Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1823-12-13

neral Goter'in"n'. IN" p,incipai part of Which
had hen allowed hy thu Dspartmen, to whicb
belonged thu adjustment If such CHAINS bar
as there were still several items of TIA. acrouns
which the accounting Officers did not think
within thrir proeinc" to allow, he had been
instructed To endcav"r to obtain The passage
ol an act, Of Congress in relation Ia thes..
claims. He, therefore, submitted III. follow
Ing resolution. which was read and laid nv,-,
for consideration
Resoirtd, That the Committee ON Military
Affairs he instructed IL inquire into thu expr-
dlency of passing law, auihnrisng the piu-
per department to settle, I'm equitable terms,
the claims of Virgin, against The government
OF the United States. arising frsm advances
made by Virginia durius The late war.
Mr. Benton gave notice that he should.
Tomorrow, ask leave 10 introduce joint re-
solution, proposing IN au, nhnent of the Con
sitn,ion oiihe United States, So as Ia provide
tina, the election ri Prrsidrn, aud Vice Presi-
dent shalt he made immediately by the Peo-
pie, without the Intervention of Electors.
The resolutions offered YESTERDAY. 10y Mr..
Brown, ofOhio, providing fur tn, appointment
of a Committee on Road, and Canals, and by
Mr.. Johnson, of Ky. for Il committeet To- nunire
into the exp.diency of aboli,hiDS imprison-
ment for debt, were aSnin severally read, and
passed.
Mr.. Johnson, of Kentucky. said he had made
Il frui,lesS attempt, AT the last session, To Obtain
information through Committee, concerning
the exprdirncy of new organization or the
Judiciary powers of the coun,ry-:hat the
measure was then thought 10 he premature ;
hut recent events had proved that it was not
so. he Thought 1t the duty of Congress to
remedy the de feet which he believed 10 exist
in this department of the government thar
tremendous evils might result 10 the country.
from the powers impaired tn liz Judiciary.
when whole State, anda State tina, had AL
ways been loyal To the Government, might h..
convulsed tn its very c-n;re By jud,cial drci-
sion. lie did not mean these remarks As re
tlectng upon the conduct of the Judges, fnt
he believed them 10 he highly enlightened and
Intelligent. But whatever degree of talent vr
integrity might he possessed hy the Judges.
Mr.J said he considered. in this case, only the.
tenure of their offices, and their responsibility
Some remedy for the defects To which he liza /,
alluded, he believed must ere long he ADDICTED
10 preserve the purity Of our political insiiru
lions. Mr. J. then offered he following res ,Iu-
,i0n, which was read, and laid over for consi-
drratun
RESOLVED, That the Committee on The ildri,ry
ie instructed inquire into the cxp"l-ncv or form
Ing aud uusti!u.ing three adiuinna Ju cia Cirruiis
~ j." added tu the presen number, w,, ga addition =.
Judge io each viz nue. To lie CONFUSED at the
States of Tennessee aud Alabama one of Mi,si..
| sippi and louisiana, and une Of lndiua. Illinois
| md Aissour,--also 10 inquire inin the expadenc,
OF amendmg The law respecting tie Judiciary Of The
United States, so rs require concurrence uf ~
leas' seven Judges in any npinon which involve
he validity Of The laws of the United States, of The
States respectively.
! The Rev. DIR. Staughton was elected Chan
lain of the Senate for the present session.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
More than twenty petitions were this day
presented and referred, some notice of which
will be taken in our next
MIR. Cambreleng. from the Committee OF
Ways and Means. reported bill making AN
appropriation of S35.l9O for the relief Of Dan
lei ID. Tompkins, which was twice read, and,
on motion of Mr.. Cambreleng, was referred
To committee Of the whole, and made the
order of the day for to- morrow.
| The resolutions Yesterday offered hy Mr.
Brent, for obtaining certain reformation from
the Secretary of the Treasury, and which,
were ordered to lie one day for consideration
were now taken up.
Mr.. Owen, of Alab. offered, as an amend.
ment, AN additional RESTITUTION, recurring infor-
nation respecting other Land Offices, which.
at the suggestion Of Mr.. Webster, he after.
wards withdrew
Mr.. Wright, of Ohio, expressed his doubts
whether the Intervention OF the House was
requisite in order la obtain the infoi ma,ion
| desired, and u not, he was opposed 70 it on
principle.
Mr.. Brent explained the objects he had in
view in making this call, as the documents in
| question were indispensable Ia enable the
House 10 act nnderstandingly on several Ques-
tIons which will necessarily come before them
the present session.
Mr.. Campbell, of Ohio. feeling confident
that the Secretary of the Treasury had airea-
dy reported on some of the Subjects at least
embrace IN these resolutions, offered as an
amendment To them, these words, " which
has not yet been reported TO this House"
Mr.. Ra lkin supported the amend menf.
The question being taken on the amend
meni, il was adopted. The question then re-
curing on the resolution as amended
Mr.. Wright, of Ohio, observed, that he was
by no means satisfied that this was The proper
mode of obtaining the information He doubt
ed whether II was right for this House To APP
ply TO the Heads of Departments at all and
rather thought the application should in all
cases he made directly 10 the Executive. He
therefore moved 10 amend the resolutions by
substituting the words $ the President ufthe
United States he requested" instead of Z" the
Secretary ofthe Treasury be directed"
This amendment was opposed by Mr.
Brent, who assured the honorable gentleman
that he had no impure or improper mOti,rs in
wishing To call directly on tie Secretary of
The Treasury for the information hr wanted
He believed he was pursuing the course which
had usually been followed. What would be-
the consequence ofadopting the principle pro-
posed IN the amendment (? Must this House
call on the President Of the u. States for eve
w paper they may chance To want.
Mr.. Livermore WAS Opposed 10 Innovations,
and TO taking a circnituns mode Of Ceiling