Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1823-12-20

Committee of the whole. reported without
amendment, and ordered To be engrossed and
read third time.
The Senate then adj ourned till NV, lrr o'clock
Tomorrow.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Alter the presentation of several memorials
and petitions. amongst which WAS one, by Mr.
Cambreleng from the CurpUration Of New
York, praying ,fnr an alteration of the Iaw re-
lalive to the cession of Castle Clinton
AR. Webster, from the committee on the
Jud'ciary,madc areport against the propreiy of
giving concurrent Jurisdiction to the Supreme
Courts IN the States, in certain casrs under
the patent law; which was read, aud laid on
| the table.
! Mr.. Crowninshield, from the Committee
on Naval Affairs, reported bill for The relief
OF Sarah Perry, mother Of the late Oliver II.
Perry which was read twice aud com
mtted
MIR. fIemphill, from the Committee on the.
Cumberland Road. reported bill for the
preservation and repair of that road, tpropos-
'n5 to erect toll-gates thereon, Sc y " hich
was read twice and committed.
The Speaker laidihefore the HOUSE certain
documentary evidence on the contested elrc-
| ton of Mr. Williams, of Va. which was re.
icrred fo the Committee on Elections.
Inc resolution yesterday offered hy Mr.
MERCER, WAS taken up for consideration and
alter few observations from him explanatory
oi MS objects In moving il, the resolution was
agreed to.
| On motion of Mr.. Plumer, of n. III.
! ReSoircd That the Committee ON Military
Alairs he instructed TO inquire into the expe-
dency of providing by law for the final settle
nenf, on principles of equity and Justice, of
| the claims of the state of New Hampsl,re
against the United States for militia services
during the late war with Great Britain.
On motion of MIR. Strong, it was
Resolved, That the Committee on Public
Lands be instructed to inquire into the exprdi-
ency or establishing Surveyors Office in each
OF the States and Territories in which the Pub
nc Lands of the United States are situated.
Mr.. Allen of Mass. presented the r,owinr
resolution
Resolved, That the Postmaster General he
| directed tn lay before this House. a statement
Of the number of miles of Post road exisiiu., h,
law, In each State and Territory, for each
VI tue three years next preceding the first tay
Of apr" iast-the number of miles of said
reoau "hrreon tGe Mail was actually carried
IN each OF those yearS-together with the
yearly expense of transporting the Mails-the
yearly compensation of Postmasters, and the
Incidental expenses therein-also, a Statement
vi the amount oil postage which accrued in
each State and Territory in each of those wears
the yearly receipts therefrom-the yearly
balances for and against them respectively.
and the balances ofpostage which accrued in
each OF SAID years, now due and i'm arrear.
| This resolution lies one day of course.
Mr.. Kent Of Maryland, offered the following
| resolution for consideration
Resolved, fhata committee be appointed 10
inquire INTO the expectancy of making such an
appropriation Of the public lands To the pur-
poses OF education in those states TO which no
grants have yet been made, as will correspond
M Just proportion with the appropriations
winch may have been heretofore made in ia
'or OF other states-and that said committee
have leave 10 report by bill or otherwise.
air. Kent said, he offered the resolution Just
read, not only from the Importance of the
OBJECT embraced by it, but because certain
resolutions which had passed the Legislature
OF the State of which he was "A Representa-
i've, had been presented TO the last Congn IS
and DOT finally acted on. His object IN calling
| 'hr attention of the House to the resolution AT
Tins time, was TO obtain their decision on it,
II favourable, that the state of MARYLAND, and
nose states equally interested with her,
might derive the contemplated advantages
from It buff, contrary TO their Just expecta-
tlons, the decision should be un(ayourabl,
That they might turn their attention TO some
other source for the promotion of the mpor-
tant purposes of education. He would men
ton, for the information Of the House. that
Maryland WAS not singular in adopting the
principle contained in the resolution that il
had received, aftera deliberate examination.
The appreciation of the Legislatures of several
OF the siates-the dsappr0baton of bat few.
Mr. X. hoped the resolution would be adopt- |
ed, that the subject might be fully examined. |
The question being on agreeing to the re-
solve,
Mr.. Rankin observed, that similar propo-
sItlon tn that now offered had been brought
forward by the gentleman from Maryland, AT
Il iurmer session ofCUngress and he regret
ted that II had not, now, been thrown into the
same form as when before offered II was
then presented in an Affirmative shane rs hich
afforded facility for more direct and imme-
daie discussion of the merits Of the prouosi-
ton by the House. He was opposed to the
reference OF this inquiry 10 select committee,
u II went TO committee at all; not on any
special, but on general principle. 1t was
Tie weli-knoWD and Universal usage in an
pointing select committees, To compose them
ut he known friends of the measures prOpos- |
ed IN Consequence OF ~ hIch ONLY an er marie
view oi subjects Vas presented To the House
IN the reports OF the committees, and time
vas consumed ia obtaining, by discussion, the
views of gentlemen Of ihe opposite opinion
But, standing committee was a sort of gen |
eral tribunal, composed neither Of the friends |
nor The "ppOsers of any particular measure
such IA committee was likely TO present a |
more general view Of subjects committed to
their consideration, than select committee |
ana, should they report against any particular |
measure, II. advocates had still their APPEAL
to Tie House, and fall liberty to discuss its