Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-01-09
CONGRESS
HOUSE or REPRESENTATIVES,.


MIR. Herbe't from the committee on the
District of Columbia, reported bill TO
provide for the erection ola urt-house
and Jail, III the county of Alexandria
which was twice read and commit
ted.
On motion of Mr. Thomas, the commit
tee on The Judiciary were instructed 10 en-
quire into the expediency of making an
additional judicial district in the Eastern
part of Tive Mississippi Territory, to he
composed of the counties of Washington.
Clark and Monroe, and such other coun-
ties as the Legislature of the Territory
may lav of. between the rivers Tennes-
see and Alabama
On motion of MIR. Paris, the commit
tee on military affairs were instructed TO
enquire INTO the eXpediency ofso modify
ing the act of The last session, making
further provision for military service dur
ing the late war, as to extend the time i'm
which guardians OF the minor children of
deceased soldiers NAV relinJ,lish the
bounty land, and claim the half paw. as
provided by the ID sect. of the aforesaid
act.
Mr.. PARRrS, in offering the above res
olution for consideration, observed. that.
by ayerting to the second section of the
act of the last session, auihorising the
guardians OF the minor children of decea-
sed soldiers TO re!inquish their claim TO
the bounty land, and receive in lieu there
of half pay for five wears, ii would be
peceiVed that unless such REIMBURSEMENT
was made previous to the 10th of April
next, the heirs would be forever barred
from accepting the benefit of that act
He had no doubt that there were many
suffering families of the deceased soldiers
of the late war, to whom the provisions
of the second section of that act had ne
YER been made known MANY orphans
WHO were yet ignorant of the provisions
winch were the last session made fortleir
relief. He had no doubt but the same
disposition which was manifested i'm pass-
my the act, would induce the House TO
extend ITS provisions, that the destitute
families of the soldiers who had died in
our service might find some small relief
III our muniilcence. He in fact had good
reason 10 believe that, in the remote sec
ton of the Union which he had the no.
nor TO represent, an extension Of the time
would be particularly desirable. as there
were many who had not availed them
selves nfthe provisions of the act of the
last session, before alluded to, that he
was certain would have done it long since.
hal they been Informed of its existence.
On motion of Mr.. CLen6enRin, the com
mlttee on pensions q revolutionary claims
we're instructed 10 enquire into the expe-
diency oil causing the widows and orphans
OF the non commissioned officers aud pri-
Yates OF militia and volunteers, who died
IN the service of the United States preyi-
Gus 10 the 3ist Of December, 1912. to be
placed on the pension roll al the same
rate as the widows and orphans of the a
bove described corps, who died subse-
quently tothe said 3Ist ofDecember, 1879.
On motion of Mr. Dickens of n. G. the
committee OH military affairs were instrnc-
ted TO enquire into the expediency of PRO
viding by law for the relief of such of the
officers and soldiers Of the revolutionary
war, who served faithfully, and are now
reduced TO want and unable TO support
themselves.
On motion of Mr. PeynoLls, so much
of the Presidents Message at the last seS-
sion, as relates TO the confirming the Ii
tie of Gen. Jackson TO certain lands gran
ted to him by the friendly Creek Indians.
was referred to the committee on private
land claims
The House then went into a committee
of the whole, on tliereport of the commit
tee of elections, on the petition of Rufus
IIaston-which report proaounces Mr..
Scott, the sitting delegate from Missouri
Territory, not entitled, and Mr.. Easton,
the petitioner, to be entitled to seat in
fins House. The committee, it appears,
have framed their report on the ground OF
gross and undeniable Illegally of the e.
lection in one of the districts OF the Ter
rltory-which election being set aside by
the committee, gave a majority of votes
TO the petItIoner--and, without going into
the examination of individual votes. or the
qualification of the voters, the election be
ing by ballot they declare in favor of the
petitioner.
Thereport and documents being read.
thecommliiee rose and reported progress,
and were refused leave to sit again-thus
bringing the subject Immediately before
the House.
Mr.. Webster opposed the report, princi-
pally OH the ground OF its being predca-
ted only on illegalily in a separate elecii-
on, without entering into an examination
of the qualification of the voters general
" and concluded by moving there-com-
mllment OF tlIc report 10 the committee of
elections, with Instructions TO receive evil
dence that persons voting for either can
dldate were not entitled TO vote OH the e
lection
Outhismoiion wide debate tookpl
chiefly on the point whether votes given
by ballot, and of course privately could be
afterwards asccrtained, or Ike voter call
ed III to declarc for whom he had voted,
~hen tlie very object Of The mode was TO
afford secrecy aud freedom 10 the eiector
also OF The eligibility of eleclons by
ballot, OrOi those Cird rOcc, and on the pro-