Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1822-01-03

tn iS.t GntiN'S. he NAd very little doubt but
q the iaw l.,,i been carried, into effect with
The s'inc spir;tastha; which produced ii. But,
AS there wer,. individuals who supposed that
they Ind been aggrioyed by the mode in
which the law had been carried into effect,
10 place tle ,uatter ~ It's proper light, III JUS
ticc as we'll Ia those whose conduct on this
orcasloo he supposed 10 have been inisrcpre-
seuied, he moved The following resolution:
itescired. Tnat the committee Military Affairs
he nstiucted to iiqune and rcpgt 20 this House
whether the Army has hcen reduced, according the
provisions ofthc act To fix the Military Peace Es-
tnhliSiment OF the Unitcd States, passed on the I'd
day of March 1921.
The resolution was agreed to, mem. con.
Dir. I'rimbie laid the following resolution Oh
the table
Resolred, That the President of the United States
be reuu, S,ed ,n cause It, be laid before this House
sic;i communications between the government OF the
United States aud France, or such other information
respecting the construction Of the 9Th article of the
treaty oflSoJ, by which Louisiana coded, res
pectinc the ~ the Apullo in 1920, Cor viola
ton OF laws, aud also respecting the dis.
examinations made in each country between its own
navigation and ,.,a Of the o:herts in his opinion
may not be Inconsistent with the public interest
communicate.
Mr. .AetcnIfs submitted the following rrso-
luton
Resotrci, That the committee on Public Lands be
instructed to inquire whether any, and, IL any what,
farther provision oueN To he made by law TO
The safe transmission OF public money from the scye
raj ounces 70 the places Ol by
the Secrettry OF the Treasury.
GA motion of Mr. if6hki', the resolution
was ordered to lie on the table.
On motion of Mr.. Sterling, of =. Y. the
house then resolved i;selfiuto Il committee OF
the whole on the bill to authorize recon
veyancc of tract of land in the city OF New
forl-air. Hi,i III the chair.
Dir. Sterling moved to strike out the word
"retrocede,' and To insert in lieu thereof the
word :" reConvey (which carried.
Mr.. Cooke. as chairman of the committee
who reported the bill, briefly assigned the rva-
sons by which the committee were act,atrd
He remarked that in proceeding to thu result
at which they had arrived, they had called up
OH the Sncrctlry of War for his opinion on the
subject. The Secretary had replied BY rx-
pressing not only his own, but the opinion of
the Engineer Department, that rs soon as Fort
Diamond, at the NarrOws, should be complct-
cd, which was understood to he near at hand
the fort now referred to- would be unneCpssa-
~. That it was very little used and regarded
at prcscnt--and if continued tn be he'll hy the
United States, would occasion Il continued e.-
pense without benefit to the public. II was al
soa part of the contract by which il was o.
rginay coded to the United States, that wien
Ut was no longer of utility 10 the general ~
Ycrnment il should be- coded back to the city
Mr.. Golden observed, in further explanation
ut the subject thai the land i'll question was
situated III front Of the battery in thu city of
New Yurn. TIE gale ofihe 81 of Set last had
destroyed Etr barriers that had heen raised To
protect the battery, and that il was necessary
To have a permanent aH6 expensive repair, by
stone wall. Experience had proved that
wooden walls Were nDt sufficient. In these
repairs the United States must Join, they
continue tn bold the property, add the expense
was estimated al 1900 dollars. Forr Clinton
however ornamental to the harbor of New
York, was useless 10 the y. States. II was
built upon an artificial island formed of stones
thrown together Ike pyramid, without cc-
ment. The consequence was, that when the
guns were fired (which, he believed, hid never
been done except tn return a sali.el the fort
evidently settled down, and fears had hecn
entertained that il would fall by its own noise.
1t night invite the enemy, hut could not pro-
'ect che city. This artificial island was COZ
nrcied with the main land by Il bridge built of
wo1d. Ii had been completed in 1914 and a
year or two since underwent Il thorough rr-
par, AT an expense, ii was said, of 6 geo dol
lars, and it was shewn that the worms prs-
foIated 1t SD destructiycly that it would be
necessary to rebuild it once in about wears,
which would evidently cost the United States
large and unnecessary sum of money. Mr.
=. also adverted to the condition la the org-
nal grant, as referred to by the men,;,cr from
Tennessee, Mr.. Cocke,) and claimed that law
and justice required the re-convcyance, as the
contingency which it contemplated had ar
rived. Mr.. Z. further stated, that two guard
houses were originally erected at the cxtrpni
~ OF the bridge, which, since the removal of
the 'Comnander of that district, had been
converted into grog shops, TO the great annoy
ance OF the wives and children of the citizens
who resortcd to that proncnade--and this
too, II not in defiance. yet in disregard of the
civil authority
Mr.. Hubblrd, believed there could be no
possible advantage resulting to the United
States from retaining the premises. He
therefore moved SO to amend the bill as 10
render il the duty of the Executive to recon
vey the premises without any condition an
ncxed to the retrncession.
After some ftstlicr discussion of Tie subject
Mr.. Hubbard withdrew his amrnh,ncnt and
Mr.. Ross moved TO amend the bill as to limit
the discretion Of the Executive t retention
ofthe materials ofwhich the fort was com
posed.
This motion was supported by the mover,
and Opposed by Messrs. S. Smith Co!,icn,
Tracy, Chmbreieng, Cooke, and HuJ5ard, prin-
cpaiiy on the ground that the removal of the
materials might involve the United Siatcs IL 4
greater expense than an unqualified rrlinquisl,-
ment. They thought it most cxprdient to
refer it TO tlIc discretion of the Executive.
Mr.. Tracy submitted i proyiso to tn.
amendment which WAS lost whrl the qirs-
ton Being taken on the amendment of NJ.
Ross, the same was ncgaiivcd, and the com
u'ittoe rose and reported the biz 10 the Iiutisr
as amended.
The House concurfcd in the amendment
and the bill was ordered to eusfosscd for :,
third reading.