Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1822-01-24
tFrom fhe National fateHigslcer.l
PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS.
THURSDAY, JANUARY II, 1899.
IN SENATE.

successors in Office. two tracts of land in the
county Of Point Coupee, was taken up.
The consideration of this bill brought on a
wide and discursive debate, in the course of
which Mr.. Johnson and Mr.. Bro,cn, the Sena-
tors from Louisiana, and others, supported the
bill. From this discussion, it appeared that
the bill had two objects the FIRST of which is to
grant to the Governor of Louisiana, the pre-
emption to a tract Of land (of only So acres)
situated lii the county of Point Coupee, in
the state of Louisiana, bcing the same on which
a small military fort was erected by the Span
ish government as trustee for the people ofthe
country, for the purpose of erecting thereon
a Seminary for the support of which Il fund
has been established by voluntary subscrip-
ton; a single individual Julien Poytlras) hay-
ing subscribed eight hundred dollars per an
mum for the support of it. This land the
state had asked for as grant, but TO obyiate
the objection which some gentlemen had to
the grant IN the shape of donation, the bill
had been reported in its present shape. The
second object of the bill is, TO grant IL the
state of Louisiana the right OF the United
States to a tract of land in the county of Point
Coup..e, and state of Louisiana, containing for
ty arpents ON the Mississippi river, and forty
arpents back, at aremarkablc bend in the riv-
err about seven miles above the court house
for said county, heing the same on which the
Great IIcvee is situated, IN trust AID for the
sole use and benefit ofthc people ofthe coun-
" of Point Coupec, forever for the purpose
ofenabling them to repair and to keep up the
said Leyce without molcstation. This leyee
it appears, costs the people Of the parish
10000 dollars per annum to keep it up, and
the land, with this incumbrance, can be of no
value TO any body but the people, and is only
valuable 10 them because they may be able to
fbn -, liz. c,
in preventing and repairing crevasscs in the
.lcvec.
CUMBERLAND ROAD.
The bill 10 provide for the repair of the
Cumberland Road, 10y erecting gates, and
collecting toll thereon, TO he expended in
repairs ofihc road was next in order and the
presiding officer commenced the reading of it.
Mr. LowRIE said he apprehended it was
not necessary to proceed with the reading of
the bill for, if gentlemen would turn their at
tention at all TO the contents, il they must see,
that it was revenue BILL and that this house
had therefore nothing to do with originating
it. To try the sense of the Senate, ON this
point, he moved to lay the bill on the table.
MIR. JoHNsoN, of kentucky, expressed his
surprizc at his objection to the bill and urg-
ed briefly the great Importance of this road,
and the indispensable necessity ofestablishing
some system for keeping it in repair. He
could not view this at all in the light of a rev.
enue bill
Mr.. LOUVRE said that the bill proposed
that gates should be erected, and tolls receiy-
ed on the road, which of course accrued to
the Treasury, and out of this faad the expenses
ofrcpairlng The road were TO be paid. Now
Mr.. l.. said, lgyying a tax at all or in any
shape, is the province of the House of Repre-
sentatyps. He was perfectly willing that the
yi,, hs..
hut il was evident to him that the bill ought
not to take the shape in which it now present
ed itself to the Senate. In order to try thai
Question he moved TO postpone the bill indie
fnitcly
Mr.. TALBOT said, he hoped the bill would
not be postponed. This road, which had cos
an immense sum To the United States, wa.
going to ruin, and it was all important to it:
preservation that this bill should pass TIL,
bill, nc said, does not contemplate the raising
ola revenue, within the terms of the consttu
ti0nal limitation the originaton Of such bill:
to the House of Representatives. For sale
he, Mat is a revenue bill /? 1t is bill laying
general imposition on the people the Uni
ted States, for the general purposes of govern
ment. This bill was not, he said, such one
proposed TO collect money for specific OBJ
iect, and for no other; mere imposition of a
toll for special purpose could not. be con-
sidered as raising revenue. This road, which
had cost so much money, which was n mon
ument of the wisdom and Hberality of the
general government and was of vast import
ance in a commercial as well as political view
ought t0 be preserved from dapidation ant
other injuries, and he trusted that the Senate
would not concur in the objection which was
now taken to the bill which had been report
ed for that purpose.
MIR. JOHNSON, of Ky. wished TO record hi
name ON this question of postponement.
the construction which had been put on tina
part of the Constitution which regards reve
nue. bills, was correct, the Senate would hav
very little indeed to do with originating laws
Gentlemen certainly would not say that tn
Senate could not pass the bill on that ground
II it was opposed on other grOunds-that, 70
example, Of a want Of power over the rOa,
now twas made, that was another and fai
ground Of opposition. But, IN the words O
the Consultations, {" All bills for raising a reyc
nue. shall originate in the House Of Reprcsen
tatives," he could discover no objection T.
this bill Perhaps his zeal in favor Of the oil,
lect Of the bill had blinded him: certain it wa,
ne said, be could imagine nothing much fur
Their from revenue bill than this bin was
IT, he said, this great road was TO be suhere
TO SO to decay, after the million OF dollar
which had been spent upon il, TO connect Nel
Orleans and Boston BY an interior comm1n
cation, let II 20. He could tfudgc over tn
mountains and through the values, withor
the road, as wei as others, but he should Il
fnfntit; aed ne heped IRE question On III