Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-01-15
MONDAY, JANUARY Io, 1924.
IN SEN ATE

MONDAY, JANUARY Ie, 1924
IN SENATE.
MIR. Lanman, from the Committee on the
Post Office and Post Roads, reported bill tn
authorize the postmaster general To disconii-
nue. any post route, the proceeds of which do
not exceed - per cenium of the expenses
thereof. The bill was read and passed To
second reading.
MIR. Barbour presented tho petition Of per-
sous claiming decentralization for property
captured by the French, previous to the year
lOOO; their claim having been abandoned by
this government in the convention with France
Mr.. Smith presented petition of IA similar
| nature; and moved their reference To se-
lect committee Of the Senate. This motion
gave rise to some debate, as to the propriety
OF raising Il Select Committee, or referring
,hem Ia the Committee on Foreign Relations
lsi'e latter course being suggested by Mr..
King OF n. Y :. in which Messrs. Smith, Bar
bhur, King of N. Y. Lanmsn, Lowrie, LLOYD
"i Nd. and Lloyd Of Mass. engaged. The
great amount of these claims, and the genera
Importance of the subject, was urged as
reason for raising Special Committee. The
motion, however, was lost !; and the petitions
were referred 10 the Committee on Foreign
Relations. Messrs. Lloyd of Nj ass Lanman,
Van Buren,, Knight, HoImes Of Maine, Ed
wards OF Conn. presented petitions of SINH
lar nature (which were similarly referred
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE
message was received from the Presi-
\ ueht OF the U. States, III the words following {:
Vo the House of Representatives United States
In answer to resolution Ofthe House Of Re-
personalities, Of December 24th, requesting
he President Of the United States TO Law
before the House such information as he NAV
possess, and which may be disclosed without
| injury to The public good, relative to the de-
| termination OF any sovereign, or combination
| o' sorereiSns, To assist Spain in the subiuga-
ton of her late colonies on the American
continent and whether any government of
Europe Is disposed or determined TO oppose
any aid or assistance which such sovereign,
ar combination of sovereigns, may afford to
Spain for the subjugation of her late colonies
above mentioned have TO state. that |
possess n" information on that subject, not
known to Congress, which can be disclosed
without injury TO the public good.
JAMES MONROE.
alr. Mitchell, (ofMd.) offered the following
JoInt resolution, which lies one day.
Whereas that distinguished champion of
freedom and hero of our Revolution, the
friend and associate of Washington the Mar
gus de la Fayette, a volunteer general officer
III our Revolutionary war, has expressed an
anxious desire 10 visit this country, the indie
pendence OF which his valor, blood, aud trea-
sure were SO instrumental in achieving /:
Wherefore,
be II resolved by the Senate and House
OF Representatives of the United States of
America in Congress assembled. That the
President of the United States be requested
to communicate 10 the Marquis de la Fayette
me expression OF those sentiments of profound
| respect, gratitude, aud affectionate attach
ment, which are cherished towards him by
the government and people of this country !;
and tn assure him that the execution of his
wish and intention 10 visit this country will be
nailed by The people and government with pa
tri0iic pride and 10Y.
Ana he II further resolved, That the Pre-
sIdent OF the United States be requested to as
certain from the Marquis de la Fayette, the
time when II may be most agreeable for him
to perform his visit; and that he offer to the
Marquis conveyance TO this country in one
of our national ships"
MIR. Hemphill moved to postpone the or.
dcrs oi Inc day, to take up the bill for obtain
lnS Inc necessary surveys on the subject of
Roads and Canals. The motion was carried,
ayes II, noes 50, and the House went into
committee of The whole Mr. Foot in the chair,
on that subject.
Mr.. HemphIll, in speech of some length,
winch VIII be hereafter given, explained the
grounds and object of the bill.
The question being on filling the blank in
The third section of the bill, Mr.. HemphiII
moved that il he filed with s 10000.
MIR. p. Barbour offered motion (which. by
the rules OF the House, superseded that to fill
the blank,l To strike out the enaciing clause of
the bill. lie did this, he said, in all fairness
That the sense of The House might first he OBJ
tanned on the general principles involved in the
bII, before any thing should be determined as
10 IT'S details Wishing, also, to deliver his
views on The subject, and the hour being now
rather late, he moved that the committee
should rise, aud ask leave to sit again.
These motions, in the course Of the CONVEX
sall"n which followed, Mr.. Barbour withdrew
Mr.. Clay (the Speaker) took occasion to
observe, that the discussion ought 20 be left
tree upon the broad principle of The BILL be-
fore going into discussion Of its details
Two questions Of principle, he conceived, IS ere
involved in this bill first, whether Congress
POSSESSED the constitutional power to lcgisatp
on The subject of internal Improvement and,
secondly, whether it was cxpedient for Con-
sress to exercise that power. Until ii should
he settled what was the opinion of the House
on both these points, it was useless 10 go in
To discussion Of dollars aud cents, in regard
to the amount of appropriation to be included
in the bill
Mr.. Mercer, on the other hand, did not
thluk That the bill was calculated in any man
ser To- test the opinion Of the House on the
great questions Of the power Of Congress in
regard To iniefoal Improvement, and the expe-