Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-12-12
CONGRESS-.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
WEDNESDAY,, DEC. 6.
DUTY ON FRENCH TONNAGE.

4 CNtft0 .SfuetS ii
Co"cress 0ssem6isd. That ibe Provisions OF the act
ehu.sG, Al act 10 inuose a new tonnage du,y ON
French ships and vessels passed day i5:b 1890 shah
uot sStend TO or opeiate upon, amy French ship
vessel that shall have enieIed into ANY port within
Jnr.sdict'n a" the uGi!es States riur the 3clh g.
81 September, 1870
Sec ,. .iaa De HJarthsr enacted. That the Secrc-
tay OF The irsasaty, after deduCiing tonnage
equal 10 that PAID ny every French ship vessel which
ehtefed Tue pofiS within tue Jurisdiction Of tue Uni,ed
STATES pTnr u the passage aud operation Of Tie
| ent'ticd " An act IL impose tonnage duty an
freuch ships aad vessels" passed MAY 18Th 1890
from the tonnage ds,y collected frou, rreu ships
aud vessels. bJ vi,ue Of the reced act
the ntst ay az Jgiy 1870 tie sJi day of Sepir
Der following. he. and he is hereby, authuiizrd and
directed 60 pay aud refund the aJeT OF such Ton
mage duty iiee foon and changes to any pr-s.n
or persons who shall have authority 10 receive tue
! same.
| The bill vas twice read aud commlied.
On motion of Mr.. CampJeH. il vas
Rcs0ited, That the committee oI Private Laud Claim,
ne Instructed osnquire inihe expediency of allowing
farther time TO the officers and soldiers the Virginia
iine on continental establishments their heir. or MS.
scna, entitled 10 bonaly Iauds within tie uact rr.
served b5 the state OF Virginia between Tie lin.
"iaii ana scots five!s to complete their locations
Oi motion os hlr. Strong the House
proceeded 10 the consideration of the
resolution proposing an enquiry iuto the
extent Oi claims Tor property lost and
destroyed during the late war with Grea,
| Britain, The Seminole war, &c. aud into
the expectancy ofpIovidins Tor their i'll
| Identification.
~ Hiotiou vi sililc OUT OF TIE resolution
| all excep! Mat relates To the amount claim
| ed, was alter few words from MIR. Strong
against u, agreed 10, G2 TO al.
Thus amended, The resolution as re-
Jec'cd bs Il small majority.
The engrossad resolution proposing an
| amendment 10 the Constitution Uf the L.
States with respect toii,e mode Of elrc-
iion oil Keprcs' natives To Congress and
Electors OF PresiJeul and Wee President
OF the U. oiatrs, Was read d third tinir.
MIR: OoerStreet. desiring further time 10
| make up his mind with regard 10 this
question, which he considered as me of
| thc flrst magnitude. Or which he had nal
Vel satisfied himself, moved 10 POSTPONE
the further consideration of the resolution
Ia Monday nrxi.
| THIS motion, The question being pul,
was determined IN the ncgaiiye.
| Hir. anderson. after expressing his Ell.
tire assem- 10 lbai par, of Ile proposition
now before The House, which ~enl to cs-
iaDiish an uniform mode 81 election of
Electors, in'imaicd that he entertained
some doubts az TO the remaining pant of
II, WINCH proposed the same rule IN res.
pect To Representatives TO Congress, and
ON that point lie desired eApianatlou.-
Ills objection to il was, that, 10 pass il
would be iegiS!atng uselcssy. By the
constitution, as II now stands, Cong,ess
nave the power 10 declare that Rrprcscu>
| taliVes 10 Congress shall be elected iu all
HE Staies by districts. Ii in This respect
, me slales have not, IN our opinion, done
right, sand Mr.. 4. we can, by all nrdina-
~ law, do IL Tor them: and, therefore. he
could see no reason why The tundameH-
tai charter need undergo any revision on
THIS point. That great objrct ouIy,
can justify an alteration or amendment
OF The constitution, was proposition 10
winch, he said, every gentleman would
| assent. 1t no gentleman Satisfied his
scrupies on this subject, MIR. a. said he
should move re commitment of this re
solution 10 committee, with instructions
to strike out HAT part of il 10 which lie
had taken exception.
| Mr.. Lam Then 70 o.. and said. that for
the very reason that The geni!cn,au had
| gwen as an Objection 30 II, he wished
the proposed amendment TO succeed. II
was irdc, that Congress possessed Tie
power To district The states. or otherwise
provide The mode of elections OF Re-
preseDIsiives To- Congress. Bat, he had
ever considered il most dangerous
power-a power liable 10 The greatest /.
Buses. They might require every voter
the s,aie To repair 10 The seat Of govern
mrnl OF the state 10 vote, or lose his vote
entirely. With regard 10 The Electors,
TOO, he bad always believed it 10 be the
true spirit and intention of the original
constitution, thai The People should
choose The Electors. Instead Of that, we
now found that, in several cf The states.
The legislatures cho0spi The Electors, and
the Peop'eAlavc nothing 10 do with it.
For these reasons, he was in favor OF Tie
resolution aud he slIorld hope that il
would receive not only 81 constitutional
majority OF votes, but lIIa, IL would pass
unanimously.
Mr.. SiDikins, with a view that all gen
iIemcn might have an opportunity Of Civ
ing decisive vote on ihls question. and
not be Obliged 10 vote before they were
fully prepared, moved ila, the resolution
be postponed 10 His day wrtk.
! Mr.. EnSfis supported ihe posiponPmeni
on The ground of courtesy towards gen
iiemen who declared thai they were no
, satisfied az 10 the vote they ought 10 give
MIR. Ffoyd"a ready to postpone ibi,
resolution on The gTourd now stalPd--tbt
more readily as tic public interest did no
require lis passage AT this day in prefer
! ence 10 II laler dag in The session. 70
{ himself, Mr.. T. SAID he should be unwjl
Z ling 10 give This government any mar
e power iIau II already possesses. III
c should be unwilling 10 make Ibis govern
: G.ent more strong than IL Is. lie had vol
b ed yesterday for HE third reading OF lhi
y resolution, but il was under conviction
. HAT, IN doing so, he VAS voting 10 givin
40 more power 10 the general government
than il already lad. When our cOnstiiu
ton Mas framed, iis authors were awai
Z that difficulties might arise in respect t
% Tie election OF representatives., aud the
l uaya fhp nOrnr g., Enrur.e. q. i,t,.I - 80.