Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1822-03-19

sl'y nj time when every past and enlightened NIT
ton is conforming its commercial policy 10 an accor
dance with those principles.l
| Mr.. SMITH, Of Mary land, from the Com
mit,ce of Ways and Means reported the fol-
lowing bill:
BE eaated by the Senate and House Of Representa-
ti,rS ofthe United States Of 4merica ia Congress
sem6ted That the passed the Sd day Of March,
l 1877, entitled An To continue in force an act
entied An Act further to provide for the collection
oi duiies on imports aud tonnage, passed the Sd day
of March, 1878, and for other purposes be, and the
same is hereby declared TO he, made perpetual
The hill was twice read and committed.
Mr.. BLACxLEDGE, from the Committee on
the Public Buildings, made the following re-
port:
The Committee on the Public Buildings, to
whom was referred the resolution of the 9th
inst. instrncting them to "inIuire whether
such an alteration can be effected of the Hall
now occupied by the House of Representa-
tves as will lit 1t for the purpos. of delibe-
raflye assembly; and, if this be deemed i'm
practicable, whether suitable apartment can
be provided in the Centre Building of the Ca
pltoi for the accommodation of the House of
Representatives" Report, in part The Com
mltice, having examined the Hall when emp
ty, and observed, with much accuracy as
WAS practicable, the expansion and reverbe-
ration ofsound within it, entertain the opinion,
that the altitude and peculiar structure of the
dome are the principal causes which render
sounds within the Hall indistnct and inaudi-
bic. 1t would seem desirable that this opinion
should be tested by actual experiment. so as
10 ascertain its foundation in fact. An expc-
ilment, which, it is believed, may be made
with very little expense has been proposed
by the Architect, which the committee sub
NIT Tor the consideration of the House. The
experiment is TO be made by throwing can
'ass ar other cloth across the base of the dome
AT me sprlnging ot the arch, SD as To- exclude
Inc dome. From computation by the Ar
chiiect, it is believed the expense of this cx-
lpcrment Will not exceed $50 dollars. The
TRIAL may be made so as To be tested by the
House without much loss of time, as the ma
terials for making the experiment are at hand,
and the Architect will be ready TO execute
the work promptly. Should the House con
cur in the views of the committee, they would
trecommend the adoption Of the following re-
solution:
Resoired, That the Architect Of the Public Buildings
cause 10 be made the experiment recommended in
accompanying report.
The report was agreed to.
On motion of Mr. SLOANE, it was
ReSolred That Philip Reed, who contests the cleo
ton of Jeremiah Cnsden, returned :, member of this
house, be permitted To appear within the bar, and he
heard ia supper, Of his petition during the discussion
OF the report oil the Committee OF Elections on said
Petition.
Mr.. MERCER laid on the table the following
resolution
Resoired, That the following be add 10 the stand
ing rules OF this House :" That after arv h or re-
solution shall have been debated for more dian three
hours, in each of three successive DAYS either in
committee OF the whole, in the house, unless such
bill or resolution shall have been finally disposed of
no notion Tor the committee to rise, or the house
adjourn, shall he in order before o'clock"
The SPEAKER laid before the House fur
Their communication from the Treasury De-
partment, on the subject Of the public land
offices, &c. IN conformity to a resolution of
this House, which on motion of Mr.. STER-
LING of n. Y. was referred to the Committee
on the Public Lands.
CONTESTED ELECTION
| The House then resolved itself into a com
mittee of the whole, (NIr. Butler in the chair
on the report ofthe Committee of Elections,
on the memorial Of Philip Reed cOntesting
the election of jeremiah Cosden, returned as
one ct the representatives ofthe present Con
gress from the state of Maryland.
| Inns report, alter All examination Of the
statements ofthe two parties and the evidence
by which they were sustained, comes to the
following conclusion
I From fall, attentive, and deliberate ex-
animation ofthr case, in all its points and bear
ings, the committee are impelled to the con
ciusson, that the sitting member cannot, con-
sstent with the constitution of the United
States, he allowed TO retain a seat i'm this
House, under the proceedings of the Govern
OF and Cosncil of Maryland. That the tcs-
n"ny in relation 10 the two votes rejected in
district No. l, of Kent county, proves that
these tickets were not fraudulent, and that
they ought to have been counted at the poll
OF the memoriaiist, for whom they were given,
and that the vote allowed to him IN district
No. ., in Cecil county, ought to be deducted
from his poll, as being clearly an Illegal vote.
Therefore, by adding to the poll of Philip
Reed, the memurialist, two votes nprC perIy
rejected in Kent county, and deducing one
therefrom, for that improperly allowed in Ce-
chi county, he will have majority ofOne vote
over the sitting member.
The paper marked A, is the answer of the
sitting member to the prayer and arguments of
the memorialist
i The following resolutions are submitted
Resoired, That Jeremiah Costen is not entitled to
| a seat in this House.
ReSoired, That Ph!p Reed is entitled TO a seat in
this House"
But the most important part of the reason
Ing on which this report is founded, is the
following:
The committee, being of opinion that the
power thus virtually exercised by the Govern
or and Council of Maryland, in appointing
Representative TO the Congress of the United
States, (by casting lots where each of the
candidates had an equal number of votes,) is
contrary to the express provisions of the con-
stItution, and one which this House cannot
sanction, have no hesitation in rejecting the
official statement of the proceedings in the
case as evidence of the right of the sitting
member TO seat in this House"
The report having been read,
Mr.. COsDEN rose, in opposition 10 the re-
lpOrt ofthe COMMITTEES, and in support Of his
own title to his seat, aud delivered an argu-
mentatIve speech of considerable leupth .affer