Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1821-12-20

IA the attention of the House had
5een called to the subject by his friend
from Tennessee, MIR. Cocker 1t had
h.come matter oI SERIOUS concern, and
proper suoJect Tor the interpretation OF
,tat Hpuse, A case had fallen under
his suscial observance In which Dis.
trict paymaster was defaulter, and
had failed for the sum OF iSS71, 900,
when the only bonds that he had given
for the faithful discharge of his Guty.
amounted only to S6O,O0O in the ag-
nrsoste He believed that in l9 cases
ont OF 90 the penal bonds that had bsen
len. IN cases OF defsulters, had been
inadequate to the public security, He
was altogether opposed to taking penal
hond, in any case, He preferred bend
thst should De limited by no precise
sn,n hat should extend to full indem-
,,;,y for every extent of delinquency
ME would, therefore, propose to amend
Ine bill, SD as to require bonds, without
,sp,lty. for the due discharge Of the
tu4;,s imposed, instead of bonds for
.ue.iac sum, so as that the government
,n,ybt recover Of suretles the whole
amount which It might lose by the neg
lect or misconduct of the principal.
MIR. Cooke would cheerfully acqui-
ssre in any measure that should be more
effective in attaining the objectin view.
than that he had suggested; he there
fore assented to Mr., IFS proposition.
Dir. Rhea opposed the amendment,
hat his remarks could not be heard by
MIR. Thicker, of Va. was in favor of the
General object which the mover had in
T,ew, but doubted the expediency OF in
reducing il in the present bill. He
thought that this was net a proper time,
r,p.cially as il would operate unfavora-
by ON the objects OF the public bounty.
[, was now Tue practice, in those states
where there were such banks as the gov
e-nmeat thought proper TO entrust with
the deposit, to lodge with them the sums
necessary 10 meet the payment OF these
nepsions. In other states he believed the
s.mi-annual claims of invalid pensioners
were not OF an amount too great Tor the
security al D. 5000 bonds. 1t the an end
ment should be adopted, be feared it
would occasion very serious incOnve-
n,ence to the Pensioners, as they might
no under the necessity OF obtaining their
n.yments in the city Of Washington, in
steam nf receiving them in the states to
which they belonged, tor the banks would
never give bond for so small all object as
this temporary deposit.
slr. Hariin could forsee no such ditl-
Guilty as the gentleman from Virginia
seemed 10 apprehend. The security re
au.red by his proposition would never be
more extensive than the possible defalCa
tioA He was willing, however, TO meet
tie wishes OF gentlemen, provided the
public interest was sufficiently secured.
Pc lad drawn the amendment in haste,
AMI should have no objection that the bill
lie on the table, to the end that plan be
ma,ured 70 remedy the evil that the pubic
suffer
,ir. Tucker made lew remarks in re-
ply, when
Mr., II. Nelson observed, that il was
common tor offenders to escape justice,
and so difficult for Congress to enact laws
which ingenuity could not evade, that II
yould certainly be inexpedient TO devise
new system. without being well assured
that il was reducible to practice, and eth-
cac,uus to produce the result that the
mover Intended. 1T had been many years
since he had been conversant with investi-
gatons OF this sort, but 10 him it would seem
that the performance OF duties, as express
ed m the amendment, would not be held
TO involve pecuuiary responsibility 10 the
disbursement of the public moneys. AT
any rate, il was a subject on which the
aCutensss and astuteness of lawyers would
he able 10 raise question. that rarely result
fayorably to the public. He would there
fore moys, that the bill be recommi,ted
10 committee of the Whole, to the end
that its friends may have opportunity TO
exIricate it from all those difficulties in
which il seems to be at present involved.
Mr.. Cook was apprehensive that the
course proposed would involve the Secre-
tary of War in difficulties not easy to
su mount; for il could hardly De supposed
that he could be able 10 ascertain the a.
mounts that should be deposited from
time 10 time with tbee'Sang to meet the
payment of the pensions, nor the sutflcien-
cy of the security that might be offered
for the indemnity Of the public.
The recommitment was opposed by
Messrs. Rhea and Little, aud supported
by Mr.. War6eld, who adyerted to the
frauds that had been practised upon the
United States TO all extent that called
loudly fora remedy. He thought the pre-.
sent a period as proper as any that would
probably be presented during the session
Tor tak.ag the subject into consideration
AMI ne hoped i, would receive all that
attention which its importance demanded.
Tue question was then taken on the mo-