The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1822-12-20
CONGRESS.
II SENATE,


ballots, they stood as follows:
For the Rev. James Mcilyaine e3
Res. John Bricc 8
Dir. .NcHraine, having received a majori-
~ of the whole number OF votes, was ac-
cordingly elected.
Mr.. BARBoUR presented a petition
from d large number of the merchants
and owners Of vessels, OF the city of Rich
mond, in Virginia, praying for the es-
Enlistment there, out of the fund raised
by the tax ON seamen, of Hospital, for
the relief of distressed and disabled sea-
men; which petition was referred to the
Committee on Commerce.
The Senate then adjourned.
Tucsdoy, Dec. f0.-The following Mes
sage, from the President of the United
States, received yesterday, was read:
To The Senate o" The limited States:
Recent Information of The multiplied
outrages and depredations, which have
been committed on our seamcn and com
merce, by the Pirates in the West Indies
and Gulf OF Mexico, eXemplifod by the
death of Il very meritorious officer, seems
TO call for some prompt and decisive mea-
sares on the part OF the governments. All
the public vessels spared to that service,
which can be adapted from other indis-
pens!blc duties, are already employed in
1t; but, from the knowledge which has
been acqalrcd OF the places from whence
these outlaws issue, and In which they es-
cape from danger, it appears that il viii
require particular kind Of force, capable
OF pursuing them ihto the shallow waters
to which they retire, efiectually to suppress
them. | submit to the consideration of
Congress the propriety of organizing such
a force for that important object.
JAMES MONROE.
Hashin"ton, 9Th Dec 1922.
The Message was referred to the Com
mlltce on Naval AlTars, to consider and
report.
.nondaB Dec. 9.-On motion Of Mr..
BAssETT, The House then resolved Itself
INTO Il committee of the whole, Mr.. TAY-
Lon, Of New York, being called to the
chair, on the bill, reported at the last Ses-
sion, = concerning The disbLisemcnt pub
lie moneys"
The bill having been read
Nr. BAssETq, as d member Of The com.
mItiee which prepared this BIZ, stated the
general views on winch it was founded.
This bill, lac said, had been drawn with a
great deerec Of caution, So as, By rnlbra-
eng all cases in which advances could be
necessary, to take away amy possible OBJ
lection which could be made against il
aud II bad afterwards been Submitted TO
the Treasury Department to undergo any
alterations which it might appear to re-
qulre, The icopardisng Of the public
money was OF that character, Mr.. 3. said,
AMI the consequent waste of it so ennr-
nous, that it was time for this house 10
look into it, At the last session Of Con-
gress, catalogue Of delalcations had been
presented, which astonishcd every body,
embracing Il range, the extent of which
could hardly have been conceived. Mr..
y. recalled the atteItion Of the House also
10 one or two facts stated in the Prosi-
dents Message. The fact was there dis
closed, that, nj one time, accounts for one
hundred millions of dollars advanced for
different objects remained unsettled. Such
aa amount, depcod,mt on the personal res
possibility of individuals, at once tells us
how careful Congress ought To he in tru5-
ting 50 great an interest in the hands Of
public agents. L. it had been found that
this great trust had been confdcd TO them
without injury to the public iatcrcst, legis-
latlon "n the subject might be less neces-
sary: but such was not the Fact At The
last session, the House was presented with
a large amount of balances due by indivi-
duals, and supposed 10 be lost; and the
Message ef the President spoke Of several
millions of suspended accounts. Mr.. Il.
sud he had been told that, since the last
Session OF Congress, public officers had
gone OIL the stage oflife considerably in
debtcd 10 the government officers, too, in
whom the greatest confidence had been
placed. This showed, he said, that it was
time to change the present system. II was
most obvious, if we took the reason of the
th'nS, the history of other countries, or the
experience ol this, that it was necessary tn
exercise more rigorous control over the
disbursements of public moneys. 1t was
more than probable, Mr.. %. continued.
that on the first establishment of this gov
eminent, the different State Institutions
haNInS 'tile connection or sympathy with
one another, II was not very easy to trans
act the fiscal business Of the Nation, or TO
carry money from one part of it TO the O.
ther, &c.--bnt the government had been
now cstabshrd for 10 years, and every
difficulty Of that sort had ceased. Could |
1t be right, on the plea Of enabling the poor
man 10 be employed in public service, that
the public money should be pat in jcopar-
dy 1t was not Necessary, lac said, that it
shonld I've SO for, the moment the govern
ln"nt makes contract, the contractor has |
credit to the amount of his contract, and |
can borrow or buy upon that credit. 1t
was not true in fact, that advances were
necessary, and it could not therefore be
right to make them. These, hIr. j.. said,
We're some of the general views which led |
the committee TO prepare the bill now I'M
rAns III =.