Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1821-12-24

Treasury To lay before the HOUSE Sop-
OF the report made by the commission
ers appointed to view and inspect the
Cumberland Road.
The question for consideration was
carried.
MIR. Randolph proposed to modify
the phraseology OF the resolution, so as
to substitute the word directing, ln-
stead of the WORD requesting. When
information was sought from co-ordi-
nate branch of the government, 1t was
usual to adopt the language OF request.
When it was wanted from ministerial
department, the resolution issued In the
form of command.
The suggestion was assentnd to BY
the mover, and the resolution was a
dopted.
MIR Nelson, of Mass. offered the fol-
lowing resolution.
ResoLved, That the committee on
the Post Office and Post Roads be in
structed to inquire the expediency of
authorising letters and packets to and
from the secretary of the Board of
Commissioners, appointed under the
seventh article of the treaty between
the United States and Spain, conclu-
dsd at Washington, ED February,
1919, to be conveyed by mail free of
postage.
Which motion was negatived.
On motion of Mr.. Tomlinson, it was
Resolved That the committee Of
Commerce be instructed to inquire into
the expediency of repeating the act
passed April &c, 1916, by which was
allowed an additional compensation, of
fifty per cent. to the compensation of
certain officers Of the customs therein
named.
Mr.. Wright submitted the following
resolution:
! Resolued, That the Clerk of this
House pay to the representatives of
Thomas Claxton, deceased, late the
Doorkeeper of this House, the sum of
two hundred dollars out of the contin-
gent fund, for the purpose of defraying
the expenses of his funeral.
| After some remarks by Mr.. Cooke,
the Speaker, and Mr.. Mallary, with re-
spect to the constitutional power Of the
House to appropriate public moneys in
this manner, the question was put and
the resolution negatived.
| CUMBERLAND ROAD, &c.
Mr.. Trimble called for the consider
alton of the resolution submitted by
him on Tuesday relative to the pro-
gress and completion of the Cumberland
Road,
The first of these which was taken up
was that which requests the President
of the United States to inform the
house of the progress which had been
made in the survey of the continuation
of the Cumberland Read from Wheel
ing to the Mississippi. This resolve
was agreed TO without objection.
The two other resolutions respecting
the repair of the Cumberland Road, *
the execution of the projected road
from Wheeling to the Mississippi, were
then read, &, being before the House
MIR. Farrelly wished the resolutions
to remain Oh the table until the infor-
nation was obtained from the Secreta-
ry ofthe Treasury, pursuant to the reso.
luton that he had the honor to intro
duce, and which had been this morning
! adopted. 1t was desirable that the
house should act upon the subject with
the best lights that the case afforded. 1t
was an important subject. Large sums
of money had been expended, and, he
feared, to very little purpose, for he had
understood that the commissioners had
examined the road this season, and had
given all favorable report of the man
uer in which the public money had been
expended, and that those disbursements
were made with an eye to private spec
uIation rather than public utility.
MIR. Trimble said his object was, to
have as early an enquiry as possible
into this subject. lie wished the com
mittee to be raised now, that they
might have an opportunity of investi-
eating this subject at a period of the
session most convenient for the pur.
pose, the house being less engaged than
it would be after the holidays. When
the papers called for by the resolution
already passed were received, he pro-
posed they should be referred to the
committee with respect to this inquiry
Mr.. r. reminded the gentleman from
Pennsylvania that opposition to inqui.
ries into this subject had sometimes
been found in the very quarter in which
] the road lies. 1t was but the other day
that petition had been presented to
this house for the allowance of draw
hack on exportation of cordare mani