Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-12-21

Receivers OF PUBLIC moneys ioI Aidpus VI lhe
United States Surveyors OF the Public Lands,
Registers and such other officers as they
may think proper, as TO have those officers
respectively appointed: Tor limited PERI
DDS, subject to removal as heretofore.
Several petitions were presented and re-
ferred to the standing committees already
appointed.
And the Senate Adjourned to Monday.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Mr.. Erwin, of South Carolina, ought to
have been noticed as having taken his seat
yesterday.
Mr., Mech, from Newly ork land Mr.. Hall,
from Delaware, appeared and took their
seats this day.
Mr. Rhea, of Tenn made an uniavorabie
report on the petition Of Zach. Roberts -
which, on the suggestion Of MIR. Smith, that
farther evidence on the subject of this petit
ton might be presented to the House, was
ordered TO lie on the table.
port on the petition of Jesse Dow which
was agreed to.
Mr.. Campbell, Of Ohio, from the commit
tee on private land claims, made report on
the petition of the legal representatives o.!
Philip Barbour, deceased, accompanied by a
bill for his relief which was twice read and
committed
Mr.. Anderson, from the committee of pub
lie lands, made a report on the petition OF
James Hughes, accompanied by bill 'or his
relief which was twice read and commit
ted.
Mr.. Sergeant, from The committee On the
judiciary, reported bill for establishing an
uniform system Of Bankruptcy throughout TIE
United States--which was twice read and
committed
Mr.. Newton, from the committee on Com
nerce, reported bill for the relief OF Beck
and Harvey which was twice read and
committed.
On motion Of Mr.. Tyler, the House pro-
ceeded to the consideration of the report OF
the committee of Claims unfavorable to the
petition of Sam'l G. Adams.
Mr.. T. moved to reverse the report, and
directed The committee OF Claims to report a
bill for bis relief.
THE case is substantially this S. G. A.
dams was commander of detachment Of mi
liia during the late war and, on their being
discharged, he, as agent of those under his
command, the paymaster being without
funds, received his due bill for the amount,
and gave a receipt on the pay roll. Por the
payment of this bill, he applies to congress.
The committee report, that the responsible
ty for the amount of the pay, had, by the
transaction above described, been transfer
red from the government to the individual
who was the paymaster, and who gave the
bll-and that thereifse the prayer oftbe pc
ttioner is not reasonable, and ought not TO
be granted.]
Mr.. Tyler spoke in support of his motion,
conending that The paymastsr was the agent
or attorney of the government in The tran
saction, and the government was equitably
if not legally bound by his acts. II was
question for the magnanimity OF the House,
whether the fraud ofthe agent of the govern
nent ought to be allowed 10 deprive Of his
, pay the poor soldier, whose services had been
earnestly invited and cheerfulIy rendered,
during the war.
Mr.. Williams replied TO admit such claim
he commended, would be to establish pre-
cedent for endless frauds on the government,
by collrsive practices between claimants and
the agents OF the government. 1t was due TO
/ the state of the finances. at this time-whlch
he had understood from the Report of
the Secretary Of the Treasury, were
now nearly exhausted--to guard them
against lavish disbursement : though. in the
most prosperous times, no claim ought to be
allowed against the government, which the
circumstances being the same, would not be
good against an individual, &c.
Mr.. Tyler commended under similar cir
cumstances, the claim would have been IN
ouestionably good against an individual.
This subject excited considerable interest
Other gentlemen spoke on the subject, VIZ.
Mr. Pinckney, Mr.. Rich, Mr. Brush, MIR.
Holmes. and Mr. Gross.
After considerable debate, the house di'I-