The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1825-01-21
THURSDAY, JANUARY r.
HOUSE or REPRESENTATIVES,.
NIAGARA CLAIMS.

NIAGARA CLAIMS.
On motion Of Mr. Tracy, the House
then took up the consideration of the bill
relative To the Niagara Claims.
Oh the question Of the ensrossmeat Of
the bill,
Mr.. Mercer said, that as he had moved
some resolutions asking for information
pertinent To this subject which ii would
require some time Ia fprnish, he should
now move to lay the bill on the table until
such information codid be received. Ayes
82-Noes 10.
The bill was thri efore laid on the table.
PUNISHMENT OF CRIMES.
On motion of Mr.. Webster, the House
went into Committee of the whole on the
bill more .fi"ctualy to provide for the
punishment Of certain crimes against the
| United States, and for other purpo ,cs.
| Mr.. Webster explained the object OF the
bill. The Judiciary Committee had tho'i
IL it's duty III bring this bill before the House
to supply certain Deficiencies in the'crimi
nal code. The two first sections provide
! for puuishments in places under the exclu
| sivr jurisdiction of the United S..ites, such
as forts, arsenii',, &c. and which could not
he embraced under any other Jurisdiction.
The difficulty in the Committee had been
whether to revise the whole penil code, or
IL select particular offences for a spt cial
law. The Sd section embraces another
class Of crimes moi included in the two
first sections, hut committed in the same
pIaccs. lie anticipated some objections
which might she urged against these sec
Il ms. The 9TH section regarded crimes
committed within the A dmirilty inrisdc
ton of the United STATES. This section
went Ia repeal the former law, which only
gave jurisdiction to the Admiralty over
seas, &c. out of the Jurisdiction of s ates,
by which clauseit was prohibited from ia
klnS CognIzauce of crimes committed in
Ravens, rivers, creeks, &c. He gave an
instance, 10 show the mefliciency of the
PR sent law, Of man who receives NOR
tai blow al sea, lives until he comes on
shore, and who is thus sdhiected 10 IA diff
ierent jurisdiction from that to which he
ought 10 be subject. He iDstancrd other
cases which were not adequately provided
against by the existing law, and referred To
the laws which had been framed in other
countries in regard TO these cases. The
9Th, 9th and 9TH sections OF this hill were
intended In make more explicit the pre-
sent law. The 9th section went Ia the
punishment of the plundrrng of wrecks.-
The next section was intended to protect
marines, seamcn, &c. WIN had escaped on
shore, from b'ing Violently sent home.
The next section referred TO any other
burning of vessels of tho U,i,ed States
than was provided against in the former
sections. The mkt was TO permit pxtor
ton on any of the United States officers
The next went to punish PERJURY by put
ting custom house oalhs, Sc. on III, me
footing with judicial oaths. The next sec
| ttor 'cIerred to The security TO be .akcn on
rccognizanccs 10 keep the peace; which
section rs ii might be objected to, he should
move TO strike out. The next regarded
deposits in the United States Bank. He
had omitted one section, which relates to
forms of trials. There were two other
subjects TO which attention should be cali
ed, viz forgery, aud thc countcrititing OF
coin. In the first case, punishment is pro
sldrd by various acts; he rrcted mum
her of cases in which forgery may be-, and
has been, committed, which were not Ia
cludrd in existing acts. He wished to in
clude these, and to reduce the punishment
Of death, and change it to fine and npri
Comment; and confinement to hard Dor
and referred to the amendments which he
he di 'erent cases and characters Of forge
y which might exist. In referring To- the
subject of counterfriting Of coin, he sisted
that there was no law at present which
provides punishment for the counterfrilins
of coin. He had framed his section, on
this subject, To comrnrt in its terms as near
AS possible To the existing law to punish
| the forging of bank paper.
Tie then moved IN amend the firsi SEC
/ tl"n by inserting thr word " armoury,"
after the word arsenal, which was agreed
| to.
He moved to amend the same section.
by adding, after the word magazine"
the site whereof Is coded to, and under
the .irrlsdielon OF the United States !"
which was agreed to.
The bill WAS further amended, in the
same section, by introducing words
OF similar imports at the end Of another
line.
On motion Of Mr.. Livermorr, the cnm
m't'"e Then rose, reported progress, aud
obtained leave to sit again.