Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-04-02

price of slaves varies much, according 10 the
sex, age, aud other circumstances. All these
points are Ia be ascerrancd, before the aver
age value can be Fixed. TWAS not al all tx.
traordinary, whatever might have been the
industry orthe Agent, that all the information
had not vet been collected. Whatever might
have been The want OF diligence heretofore,
Mr.. Il. thought it would be- better now to con.
iluue the appointment. There WAS no limit,
hp said, to this Commission. The Board
might continue the business as long as it pleas
ed and might sit, like an incubus, upon us,
| until its object was accomplished. The pre-
liminary object, in the proceedings in regard
| To the Commission was, the ascsrtaiument of
the average value of siaves-it was we'll known
that this point WAS not yet decidcd--the ma
terlais for its decision were not yet collected.
The session ofthc Commissioners must, ne
cessarily, be protracted. until this is done. I'm
der this view of the subject, he considered
the Agent as being absolutely necessary-ihe
greater the facilities furnished, the sooner the
duties of the Commissioners would he dis
charged. He thought, therefore, that there
could he no sort of doubt of the proPriety of
appointing this agent, on the part ofthe go
vernnent.
But the gentleman from Delaware contends
that, if this Agent is not necessary on the part
of the government, il is improper to appoint
| him in behalf of the individual claimants; and
he says that no agent has ever been appointed
in similar case. Mr.. Riyes thought there
was an essential distinction between this and
other commissions. These claims arise en-
tirely from tie acts of the government. The
whole officially had arisen from the defective
manner in which the article, in the Treaty of
Client, had been drawn. In that Treaiy, it
was stipulated, that all places captured during
| q l,ax la
away any property. II was cOntended by the
British government, that they were not bound
by that provision in the Treaty, to make re-
enumeration for slaves taken away. This difii-
Guilty grew out of the manner in which that
negotiation was made The subject was re-
ferred 10 the decision of the Emperor of
Russia. He has given his decision on the sub
ject in which he pro, Ides for the organiza-
ton of tribunal, To make compensation Tor
these slaves. This government is bound to
Fay lis part of .hr expenses of this tribunal,
and IN afford facilities to the claimants, in es-
Publishing their claims al their difficulty
had arisen from acts fthe governmental ram
the defective manner Of conducting this bust
ness in the Treaty of Client. He meant not
to impure any neglect to those who npgutia-
ted that Treaty but he did believe il To be
the peculiar duty of the government. under
| these circumstance To assist the individuals
concerned In these claims. We are told that
1t had never been contemplated to afford as
sistancr Ia these private claimants, in this case
Mr.. Il said, he differed from the gentleman
from Delaware, in that opinion. He knew
that the Agent had, since his appointment,
frequently communicated with The private
claimants. He knew that great sensibiliiy and
apprehension had been expressed by the
claimants, at the prospect that this Agent
| Wnulu bp iSpn i-nO fhn nt,,i.s
| There were great many nice points, he said
which were growing out ofihis subject. The
award of the Emperor OF Russia had made
he matter but little palmer than it was before
| Mr. X. said he did not feel it necessary TO
say any thing as to the manner in which this
Agent had discharged his duty. He very well
knew the gentleman who had been appointed :;
and he did not believe there was-any man
more competent IL The business. This was
the very period IN the progress oi these claim,
at which the services of the Agent were mos,
wanted {; and, if ne were taken away, the
claimants would he involved in great difficulty
Mr. WIcKLIFFE thought that "a provision
for salary officer. whose duties were moi
d. fined, who was irresponsible, and not ap-
pointed by law, ought not To be introduced
into this bdl. He believed the appointment of
this officer was not authorized or cnntem-
plated, by the appropriation bill of the las,
year. We have been told that this officer was
appointed by The Secretary of State. Whe-
tber this agent should he again appointed, was
Tor the House now To determine. II had been
said to be beneath the dignity ofthe Secretary
OF State 10 do this duty. Mr.. W. did not con-
slider any OF the duties Of his Office, as deroga-
ting from the dignity of the Secretary The
description of evidence, in relation to the
avrragr value of the slaves, might have been
| obtained in sixty day, by application to the
different Marshals. We have given years
salary to an agent for this purpose, and the fact
is not yet ascertained If the Board Of Com
missioners is limited by no other provision,
the power is III the hands of the House, to
make or rot to make the appropriation
| for its support. II considered the appropri-
alton for this agent as one which ought now
to be stopped. The argument, that the GO
rernmrnt had made this commission for The
benefit Of the private claimants and ought te
extend further assistance, was not sound
one. Because we have done one good turn,
we must consequently do another. We pay
the board. and 80 we must pay the agent. We
pay the Judges of our courts-but are we
bound 10 pay Witnesses and counsel for the
parties The oPInion Of honest, intelligent
men, is the only evidence TO he obtained of
the average value of slaves; and that is 10 be
laid before the commissioners. This might
have been done, without the aid of this agent
Ii has not been the practice Of the government
to prosecute private claims. The claimants
viii, no doubt, BE- glad 10 have their claims
conducted At che expense of government. He
fen II his duty TO oppose the appropriation for
salary for This agent.
Mr.. FULLER thought it manifest, that a
service Of this kind was requisite and that
the appropriation was necessary. If was
contemplated that the Attorney General, OF