Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1818-01-20
18th Congress-. 1st Session
In the Senate te-wEpNEsDAY, JAN 7.

In the Senate ate--wEDNEsDAY, JAN q
A report was received from the Secretary
of the Navy stating the amount Of Naval ex-
pendtures the year past, together with the
contracts made by The Navy Department.
Mr.. Tait offered resolution forrequesting
the President to lay before the Senate an ac-
count of the measures which have been taken
to increase the Navy.
In hc House-Seyeral resolutions on CON
tested elections; for repairing the public
buildings and for altering the flag OF The Y.
5. were acted on
Mr.Mercer offered resolutions for printing the
Journal OF The Continental Congress, together
with the correspondence ofatbe government,
down 10 the treaty of peace, in l783--aad
likewise the journal Of the Convention which
framed the Constitution OF the U. 5.
Contempt ofthe Houe.-Mf. Williams, Cot
n. e, D having bad an attempt made upen bis
easy Osrfae, by the offer Of biibes.ot $500
from Col. John Anderson of the Michigan
Territory, laid the matter, together with his
own statement Of the case, before the House
upon which the sergeant at arms was ordered
TO arrest and bring The. offe nder before the
House Cor trial. On his being brought TO the
bar and the privilege Of employ ing Council
offered him, question arose respecting the
power of the House to try hin-- and the sub
ject was debated from day 10 day wiihop
coming 10 any conclusion TO the lStf Inst
The following paragraph upon he subject, is
from the Boston Yankee OF Friday last -
B,5Lerg-The most interesting subject
which now engages the attention of Congress,
il question Of its own dignity and privileges;
a Col. Anderson having offered pecunary
emolument to the chairman OF The committee
Of claims, with which he had some business Of
Importance When Congress does yindicate
its dignity, il should be done in an imposing
and solemn form but there is something
little approaching the ridiculous 10 the pomp
attending an event, which can only be dan
gerous on The supposiIion tha: some Of the
members are deficient inih;egrity. There is
no danger to the community from offering
bribe, but only from receiving it, and tonske
vast deal Of parade Oh such an enquiry is
% show at least an apprehension Of danger.
The best way to manage deprayity Of this
sort would be silent contempt and private ad-
monition. When member rejects such an
offer without giving il publicity, he conynces
every one who is acquainted with the trans
action, OF his honesty and the man whose
attempt has been Indignantly spurned, f,els
The force of the repIimand as severely as when
taken into the custody Of Sergeant at arms.
To treat such things with the contempt they
deserve, shows greater confidence in the
stern integrity of our Legislature, than formid-
able and grave enquiry, which indicates dan
ger to the community from merely such de-
pravity Of a citizen as may attempt corrup-
ton. It the success and not the attempt
which demands the solemn enquiry and stern
and exemplary sindication ofthat honorable
body.
The bill fixing the compensation Of Mem
bers at eight dolers per day and eight dol
lars for every miles travel, passed to be en-
erossed-yeas 100, nays 6o.-Hon. Messrs.
Orr and Cushman, voted for, and Hon. Messrs
Holmes, Paris and Whitman, against the bill
FRIDAY, JAN. 10.
A bill TO provide for organizing, arming
ana ciscipiinng the militia, was read twice
and committed.
SATURDAY, JAN. ga letter from one
Carl I. .Nohr, of Germany, offering TO emf
CRATE 10 America, and 10 establish manufac-
tory OF Porcelain, on certain conditions, was
laid on the table.
DR.AWB.4CK ON REFINED SUGARS.
The Committee Of Hoys and Means were
instructed 10 report on the eSpediency Of al
loving drawback on exported refined Su-
gars
.AMELT.4 ISL.aND.
very interesting and cogent report was
mase on this subject. The first part Of il le-
la'es to the introduction of slaves from the IL
land into the y. s. and gives short history
OF the temporary buccaneering establishment
al Gatvestoon.