Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1822-01-03
lFroT, the Hc1tiOnGi hisHi7saer.l
PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS-.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 81.
IN SENATE

Mr.. Fndlny presented the petition Of the
President ard Directors OF the Btni, of Tie
United States, praying certain legislative en-
acments for the relief Of the Institution
which was read and referred.
MIR. Johnson, of Ky. presented the petition
of the Pennsylvania University of kentucky,
praying repeal of the duty on imported
books which was read and referred.
MIR. Kiigh laid the following resolution on
the table:
Rescirei, That TIE committee on Naval Aitiirs he
instructed to enquire into the aud an,dunt
cdprr AMMAN ior commission Com irnsinn a. The
several navy agents. aid also The roIc praCl!-rd by
them IN furnishing the Navy ofthe Cnifed States w
supplies; and thai they report y bill, oliorw,~c.
Mr.. Talbot was appointed on the commit
Zee OF Pensions, in The place of Mr.. Eaton,
who had been excused thcrclroin.
Mr.. Barton laid the following resolution on
the table:
Resoirsd, That the committee on Public Lands lie
instructed 10 enquire whrthcr any, ani, !. 3ny VIA.
amen,mcmis explanatory OF the several acts Of con-
srcss, granting rights OF precmpiion settlers
public lands, lac necessary elect the Object o these
acts.
On motion of Mr.. Dicknson, those portions
of the Message of the President of the l. .litrd
States which relates To foreign rrla!ions, To
revenue, To domestic manufactures, to the
construction of permanent Notifications, to the
naval service, and To the government of i'luri-
da, were respectively referred 10 the appropri-
ate com mittecs.
The resolution for the distribution of the So
cret journal, &c. of the old congress- was Goa
sjdcred in committee of the whole, and pass
ed TO the third reading.
Mr.. johnson, of Ken. said, he was about to
offer resolution to the Senate, which AZ was
aware would present iltrin5ic difficulties but,
in obedience to tn general wishes OF the PEG
pie of the state which he in part represented,
and from the convictions of his own mind, a.
to the utility o. the measure, if Iirae;icablr, he
had considered it his duty in propose it for
the considerations OF the Senate. SinCe tl,r
wlr, with G.. Britain, he said, 1ie prcWa y
distress of the west, ind been gradual incrra,
nig, until within 4 very late period he hopct
that the tide of inisinrtunein the state of ken-
lucky, was now suhsidR1 in consequence ui
the measures "f relief which hid been adopt
/, ed by the Legislature of that State Two
circumstances, more than I'LL others, had aua-
mented that distress of which he had spoken
Use prem ,ture resumption OF specie payment
on the part Of the Banks, and the policy q
the general government, which denied to tn,
west just proportion al ;hc public cxpnndi.
| tHre, which hr considered great grievance
and which hc had no doubt, would b. Fpmcdie,
| by Congress whenever Il proper occasions pre-
seutCd its, u. Mr.J. said, al tbs time the pcupl
of Kentucky were deprived OF may bnacii..
resulting from the Post Olicc Establishment
arising from ne causes ~ which he hal ed
verified ; and he was convinced that his PROPOSE
ton would bring more revenue to that depart
ment, many letters being returned TO the Gc
/ neral Post Office rs dead letters. fur the wan
OF some such Accommodations. lie also stat
ed the further fact, that it wa. well lS1owD
THAT the moaeyaris!ng from the Post Oi;ic
Esta'!is.Initni,in the west, was paid to west
ern contractors for carrying the nal ;and die
not go into the Treasury of the United State
a. revenue. Ii tie measure could he adopt,
without ini'wy to the public, and could extern,
relief t0 q sIicriRg portion OF the community
he presumed no indisposition would bc mani
tested against his proposition. IT, on th
other hand, it were impracticabic AID iDcOnsis
tent with the public good, it would be aban
d0Hed. Hc said that he very we'll knew tina
the appreciation Of tie paper Of the Com
7 monwcalth ofKentucky, c0mparetlwth spcci,
or sshat WAS deuominated eastern funds, ia
e To- payment of debts IN Philadelphia and elsl
where, induced many gentlemen, at distanc
to believe that the currency of that state w;
Of little value. But he wonid take this occasio
20 state the Fact that within the state, the papr
would, at this time ppfchase IS much .cul {