Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-04-02
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
SATURDAY, Hrarch 81, 1881

MIR. Edward T. TattinalI, 4 representative
from the State of Georgia, appeared, was quail
fed, and took his scat
There being no Reports OF Cor mittees. tho
House proceeded, forthwith, TO the Orders of
the Day.
On motion of MIR. NIcLane, of d, law T.. The
House then resolved itself into committee of
the whole, for the purpose of considering the
several amendments propo.ed by the Senate. to
the bill ''inasing appropriations for the s,nnort
OF government, for the year 1912 Mr.. An
drew stevenson was called 10 the clair.
Inc iirst amendment proposes TO add 600 to
the amount appropriated for STATIONARY, fuel,
ana other contingent expenses of Congress. .,
This amendment was agreed to.
The second amendment proposes to reduce
the amount appropriated '.for surveys of public
lands" from 100000 to $4,000. This a.
Inenh'neht was eXp!ain' d aad ..oeate by Nj.
hc.1ane, and was concurrcd in.
The next amendment increases f,,e Gum an
propriatcd "for improving the Capitol Snu,rc
anu painting tic railing round the same,n from
$3.50 10 $1,000. Mr.. Cuslrnan stated the req
sons winch led 10 this increase The Amend
ment was concurrcd in.
The Senate proposes to insert in the bill. q
clause, as follows: 'sEor graduatinm and level
ling the grounds round the Presidents House.
$4,000" Some REMARKS were made upon this
ltem' by Mcssrs. Miller and Cushrnan; and, at
The suggestion of Mr.. FORSYTH, who stated that
he wished 10 obtain farther. information on the
subject, 1t was passed over for the present.
1t 5, also, proposed to amend the bill! by stri-
KING out INC sum of S18,CC0, which was appro-
prated ''ior the salaries OF the conn SIS oner,
and arbitrator, under the Isl article of the trco
ty oil Client, and for half the salary of tbc;r
secretary, and half the contingent exrcnscs of
the commission" and inset 1850 in lieu there
OF, Tor that purpose. The Senate further pro
pose to amend this clause, by inserting tie word
"asent'" alter the word ''ar6a,utor." BY this
amendment, it will be perceived that provision
is TO be made for a public agent, in come xion
with this commission.
Mr.. hic!ane moved TO strike ont TIE word
! agent, from this amendment; and, conse cucnt
y, 10 rcaucc the proposed appropriation -. :,
Dtooo 10 S&oco. lie advocated Tic amend
'nent he proposed, at considerable length, and
went INTO an examination of tie terms Of t,o
treaty under which the commission was institu-
.eo' ana The nature of the claims exhibited se-
Tore 1t, to shew that this agent was neither ne
cessary to the interest of the Government. NJ,
of the individual claimants.
Mt. Nartield was opposed to tue amenG-
Hlent proposed t.Ic .arnsn a.. :.
ware. He alluded to the various instances
from the establishment OF the E,yernr,.e.,.
down to the present day. in which sin:io :
powers, IN the appointment Of agents tlcueh
not expressly provided for by the terms Of the
treaties, had been exercised by t.ic Executive.
when such agents were necessary to The prota,.'
ton ofthc public interest, or OF lie rirbts Of tho
citizens lie adverted TO the remarks of an
honorable member Of the Senate, on this sab
ject, which were Published in the pancr of This
morning. lie considered this as one of the ca
ses IN Whichan agent was pariicu.a /. necessa-
ry, and thought his continuance required TO pro-
mote the great interests of these claimants.
Dir. farrclly spoke in opposition 20 MIR. NC
Lanes amendment. He, too, considered tbis
| agency as highly necessary. There were no
data oc'ore the House to shew HAT the services
OF the agent had not been very faithfully per-
formed. The act which the commission W.
established, was national act, and it ought to
be consumnated by the nation The treaty
provides that the Government shall establish
the average value of the slaves; and. if .l,c n
gent taken away, Mr.. +. asked, cou!d (li,
DC donc' For this purpose, the agent had been
hIghiy necessary; and the evidence. on iI,at
point, was not yet concluded. And, even if II
were I've thought the duty of the Government
10 'he individuals, whose property was involved
u, u, ''iis public act, required the continuance of
thi0 agency. From the practice of the Govern
'7cnt, IN relation 20 other commissions Ic ccn-
s"eTed 1T bound to provide an agent in tI.
case. " ''''
.Hr. Bradley considered the asccr;ajurnent of
the ayeragc value of tlc slaves, for which com
pensatlon was to be made, as a most important
part OF the business Of t,ic commission. II was
q oTF5'onent part ofthc treaty, aud could only
Dc carried into effect by the appointment of an
agent. The evidence, on this point, was TO be
iursished under The authority Is The President.
ana as 1t was not to be supposed that he was f.
appear before the commissioners in ncrsop Il,
must be coa.ldCrcd as a specific antIorit,. f,y
the appointment ofthi- st. This ,yas ,,,,I;lo
other treaties, BY which commissioners were
appointed, as there was previous question to
DC set'lcd, as to average value,
"VT. MCDane explained in reference tn f,c
remarks nc had previously made. The averlpc
Vaiuc was to be asccFtaincd bv taking the Va.
rue OF slaves throughout the United Statos-not
ny an tineraDt agent to be sent throughout the
country, but the correspondence with Different
parts ci the country, by the Departmental STATE,
or an agent appointed for the purpose. The
asccrtalniDcnt Of this average was the basis or
TIC business Of tie commission, and ouold to
rave been obtained previous 10 the meeting IF
INC Commissioners. If it lad been obtained
the agent was ne longer necessary; if it had NOT
ocen collected, he thought the agent who had
not done IT, ought not again to be provided for
nc article ofthe Treaty docs not mention fho
term agent-the business il nut rpon fhc, Pr
dent The Commissioners would not have re-
cc"cd this AScnt-hc was not authorized bv tin,
reaty. THIS Agent either had, or had NOT
uohe "iS dnty IN either case nc was no 1onrer
necessary .tT. ~@@t.. tcIryc-1 thai 10 agca'.