Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-01-02
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Friday. Dec. q.

The House having, on motion of Mr. Hardin.
OF hy. resolved itself into a committee of the
Whole on the bill to amend the act authorizing
payment for property lost, captured, or des-
troyed, whilst III the military service Of the II
States Mr. CoRdict in the chair.
he hrst section of the bill having been read
winch goes 10 repeal certain sections of the
former act:
Mr. Clerh9fN. Z. moved to strike ont there
from the word ninth so as to retain the section
OF the law Proposed to be striker ont author
Izng payment for houses destroyed by the en-
emy, IN consequence of their occupations pIa-
ces ofnilitary deposit
Mr. Hardin stated, that the motive which in
duced the committee 20 recommend the strik
ing out OF that section. did not proceed from
an objection To the satisfaction Of such claims
but to the decision thereon being placed at the
dlSpoSal OF one commissioner, or officer of any
description. IL was the opinionofthe commit
tee, that such claims oUs,is 20 pass speci lily he
tore Congress. kine-tcutIs Of the arrreratc
amount ot money paid under the awards OF the
commissioners Of claims, hadbeen under The 9th
section OF The act. There were claims in the
commissioners office, coming under that sec
tlon OF the act, yet undecided on, TO the amount
OF something like half million OF dollars
ihlS was a sum too large TO be allowed to claim
anus but by special acts OF Congress, certain
~ too large to be subjected TO tile decisions of
ono man, whose award was decisive, fixed and
unalterable. &c
Mr.. Belts c'sN. Y. moved that the committee
should rise. The report of the Commissioner
had been laid OH tic table from the priufer'e
only this morning, and he had had no opnortu-
pity TO examine IL. The Hous might. PERHAPS
aitef peruSai OF the report and documents
not he disposed 70 amend the act al all. They
certainly ought to understand the subject he
fore they acied on it,
Mr. Hardin trusted. he said that the com
mittee wOu'dnOt rise. The decisions OF the
commissioners had been suspeuded on every
section OF TIC act in question, and could not be
resumed iniu Congress should act upon the
SUBJECT. rs to the document the gentleman had
pokenot. IL was, Mr.. Hardin said. nothing
more tlianan elementary treatise drawn ND by
Mr.. Lee, or somebody else for him. which he
suspected was the tact-a learned treatise on
the construction Of statutes Mr. H. SAID he
had rather be moving some way or other on this
subject, even ifwrODgIS, ihautiiaf the act should
be Kept wholly ia suspense
Mr.. Des',a cf ~. was IN favor Of the commit
zee rising, ana was proceeding TO assign his
reaSOns-When
The Chairman said, the nature ofthe question
ON the committees rising prcCluded debate,
except on that point.
The question OIL the committees rising was
determined ~ the negatge-6S to 30.
The question REQUIRED on Mr.. Clark's motion
Tor striking outthe word . ninth"
Mr IfoJefyoH, OF Lou.) spoke in favor of
The motion Those who had claims IN his part
ofthe country, under the act pissed at the last
session, had prepared the evidence in suppori
VI 'ltHis w INC manner pointed OUt Dy the COM
missioner; and only yesterday an agent. sent
on by them with these claims. arrived i'm this
city Why, Mr.. II. ash ed. should different
measure of justice ,Ic afforded to citizens i'm
different scciidus Of thc country WHY should
his constituents, by repeal ofthis section of
the act, DC deprived Of thc advantages OF Which
others nearer tLe seat government had avail!
cd themselves Or why should claims Of one
description continue 10 I've paid, whilst claims Of
another sort, depending on tie same principle.
were To De dfa9gcdbeiJre the HouscY The gu.
lnerOus applications Standardization for los.
rs iidd made 10 necessary TO appoini r cOmmissi.
on@ to decide on them aud claims for lost hors
rs, teams, &c were still TO be subject To sumlua
~ decision whilst claims equally imst. resfiny
on i'it same principle, because thty differed i'm
amount were 10 come before this House. Ief
lli claims for losses during The war. said Mr.
u. stand Oh the same footing Let ell or nome
Di them come before this House. As TO the q.
mount Of the claims, Mr.. r. said. +; feunired
only greater rigor Ofscrutiny into tosdiuout.
where Claims we're large The individuals he
iod spoken OF, Mr.. x. SAID having taken tteir
measures with view 10 Tie exhibfion
u their claims before ibe Commissioner, were
l0' prepared With petitions, &c. 60 come bef0f,
ns House, anu u they were Obliged % do so.
meg would be subjected to great loss, and en-
'cumter mnch dc.1s and further expcnce. Md
le SAID .wncn gcNtcmcu irOmfbo V fstern co. -
~. I.nnN