Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1820-03-01

premiership IN the ranks ofGppostion and
could he add fourteen more 10 them, ne sup
posed some political Laban would double his
serviude. and condemn him to toll in the
barren field ofopposition I: for he despaired
ofseeing any man elected President. whose
conduct he should entirely approye-he
should never be in favor at court, as ne had,
somehow, as great an alacrIty al getting into
| minority as honest Jack Falstaf had at
sinking. 1t was perhaps the place he was
! best fitted for, Mr.. r. said as he had not
strength TO encounter the details and drudge
ry of business habit had rendered it faini-
| liar to him and, after all, il was not with.
out its sweets as well as its bitters, since it
involved the glorious privilege Of finding
| fauIt-one very dear TO the deprayed condi-
ton of poor human nature.
| But in relation to the contingent fund OF
! this house, saio Mr.. r when be had The honor
of belonging to the committee OF Ways ana
Means, they were SO necessarily pestsred
with accounts for candles. and wood, and mo-
lasses and water, and what not, that at last,
! at his suggestion, committee was raised ex-
pressly to audit and settle the accounts OF
! the contingent eXpences of this House. REQ
pie were constantly coming to that commit
tee and complaining that they could not get
paid, although the Clerk Showed their re-
ceipts in full. They were asked how was
this +? And lwere answered by these men,
that they were obliged to give receipts in
! full II the Clerk, before they could get their
contracts, and then he would not pay them,
il being personal engagement of his own.
They were told by the committee that If was
an affair between themselves and the Clerk
that they had bought the contracts by letting
| the Clerk have the use OF their money, and
that if their sweet turned out sour,
they must make the best Of bargain credi-
table to neither party, and made at ouE as
well as their expense. Whether or not they
ever got paid, Mr.. R. did not know. He
knew that that Clerk was public defaulter.
and he was not sure the balance due by him
had been paid. Mr.. R. cast no imputation
on the present Clerk. The abuse to which
he referred, was not under his control. MIR.
r. then read the resolution, as follows:
Ordered, That the Clerk do prepare and
lay before this House, statement of the an
nual amount Of the contingent expences
~ fha Of no
sent government, to the 3Oth of November
last distinguishing the expense OF stafiona-
ry, printing, fuel, lights, furniture. atten-
dants, and their assistants with statement
OF the amount and nature Of the perquisites OF
each.
MIR. R. wished the accounts Of the present
session kept separate, for they would, he
thought, constitute curiosity, a volume III
themselves This, if would be observed,
was not joint resolution. He deemed too
reverenly Of the honor Of the other body,
and knew too we'll what was due to comfy
and courtesy between the two Houses, to
NEEDLE with their affairs. Let them manage
their affairs in their own way, SAID Mr.. r. {:
II is a maxim very dear to me on other sub
jec.s, tmeaning the Missouri question, it was
understood, } as well as this.
The resolution was agreed to-.
Friday, Feb. Is.
The Speaker laid before the House letter
from the Secretary of War, transmitting a
Report from the Engineer Department, res
pecting the rules for the government OF the
Military Academy, &c. in obedience to a
resolution of this House, of the Goth ofFeb.
1919.
Mr.. khea, from the committee on Pensions
and Revolutionary Claims, made unfayora
bic reports on the petitions Of Polly Potter,
ofSus@n w Washington Martin, and of Richard |
G. Morris, which were read and severaIy |
agreed to.
Mr.. Anderson, from the committee on Pub
lie Lands, made an unfavorable report on
the petition Of Charles Ketllewell, which
was read and concurred in.
The bill from the Senate, for the relief of
the representatives CT John O'Connor, de-
ceased, was reported by MIR. Campbell, !
from the committee on Private Land Claims
and the bill was ordered to third reading
81 Il. a