The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1823-12-17

ADVANCED curing the late war, was again
cal ed up and agreed to.
The resolution submitted, some tJays
since, by Mr.. johnson of XIV. proposinp
an inquiry intothe expcdiency of estab.
fishing three new district courts, and al
SO OF requiring the united opinions OF Sc
ven Judges OF the supreme court, ON
any question involving the validity of
law of the U States, or of apy state. the
opinion OF each judge to be recorded Sc.
parately was again read for consideration.
On motion of Mr.. Eston, the resolution
was amended, by also providing for an
inquiry into the expediency of making
me supreme court separate and distinct
from The circuit courts; and as amended
the resolution was adopted.
Adjourned till 10 O'Clock Tomorrow.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
Alter the presentation Of about so pc.
titions, the speaker laid before the house
unication from the secretary of
war, accompanied with a list Of licences
granted 10 Indian traders also, his re-
port ON the claim of Joseph Marshall
The speaker laid before the house,
communication from the comptroller of
the treasury, accompanied with list re.
ceived from the register of the treasury,
OF the balances on the books of receipts
and expenditures, which appear TO have
been due more than three years prior to
the S0th OF September last which seve
raj papers was laid upon the table for
consideration.
MIR. Rankin, from the committee on
the public lands, reported " bill to au
thorize the state Of Indiana to open a ca.
nal through The public lands TO connect
the navigation OF the rivers Wabash and
The Miami of Lake Erie;' which was
read twice and committed.
Mr.. HemphilI, from the committee on
roads and canals, reported bill. entitled
can act to procure the necessary sur.
veys and estimates on the subject of roads
and canals 5" which having been twice
read, was referred 10 The committee of
the whole on the state ofthe union.
The following resolution offered on
Friday last, by Mr. Cook was taken I'D
That the secretary of the treasury be di.
rected to communicate to this house all
the Information in his possession, tending
TO shew The circumstances connected
with recent robbery of the land Office at
Vandalia, In the state OF Illinois and
the justice Of releasing the receiver of
public moneys from his liability to the
government for the sums lost by said
robbery. Agreed to. mem con
The following resolution, offered on
Friday, by Mr.. Fuller, was taken up
That the president of the U. States be
requested to communicate to the house
a plan Tor the peace establishment, of the
navy ofthe u. States.
This resolution, was also, agreed to,
neni. con.
On motion of Dir. Sharpe, Resolved,
That the committee on manufactures be !
instructed 10 inquire into the expo dieDcy
ofimposing duty on merchandise sold |
at public auction.
Mr.. Poinset submitted The following |
Resolved, Tha, the committee on naval |
affairs be instructed TO inquire into the |
expectancy Of authorizing the censtruc,
ton Of ten additional sloops of war.
Mr. Poinsett said, he was induced to
offer this resolution to the confederation |
OF the house, from an earnest desire 10
see our navy rendered efficient and capa-
bic OF maintaining the high reputation
! which II has so gallaDtly and molly won
Ii We would have fleets of line OF battle
ships ard frigates in readiness 10 be
poured forth against an enemy, al the
commencement of war, we must rear
up officers capable OF commanding them.
AS our navy is now constituted, we snail
be compelled, in the event Of war, TO
cOntide the command IF our ships, the
| safety of our gallant seamen, and the no
nor OF our flag, 10 inexperienced officers;
10 men, who have been, for years, on
| shore, forgetting what they formerly had
learned. We have now FIVE sloops of
| war, and thirty masters commandaDt, so
! that an officer cannot hope TO be employ
I'd ofteDcr than once in six years. To
! ndVe an effiticD' navy, the proportion be
twe cen sloops Of war and line of battle
ships and lrigates must be preserved
add trust, said Mr. p, that the subject
ill receive from the committee the con-
sidera;ion its importance deserves.
| The resolution was agreedto
Mr.. Mercer, presented the following
resolution, which lies one day OF course:
That the secretary of the navy be direc.
led to transmit to this house a list of the
officers of the navy of the the UpIed
States, denoling the periods Of their ad
mission into The public service; the dates
OF their present commissions, and the
time Of their actual service at sea since
the LIST of JAM, 1915