Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1824-05-13
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
POLICE OF TIE CAPITOL.

The engrossed resolution for the regula-
ton of the police of the, capitol, Zone pro.
Won of which authorizes The extension of
the authority of the corporation OF Wash.
ington to the public grounds about the
Capitol, } was read a third time. MIR. Wood.
inguirins the particular object 81 The latter
provision, Mr.. LathrOp, 10 the absence OF
the Chairman OF The committee who re-
ported it, said, thai, as he understood it,
! the object was 10 give such authority 10
the corporation Of Washington as should
, carry into effect its provisions against the
establishment Of grOg.shops or stands, on
the public property, &c. A motion Was
| then made 10 lay the resolution on the IA"
| Bile. and agreed to.
Subsequently the resolution was agsil
! taken up, Oh the motion Of Mr.. Mercer,
and The question being on its passage
Mr.. Cooke spoke against that part OF the
resolution which authorizes the appoint
ment Of a Deputy by the Marshal OF the
District, during each session OF Congress,
to attend and preserve order in the pre-
cincts Of the Capitol, considering it wboi-
ly unnecessary TO appoint an additional Of
! fce!. while the House had SO many officers
anu messengers. &C.
Mr. Mercer expressed bis regret that this
resolution should give rise to any discus.
sion, but wen. on TO say, that some pro.
vision oil the sort was absolutely necessary.
There is now no police iu The central part
of the Capitol or its exterior, &c. The
exhibition (of the Panorama oi Paris now
going on in the centre building. was by
permission OF the officers Of the two Houses,
but not by their authority, for the obvious
reason that they have no authority there.
As to the officers OF this House, they can.
not attend to the police of other parts and
avenues Of the building, because their pre-
seDce is necessary here, 10 attend 10 their
duties within this Hall. There were va
riely Of petty offences liable to be commit
ted on the premises, which il was neces-
sary 10 the dignity and character OF this
House 10 provide against
This resolution was further opposed W
Mr. Ross, on The ground Of the sufIciency
o! this House, Iy its officers, 10 protect
its own dignity, &c.
The resolution wa, further supported BY
Mr.. Wood, who said, having examined
the resolution, he was decidedly in favor
necessary. Ii was obvious TO every sense,
that there were nuisances here which re-
quired removal--some of them, he iniima-
ted, OF such nsture that no man OF honor
whose moral sense must not revolt at en-.
counteriDg them, &c. He hoped. there
fore, that the resolution would pass.
Mr.. Livermore, OF n. Hampshire, said,
that the gentlemen who supported this
measure seemed 10 be very much alarmed
by something, which for bis part be did
not understand. We have sat here, said
be, for many years, without any inconye,,
nience 10 the body polite, or, as Tar as
know, to the body natural. should be as
willing as any one 10 eypel from the tenn
pie those " bo sell doves Tor the sacItcei
but the doves OF Venus will not, | believe.
fly 10 the face OF any ole it be Will le!
them alone. We do moi there fore want a
police 10 project ourselves from such evI''
as these. We have a doorkeeper, win
his deputies, and an assistant dooTkeepsi
always on their post, Except that we have
gwen the latter leave OF absence iot
while.) thought too, sir. we had Inc
power OF exclusiy. legislation over Tue
District; but this resolution proposes 10
put US under the protection Of he corpora
ton of Washington. Not believing thI: !"
be necessary, move to lay the reso'usIO"
on the table.
The question on this motion was deter
mined 10 The affirmative by small majors
ty.
The bill from the Senate, fer the Ieie'
OF VIM. Duane, was read third time
passed, and returned TO the Senate.
Mr.. Allen. OF Mass. called up bis Tsso'
luton for adjournment; but the House De-
iny Thin and MI Cooke having moved ~.