Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1822-04-26
tFroa the National Intelligence.
PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS-
FRIDAY, APRIL lS.
IN SENATE

the President 0t the United States, by Mr.
Go1vcrneur, his private Secretary.
l communicate tn the Senate copies of sun
dry papers having relation to transactions i'm
East and West Florida, which have been re-
cefsed at the Department of State since my
message 10 the two Houses of Congress of
the s3th of january last, together with copies
OF two letters from the Secretary of State up
cn the same subject.
JAMES MONROE.
Washington. 18th April, 1929.
The message was read, and, with the &C
companying documents, ordered 10 be print
cd.
The Senate then resumed, as in commit
tee OF the whole, Mr.. Chandler in the chair, the
consideration Of the appropriation hill for the
rN'' list the question being on the amend
ncnt proposing to extend To the military ap.
preparation bill heretofore passed, the provi-
sion prohibiting the payment of the SALARY
ut any person while he shall appear To I've
IN arrears TO the United States. The amend
incnt 10 the provisions WIS adopted without a
division.
Mr.. EAToN Thought the proviso in the hill
shosether mexpediont, and would prefer to
strike II out but believing that wauid not be
accedtd to, should make no such attempt, but
he SATISFIED with endcavur to qualify it, As
It stood, it amounted to declaration, that
there was u" honesty amongst the public of
hcfrs ot inns government Il charge he was
unwilling TO make, for the reason that he did
rot think 1t was deserved. The provision, in
rs operation, would, he thought, produce
hnlch injury; officers of the army aud navy
ou distant service, might not be able To set
We their hecounts within the period limited by
law the abduction of vouchers could alone.
remove. The de5,t resting against them and,
i,nt'l this was done, their salary or pay could
not be received by their families. He said the
RACK book, as it was usually called, was Il We
ny sufficient argument against the provision as
IT stood Last year the balances reported a
EaloMHted TO Is millions Of dollars and, al
shough during tbs last year 10 million of this
had been settled, there had been p:yid The in
considerable sum OF 100000. UnGer the opc
ration oi this bull, none OF those charged rs
heidulters cnald have received any salary due
them. although upon settlement scarcely a.
ny thing WAS Found 10 he due He therefore
moved to- mend the provision so as to apply
to arrears which shall " arise under any ju,lg-
ment had against the party or where the ba-
lance IS ascertiincd 10 be Justly and cguitably
due"
A dcsate cnsucd on this ard o.her amend
Tients, which continued about three hours, OF
which the following IS 4 very BRIEF view:
Mr. LLOYD did not approve of this provi-
son, because he suspected the honcsly Of any
officer at the government, or because he had
any confidence that the statement of the list of
balances implied that The persons there named
were drtati'ters-hc knew its ftllacy too well
20 believe that To be the case hmt he sun
ported this provision on the bnpad principle
shat every man indebted to the people ought
IL dis0karsc that debt before he receives any
lpore OF the peoples money lor his services :
and nc argued at some length To enforce the
correctness OF the principle, and the cXpcden-
y os earring 1t into operation. He would,
h"wever be wiling to modify the progision
and read 40 amendment which he had inten-
ded 10 offer, and subsequently offered, as will
tc found bciow.l
Mr.. HoLnEs Of Mime, was utterly opposed
10 the amendment; offered by Mr.. Eaton, as it
Wouid do away the value and utility of the
provision, and establish an odlous discrimina
i;on amongst the public debtors. L. would
give TO those who keep back from !. settle
meat OF their accounts preference over those
who came forward and settle promptly, be-
cause ihOse who settled and were found in
debted would be sub Jet TO its operation. while
fhose who avoided settlement would be eX-
cmpla9 from the provision. He knew Their.
VAS the power of coercion by suit, but il had
not heretofore been ciicctuai, either from tlle
neglect OF those who ought to- prosecute ar
rlc address of debtors in wdrding il off This
hmendaIent, he said would moreover give am
improper power of discrimination to the Exc
cutive branch of the government, &c. He
was therefore IN favor of the rigid enforcement
of the provision but the committee had this
morning agreed TO propose AN amendment,
which would so to embrace those only who
should baIe been IN arrear one year 4: and
he spoke to shew that this would be sHIfici-
ent relaxation of the principle He would with
hold not dollar from any officer, which they
had right TO but, while they were indebted
to the public, every dollar due TO them should
SO to the payment of that debt. As related
TO members Of Congress there was no danger
that the people would elect men who were in
drbted to the public and could not or would
DOT settle--tliey would never elect dcrIulicrs.
MIR. VAN BUREN, thought That the principle
aud object of the provision were correct but
rs application TO the extent proposed by Mr..
Holmes would be carrying IL TOO far this
was the danger IN tie adoption of all new prn.
cipcs. The adoption OF this provision t0 the
extent It came from the other House would
bc an instance in which, in the ATTEMPT To do
right, they would fail into tho error Of doing
wrong it would be acting on the incorrect
presumption that the government was always
light, and the individuals always wrong, IN
their statements. He cited CAGES in which men
we're apparently indebted 10 the government,
yet who owed nothing justly--amongst the
examples was that ia winch officers received
Gnriug the war Treasury notes at par-thcy
@eTc compelled 10 receive them at par-and
Tcrc obliged 80 disbursc ien nj lpss, and
thus became losers and apparent debtors ;
hey had an equitable claim on tie govern
nrni for the difference, but the accounting
officers could not allow it, and the dsbursng
officers Of course continued TO appear, and
we're reported debtors to the goyernnent.-
iic asked IL men sian2ing in This pTcdicancnt.