The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1822-05-01

lue question WIS tSaeI ca ailing the DisiN
with s 5000; and decided in the affirmative.
Mr.. Betfer then offered his amendment.
MI. Sawyer, of N. e. opposed it. He de-
MED that there had been any fraud ia this
case. The fact was, that nobody at that
time would have taken the contract so low
as Mr. Mix took il but change in the times
had enabled him to execute it so as TO make
it advantageous to himself. Should we act
like children, and be off, because the other
party had got the best bargain Mr.. Mix
was an honorable man, aud he did not be-
lieve that his circumstances were ever So des-
perate as gcntlemen represented.
Mr.. Ross, of Ohio, expressed himself in
opposition to the amendment. He thought
it was not competent to Congress to annul
this contract now, after having sanctioned it
on former occasion.
The amendment was rejected.
MONDAY, APRIL. 22.-Mr. Hardin, from the
Select Committee, on the subject of retrench-
naent, reported, in part, "a bill, the object of
which Is TO reduce the revolutionary pensions,
for all grades of rank, from and after given
day in the year 1924, to s 4 per month.
The bill (Which, Mr.. II. computed, would,
if passed, effect a saving of 900, 900 dollars
for the first year it got into operation, and
communicable. Hardin giving notice of his
intention to call up this bill, and the one pre-
viously repeatedly the same, committee, on
Wednesday next
Mr.. Butler submitted for. consideration the
following resolution =
Reselred, That committee be appointed
TO inquire into the contract between the War
Department of the United States, and Elijah
Of IF Iulxt
whether the same was-made in pursuance of
law, and whether the said Mix has performed
his covenant, and such other facts as they
may deem proper, relative to said contract.
In offering this resolution, Mr.. Butler re-
marked, that he discovered, on consulting
the documents on this subject, that, according
to the contract, there was due to the United
States the delivery of 10000 perch of
stone, on the LIST of January last, and that, on
that day, there had been actually delivered
only l02,437 perthes so that the contract
had not been fulfilled on the part of Mr. Mix,
and was no longer binding on the United
States. Besides, he said, there were, to say
the least, suspicious appearances about this
. contract. No proposals for this contract were
publckEy. invited by advertisement or other
wise. It was said, too, that Mr. Mix had
SSANA
per perch and Mr.. B. said he observed, from
the accountofcontEactsl laid before the House.
that a contract had already been made by the
government at Philadelphia. for stone, to be
delivered at the Pea-patch, for dollar and
half per perch, whilst three dollars per
perch was paid to Mix. Taking the time,
place, and manner of the contract into con-
sideration, and the default of the contractor
fn I'm ana ,ar1fe H. IrI L..
proper TO submit his resolution. No appro-
priation that is made at this session, MIR. B.
commended, ought to be expended under that
contract.
MIR. M'Dufie said, he was very glad the
gentleman from New-Ilampshire had intro
duced this resolution. 1t was the proper
course to pursue i'll cases of this kind If
there was any thing improper in the conduct
OF any officer of the government, it was proper
to inquire. into it, not incidentally in debate
or by &c parte statements on this floor, but by
Judicial investigation.
Mr.. Cambreleng said he hoped the resolu-
ton would be adopted. He thought, from
the statement which had been made by the
gentleman from New-York some DAYS since,
that the subject required investigation. He
did not think that government, under any
circumstances, ought to have made a contract
with Mr.. Mix.
Mr.. Metcalfe proposed an amendment for
| giving to the committee power to send for per-
sons and papers. He did not mean to censure
the individual who was implicated in this dis
| cusslon, nor TO exonerate him from censure
MIR. Butler accepted the proposed amend
| ment as part of his motion and, thus modi-
fed, Mr.. Buffers motion was agreed to with
! out opposition
TUESDAY, APRIL 23.-The committee on
MIR. Buffers resolution, respecting Mix's con-
tract for stone, &c. consists of Messrs. Butler,
| Metcalfe, and Campbell, Of Ohio.
The engrossed bill to repeal the act to en-
I courage Vaccination, was also read third
| time, and, after some opposition, the ques-
ton on the passage of the bill, was de-
cided as follows =
Yeas, 102-Nays 81.
othe bill was passed, and sent to the Sen
| ate for concurrence.
Great part of the remainder of the day was
[ occupied in discussing the amendments of the
Senate to the general appropriation bill part
| of which were finally agreed to, and others
rejected. So that the bill is yet in suspense
/ between the two Houses.
The House then again resolved itself into a
committee of the whole, on the bill making
further appropriations for the military service
for the current year.
But, before getting through the same, the
committee rose and
The House adjourned.