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


And the Senate adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
lunIday, Januc'y 8.
Mr.. lanccy, from tie committee of
claims, reported bin ior the rciefo! JAS.
Gaze aud John Ricaud, which was ,wice
read and Committed
Mr.. Nelson, from the committee on the
Judiciary, made an unidvorable report OF
the petition OF Richard Claiborne, Which,
was read and concurred in.
MIR. LomadeS laid before the House a let
ter addressed TO the committee Of WAYS 81
means, by the Secretary Of the Treasury,
respecting The expeoIiency otrepeaiins 81
much of tils act OF the Sd Of March, 1909.
as authorizes the President TO transfer APP
proprlations-which was read and order
ed TO I've on the table.
The same gentleman also laid before
the House letter addressed to the COM
mittee of WAYS and means by the acting
Secretary of War, enclosing detailed state
ments, on which we're founded the esi-
mates for the eXpences of the army of the
y. States for the year 1917, including ar
rearges--which was read and laid on the
table.
Eir. Forsyth submitted for considerai-
on the following resolution
onai currency he instructed TO mo uiYe
whether the President and Directors of
tie Bank of the United States have adop-
ted any arrangement by which the pay
ment OF the specie portion of the second
lnstalment can be evaded or postponed,
and, II such arrangement has been made,
the expediency of adopting some regii.ati-
on, by which tie payment of the specie
portion of the second instalment NAV be
enforced at the time required by TIE act
of incorporation, or within limited time
thereafter
This resolution lies on the fable.
The SPEAKER laid before the House a
letter from the Secretary of the I'reasu-
ry, transmitting a statement of monies me-
cessary TO be appropriated for the wear
1917, and letter from the Secretary of
State, transmitting a report of patents
granted during the year lSlG-whichwer
ordered to be printed.
The SPEAKER laid before the House a
letter from Richard Bland Lee, commissi-
oner OF claims, &c. expressing his regret
at the omission to pursue the enquiry in
TO his conduct, and counting further nyes-
tigation defending also his decisions, and
particularly those 8 animadveried upon
by the committee of claims in their report,
aud throwing himself on the Justice OF tie
House, 10 rescuehis character from unjust
obloquy.
The letter having been read, was, on
motion of MIR. Forsyth, referred 10 the
committee ofthe whole, to whom had been
referred the bill to amend the Claims
Law.
The engrossed bill, to authorize the dis
charge Of Oliver Spellman from his i'm
prisonmcnt, was read third time andpas-
sed.
CLAIMS LAW.
The House then again resolved itself
into a committee of the whole, Mr.. Can
| dict iii the chair, on the bill TO amend the
act, authorship the payment OF property
lost. &c. III the military service of the T..
States, during the late war-AEr. Jnhn-
sons amendment going 10 substitute q
new bill, under consideration.
SO much debate has already taken
place on this subject, that ii is presumed,
that no OTHER llana general view Of The
debate can be at ali interesting 10 oUrrca-
ders, whose feelings OH the subject 1--WE
pTesume) we consult, in cOniiuing Our re-
port 10 a synopsis of the pr0cce ing I'M
less where the generality Of the questions
| III discussion, or the interest of The
| debate, invites a more discuTsive view
| MIR. HarfM first rose IN support Of tie
report OF tie committee OF chims, and a.
| gainst The amendment. He made SOME
animadycrsions, as when he spoke before,
on the commissioner and lis DECISIONS
| lie dcmedhis competency aud arraiancd
his awards but, if he were ever SO COM
| pclcnt, aud 40 honest as Aristidcs him
self, such we're tie facilities ~ fraud in
! the law, that, without oft 40
| proposed hy the committee Of claims, She
United States would be snbiect 20 macy
| and great lmpositons. In regard tO Tie
| letter of The commissioner of CHS morn
| ing, Mr.. IA. took occasion to say, he did
not know under what authority the ldiier
had been introduced into the House he
heads Of departments, To be snse. did
sometimes dictate 10 the House, but lac
never before knew that it'll psttv en-.
missioner 60 use bis own expression bad
a right to bring forward lis lectures Co
this House how 80 act, and telitheU what
ought to be The amendments H. ,al4iing
laws. lie did moi know indeed that tic
commissionerlad any right 10 address,
| Gooorc.S unless drfnnIin0 htn..ali Ie