Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-01-11


House. Mr. III. entered al large into the
general question of national policy and
duty, III regard To ndemniiying its citi-
ze';A ortosseS oi private property, and
objected 10 the wide scope which had
bern gwen. IN tHe preceding debate on
th.S Sislject, TO the principle oi making
payment Ior individual property DESTROY
Ell during the war al the same time that
he won'd not, ii he ,ould, nor would The
committee OF claims deDar lust laimauts
(under the ninth section of the act from
full paJmen. Ut their claims. Mr.. ii. al
gam dssaiied the capacity OF the commits
sicner, OF which, he said, he had sliewn
ms own consequences, iii requesting of
Tie Departments an exposition Of their
views OK the construction of the act He
then went into ain examination of the pro-
posed amendment, which he entirely dis
approved, and condemned as mere sha-
dow. lie could see no good reason why
the rector, or the committee Of claims
shouiu not be agreed to; and concluded
ny expressing his regret, thai ;ile dignity
OF the House should nave been wounded
by iiieS Sneakers iplputatioDs of its capa-
city disposition 10 do Justice 10 private
claimants
Mr.. T.. u. HarjolU next took the floor.
10 sustain the bal bctore the House. and
10 oppose the amendment; in doing which
nc old not propose, he said, TO enter into
an examination OF Tie particular awards
OF the commissioner, which others had
reviewed, nor to lmpute any censure to
the commissioner. After replying 70 one
ortwo arguments, which had been opposed
TO the biil, he came To The general posit-
on ne rose to support-that the class Of
cases embraced by the ninth section of
the law OF last session, was such a one as
me Legislature ought TO keep to itself.
'::id, In respect thereto, TO declare and ex-
ecute the rule Of decision. In regard to
the general question as 10 the extent of
the liability of the government TO indem-
nily ITS citizens torlosscs by war, he said,
mat there was one class of cases in which
tae government was bound TO indemnify
another class, in which it was not so
hound-and third, ola dubious nature.
ne character OF which varied with vary
ing circumstan~ These he defined
after going for his illustrations TO the foun,
tam OF The origin, and tracing down the
stream TO the present state of the laws of
war; The latitude which had been given
10 TINS principle, IN debate the other dag.
ne ana not allow : 1t proceeded, certainly,
from. noble generosity of heart. hui
could not be sustained impractical grounds
The evils oiwar, Mr.. B. Showed, in the
course OF ms argument, must operate une
qualify 1T cannot be otherwise. Among o.
tiier illustrations of this position. he cited
The inequality of the contributions of
personal service the inequality of the
prices obtained for produce in various
parts or the country the losses of slaves.
%c-,-Ah which inequalities, he said. ii
would be out OF the power of the govern
Inent, II disposed, TO obviate. The obi
CATION on the United States. he laid down
10 be, indemnify, as matter of right all
those losses produced by an enemy. &C
cording to the rules of civilized war. and
o. winch the government was the direct
InH proSlmatc cause of the destruction
IL We.pass beyond this line, he said we
should be al sea with neither chart nor
compass TO guide us; we should lose orr
serves III iabyrinth ofniinite perDlexitv
without che. whereby to extricafc orr,
serves Mr.; Is. next dwelt on the com.
pieXity, and the importance in princinle
ana amount, OF the cases embraced in
me nintn section of tie law last sessi-
Oh, winch, therefore, he desired to repeal
anu SUBJECT the cases 10 the decision of
ms Rouse. Iheexpediency oGthis course
nc argued at length, and re,,Iied to tho
various objections which had been urg red
against IT.: justifying the Discrimination
between The claims III the mode of adiud;-
CATION, on the ground ofthe great differ
e'lce OF importance, both as TO PRINCIPAL
amount o. Inc two classes of cases. Mr..
D. con i,ided an Ingenious and lorical
speech, Dy defence Of the capacity of
the House TO decide on cases Of ;nd;-
vidnal claims, when they are presented
TO them. ''0"
Mr. Comstoch supported theanendmept
rae considered this question one ofmuch
Importance, as well to the character octhp
government, as to the situation Of man,
OF the unhappy sufferers in the late war
.loSe whose property had been taken
ilppn ,ueh Dy the strong arm of power
which they had neither ability nor right
10 resist. Justice, he said. required thai
they should beindemnifed for tLe;r To-
t., W "hich !here was comparatively
i , prosper, II the ninth section of the
Ia" VI iie lastseSsion was repeaied-inso-
nucii' mat most of the just claimants
"oN'n rom That moment, he presumed.
DonSi''er 'heir case as hopeless MIR. G..
."nci'iued Ills observations, by suggest
ne a lurther amendment, proposing the
dP'oihUnent OF an agent to examine Wit
"Hss'S on ne part of the u. States. I'm ca
ses ~ winch the President, or Secretary
oI the treasury, shall think it necessa.
TY. ''"-
Tine debate became more and morean-
ihIated as It progressed, Mr.. FORSYTH. MIR
Johnson, Mr.. Clay, Mr.. Calhoun and Mr.
parDoIlr successfully spoke, glance at
whose remarks present time will not nor
mt, but future shall. 20
Al, shutdown, MIR. Wright announced
nus desire to make a few remarks-snd