Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-01-02

CEUpT
depending on thcsams principle. MIR. Z. said
he mad thought Unnecessary, representing aloue
or utis moor "A particular section ofthe country,
10 oppose the attempt ia place those, who
have suffered losses in that quarter in an in
tsu.telN worse situation than that in which they
now s,00d. What would be the impression
made ON thc-,ninds of those people when thew
found property IN one pant OF the country paid
to', aud the same payment refused to them?
Ii would be- that there was an attention TO the
interests OF those near the seat of government.
ana OF those numcrOusly represented, which
those otherwise situated need not looi. for. He
hoped the 9TH section, would not be repealed.
III the commissioner was nOta fit person to de
CHE on The claims, and ofhis fitnes he did not
know and therefore would not saw any thing
let another be selected. 1t was peculiarly I'm
gracious at TINS moment to shut tho door against
ms constituents, Mr.. X. said, and TO decide that
tais section of the act having ans wered pariicu-
lar purposes IL was unnecessary 10 continue
tionser. As to throwing The claimants on Con-
gress, every one could see the difficulty of oh
tanning attention to minute claims, and the
small prospect which the claimants must have
OF ohtaniny that deliberate consideration of
their claims, which justice requires.
Jir. " rtght, OF Maryland, believed the old
law ought TO remain unal,ered, unless by the
addition OF two commissioners to the one alrea-
ny appointed. The Congress had in a particu-
lar case, appointed three commissioners TO de-
eide on tic merit of claims not more difficult,
nor perhaps more important Than those cou6d
Ell by the act of last session to one commission
er-he meant the Yazoo claims The idea of a
single commissioners had been objected 10 in
me Henate at the last Session they desired
three commissioners This House decided in
favour of one. And WHY row undo that which
was last year so deliberately done? Would any
man here say, lighthouses burnt by The enemy
because IN military possession or occupations
ought not to be paid for! A man might blush
forms country, ifsuch an opinion were recorded
as IFS act. If we cross the Canada line he said
we ma that government making payment foi
iesses OF every description sustained by its citi-
zens. he proposition to repeal the 9th sec
ton of the act OF last session. Mr. w said CON
teInpiated injustice TO the small states How
did they now stand i'll this respect? The ren-
t.emanirom Louisiana was the single represcn-
taiNe OF part of the country which had i'm tbi.
respect greatly suffered. Look at the pro
ceeuings of every day, Mr.. Wright said
ana INJUSTICE 10 the small states would an
pear IN the votes of the House. He protested
totlSrlrl6HS against it. Ifthere was any fault in
regard 10 the law OF last session-and he did
not say there was-It was in the selection of
man tor Commissioner who wanted Judgment
fcr he never heard him even suspected OF dis
position 10 do otherwise than right If the re-
cords, now in possession of this House, were
'emperately examined, Mr.. w said, he believ-
eu they would present a very different view of
this matter from that which gentlemen had
hastily takenup. Let us appoint two addition
al commissioners, said he, and that will be sui-
hc:Gnt amendmentto the law. There were, he
sald, many cases waiting now, which ought TO
be PAID which this House had said ought to be
pald-which il was now desired they shouId
nnsay, and leave tie decision on the claims 70 a
DodH, the members of which, to say the least of
IL, respected their own constituents much more
man they did others. He knew it to be SO. he
salu; ne mad seen itevery day, and no gentle
man would rise and say that they were not more
ready to attend the wants of their constituents
than to those of a distant region. Mr.. w. said
he was not prepared to denounce the present
Commissioners, or legislate him out of office
lie IL. lot Isr l.
ed, before they are Judged. AS TO reference
81 claims coming under the 9th section to this
rouse, MT. W said twas impossible they could
ne iully examlnedhere, &if they could it would
De vastly more expensive, one DAVIS sitting of
TINS House, costing the nation as much asa
year salary OF a Commissioner. MIR. w. com
Plalned that his constituents who were exuosed
py uielr situations, who did not live beyond the
mountains, who fought at the waters edge. AZ
had their vessels and houS burnt, were 10 he
deprived of the benefits OF the provisions of :,
law, which Congress had at the last session So
ielnliy decided to De proper and right To be APP
piieq 10 tneIr case. He hoped the House would
confirm nov what Hey had done at the last SOS
sion, and not repeal law because its provisions
mad, IN the execution of it, been more widely
eStehueu, tiIan was thought proper. But Mr.
" said he did not believe there had in this
case been as great ciamor against Mr. Lees
construction OF the law, as there had been A.
ea!nst mat OF chief Justice Marshall in the case
OF Aaron Burr. He hoped the house would
mas snort work of II, * reject the bill. MIR.
W went on TO state his opinion that the con,
Quot OF the government in regard 10 individual
iosSSS Dy the war ought to be graduated by the
most liberal principles, and tiat all PROPERTY
ought to be paid for destroyed by the enemy.
IN conSequence OF the presence OfmiitarV force
On the exposed Atlantic frontier in mailycases
houses had Deen destroyed by tic enemy be-
cause occupied By the militia, some ,sJes with
aud sometimes without the owners CONSENT
Houu gentlemen arrest the payment of such
CidiiES, or throw them the hpuippit.s Of
uoGse,diter they had been paid sor their horses;
lie should move an amendment he said a the
proper Tune, to appoint two additional commits
sionefS, with an appeal, if the House chose in
doubtful cases, to any bOdy vested with appel
late jurisdiction, even il it were the Supreme
Court W
Mr. H1rrisoV, of Ohio, assured The gentle
man from Maryland that he. though from fine
" est was as much opposed TO the bill as the
gentleman himself could be and me ber~ed
the gentleman from Maryland TO believe that
there we're some gentlemen in the W est as |
willing to provide for the payment for burnt
houses as tor lost hOrses--NyhO made no dislinc-
ton between the losses of different scctions in |
common cause. Mr.. II. wished 10 strike |
out the whole bill, and to propose a substitute |
winch, not expecting the bill TO be called M |
today, since tine documents were only lust laid |
on The tdble,he bad no time to prepare. Ifthe |
committee would rise le cOuld prepare one
Mr. JohnsonOt ky.rose, propose AN amend !
nent to the bill, which lie had prepared He |
uid not mean now To enter into Il discussion. |
ia ~iich, It such should arise Oh this subject. |
he should think il his duty TO take up small |
portion Ot tic time of the House but NOT ~ ftis |
hour OF the day, or at this time of The week 10
could shew when il became necessary. that So |
ihf irOmdny occasion 10 amend the law, unless
10 extend ITS provisions, the English language |
gould not make the law more detinitc-or en-
oface more distinctly principles which have
been sOlernnly sanctioned By this House. and he /
was certain would be BY this nation |