law.
de thought if the proposition were for an
| enquiry into che subject merely, that there
would be no objection to it.
Mar. King then withdrew his motion.
with view TO accommodate the wishes of
| gentlemea friendly to the obiect, and in
lieu thereof, substituted the following
ReSoIOed, thar the committee on the
judiciary be instructed to enquire into the
eHpedletcy az establishing an uniform sys-
tam OF Bankruptcy throughout the Uni
I'd States.
This proposition was agreed TO without
division.
The bill for the relief of II nry Farming,
and the bill for the relief of VIM Morris
EFT, passed through committees of the
whole, and were ordered to be engrossed
for third reading.
COMMERCE WITH G. BRITAIN.
The House according 10 the order of the
day, resolved itself into a committee Of the
Whole, Mr.. Herbert in the chair, on the
bill to carry into effect the s,ipulations of
the treaty of commerce, lately concluded
with Great Britain. The first section Of the
bill having been read,
Mr.. Forsyth (;he chairman Of the com
mittee Of Foreign Rclations) stated the pc
neral object OF the bill, and the nature of
its provisions. The bill, he said, was in
tended to carry into effect those sarts Of
the treaty which require legislative inter
position which he enumerate d; and com
pared the provisions of the bill in this res
pect, with the provisions of the treatr. HI
tn n stated to the House, the present dis
eliminating duties on Tonnage and on ina
portation, and showed that the bill went to
conform them to the provisions oflhe trea-
ty and placed Bit sh merchants in that
respect on the same footing with ours
He next adverted to the British tariff, and
Showed the Brit sh discriminating duties,
and the great advantages which would be
derived RI fts Trstod S.eotoc H..