Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1825-01-18

SuoJcCt properly belongs TO the committee ui
CLAIMS, have, In my opinion, sa;i Mr. g. taken
view OF 1t much too narrow. Ii is certain
that the message Of the President asserts ihc
existence of claim against the government;
and If this were all which il contained, il would
be a propcr subject of reference to the Com
m't;ee OF Claims. But, il is equally certain,
1t proceeds much further It asks an inv, ST.
CATION o: his pccuniary transactions, rs q pub
iic servant, during the long series OF wears 10
winch he had becn IN the employment of the
Nation. TO divide the message and refer a
portion OF 1t TO one standing committee, and a
portion TO another, rs has been suggested.
would separate INTO parts subject winch is, in
IFS nature, entire. hir. L. therefore, preferred
lis reference to a select committee which W would
possess powers sufficient TO grasp the whole
subject.
Again, said Mr.. 3. the message seems 10
have been misunderstood by gentlemen in re,
gard to another particular. You are not asked
to Iegislate upon it No money is at this time,
demanded from you The President would not
make such a request, whilst he stands in his
present relation 90 this House. Al, he asks is,
that committee shall investigate aud report TO
the House, the testimony which ic i,.av exhibit.
together with hiS own personal explanations
Alter his term OF office shall have expired, he
does not wish to leave his retirement for the
purpose of attending to this Investigations The
message expressly disclairns any view To legis
latIon during the present session: il ONLY asks
that such preliminary inquiries be made as will
render his personal attendance hereafter ulnc
cessar!. SAID Mr.. y business OF this peculiar
nature certainly does hot properly belong to any
standing committee of this House. Aier thc
testimony shall have been reported, it may be
proper, at the next session of Congress, to refer
ma RI oI NJ I'm M nf II,c In.
AMI part to another.
Mr.. B concluded by observing, that it would
be both unjust and unlSind to refuse 10 the Presi
dent the appointment of a select committee uAon
the subject.
N!r. FRIMnLE, of Kentucky, said, he thought
that light enough had been thrown upon the
subject 10 enable the House 10 vote a reference
to some committee, standing or select; aud il
did not appear Ia him that any further discus
sion would be useful. There must, of course
be some delicate considerations involved in any
matter OF account, brought up for scttlemcn! ON
the part of the Chief Magistrate. Some mem
hcrs propose TO treat it as a claim uadt. by n
private citizon-and nothing could be more
correct, rs n general rule--hui that did not es-
tahish the propriety Of referring the case 10 any
of the standing committees. How would it be
II a claim was set up against the President for
moneys due Tie Treasury? Would an inuui.v
moved against hI1 be sent 20 a standing com.
mlttee? Certainly not. And why should his
demand against the Treasury he treated other
wise than 1T would be, If ii were a demand by
the Treasury upon him. PERHAPS il was lust to
say that something in the shape ofcourtesy was
due To the person vino claims this inquiry into
his accounts. He ought at least 10 have the
facilities ofother citizens, and heretofore it had
been usual to refer miscellaneous claims of this
description to select committees. Standing
committees were established by the rules of the
House, for convenience, and the despatch of bu-
sjness, but after 10 years Of public service. a
request to raise select committee, and refer
the accounts TO it, was but small favor, and
probably not more than was due to the House,
AMI the nation, and the claimant, and the sta
ton which he fills. The name OF the committee
would not change the responsibility of the mem
beFs placed upon If, and there could be 10 doubt
that any select committee would do full Justice
to the claimant and the nation.
Nj. MERCER again rose, and said, that, the
President having deferred an exposition of the
nature Of his claims until the appointment of a
committee on the subject it seemed TO be due
to him, on the part of those who might be in
possession OF any information on the subject, 10
withhold il. But, after what had been sad, he
might be excused both by the House and the
PTesidcnt, Tor referring to facts which came to
his knowledge twelve or fourteen years ago.
long before MIR. MONROE became President,
the statement of which might serve to remove
the only objection which had been seriously
urged to an investigation of the subject of the
message. NJ. VI. here gave a brief statement
OF the rendition, bv Mr.. MONROE, orhis accounts
Tor settlement, after las return from his diplo-
matte service in Europe of the settlement of
them being deferred, &c. You very well know,
SAID Elr. VI addressing the chair, then tempo
rarllv occupied by Mr.. p. y: BARGoUR) how
unwilling ihe Sta!ewhich we represent has been
ut all times 10 present any claims of hers to this
iiouse-how sensitive every Individual Repre-
sentative of that State on tins floor has been in
preventing the presentation Of the claim of that
commonwealth for interest on money advanced
by her for the use Of the United States during
the late war, and that for five or six years it has
been kept back from that consideration alone.
The very same motive must have influenced
Mr. MONROE in refraining from presenting to
the then President, an inhabitant of his own
State, disputed account for settlement.
know, said Mr. VI. that this consi Iteration alone
prevented him from doing it. Some time after
wards, Mr. VI said, in list Of persons report
ed TO Congress as indebted 70 the government,
had appeared the name ofJancs Monroe as in
debted some $4,000. In a wretchel state Of
heaith. he hal Immediately mounted his horse
and come hitler from his residence in Ai5ernsrie
county. He presented his vouchers and his
accounts were settled. aud a balance found due
to him, although large amount Of hi, account
against the United States yet remained suspend
ed That Mr. VI. hoped, would be considered
sufficient reason for a reference Of this subject
TO committee. which, from the miscellaneous
Character Of the accounts Of the President
ought TO be select committee. What other
course, Mr. VI. asked, would gentlemen have
the President to pur5ue' Would they have
him nrnsnrl hi-n.nIr hnr-rn -, A,,l.Arr ~ -