Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1825-12-28
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 90, 1926.
The Senate did not sit ;o-day.~
HOUSE OF REPRESENTAT IVEc
AccoUNTs on nR. MoNnnr.

ACCOUNTS OF MR.. MONROE
MT. Nc oy, from the Committee of Claims
moved that that committee be discharged from the
iunher consideration of the claims of James Mon
roe, (!ae President Of the United States y and that
the same be referred TO a select committee
MIR. Mccoy observed, in support of the motion.
that The Committee OF Claims was overwhelmed
by vast mass OF local business, and that II would
be Impossible Tor iheH do Justice TO this pe,,tjon
without neslccting the others contidei O hem.
The documents connected with the clam, of The
i-N-Fresdent were voIuminous, ard lad not been
settled by any Accounting Officers; AID tine w hole
subject was one W hch would red1ire great c,,r.i-
deration and deiiberation 1t was subject inyolv
ing great general principles, and with which in
some of is-asDecs, The interest and character of
the nation were concerned. Ifis ufarn, r,ao J,sT
year, been referred To Select Committee, some of
tue Members OF which were still in this House
lhey had already examined these documents and
were acquainted with the details OF the subject and
as lie was desTous the matter should be fairly inves
! ugated, be was of opinion that thu same course
ought To be pursued, at this time, at the last ses
sion. lie had, therefore, moved, that the paper5
should 20 TO Select Committee
mir ManGum OF n. c. regretted exceedingly that
his views of duty obliged him to resist The motion
| OF the worthy and able member of the Committee
OF Claims. 1t might happen that. in tins opuositjop
he should have to stand alone; but sun he consider
ed 1t his duty, and should, however feebIy, cndea
vor to perform II IN the best way he could Ia Or
DER to Judge OF the propriey of the motion II
would DC requisite briefly advert to the claim in
question Ii would be remembered that ut the las,
session, a message was received from The then Pre-
silent, which created no slight sensation in this
| House The novelty of the principles advanced
III II, and the extraordinary lime selected for briop
Ing forward the claim, alike attracted the notice Of
OF all who heard 1t, and left it almost impossible to
say, whether the object OF the distinguished per
sonaSe In question to free himself from certain
= rI,.4 .
! or really 10 have his accounts settled. The mes
sage ian!y bad this double aspect and many who
| hc"Id 1t wereat loss to determine which of the
| Objects was intended TO be fer hcrsd by it, Nov
however, the case was different, and no doub.
could remain with any one that the present object
was extensively 10 urge he clain of tie late Presi
dent, and obtain It's settlement. The Mes-nee OF
the last session on this subject was at th, fi,1,
! lerred TO select committee, whose fidelity ard
competemcy none could doubt. That committee
had Leen aborous in the discharge of their duties:
they had examined all the evidence which h al been
Iald before the House The subject; so that rrlci,
oil the labor attending the ,estgaton of this claim
bad ~ fact been already performed Tha! con,ui,-
tee however no longer existing the subject of dis
| claim had been, few days ago referred TO Tie
Committee OF Claims but IL was now proposer to-
lake 1t ou' OF the binds Of this Cofnmltiee. aad A.
| gain 10 refer 1t 20 selec committee. Is I'll were in
deed true hat tie Committee Of Claims had not TINE
] -
son Ia favor OF the motion bu; he kney wei. lie
inGeaig'bie and assiduOus cxelion, a. well - lie
ahny, OF that committee, and ho was OF diTe,eit
opinion.
The honorable rnernb~s had said, that ihi. claim
was matter Of national import ,nce--a m ,tter NJ
a public as well as OF private nature lie could
not agree at al 50 this view OF a.: lie AWAY,
thought that II had been misnifrd and oignGel
beyond ITS merits; and, holding tiis opni n, he
o'd allow m, little weigh % any argument dawn
fom This source. Ii the petition hai now the s1u,e
, double aspect which j. presented lien formerly
b ought before Ills House, there might lie n better
prcicAt Tor sen ing IL 10 Select Connltiec "a
COMMITTEES which shpdi, on one side, he court OF
/ honor, and on the other financial body; but. rs
ct presented no such aspect, ttere was 10 LONGER
necessity Tor q tribunal OF this mixed thar icter
Whate, er gentlemen might think, from the course
he was nov taking, he scorued to appeal to the
base end mean passions; YET he felt bound 10 say
that there could be no sincerity in the profession 81
equal rights and privileges, II this House will er,pt
to me- heclu-e ! have held a lofty and distin cd
station, privilege which ID re uses 10 gyatt 10 Al o
mc'uest and the humbiest suppliant who presents
his claim. So far was he from admitting hat a
consideration OF this kind ought to have any weight.
that ne held on the contrary that IN proportion an
any individual was exalted and distinguished in the
station which he occupied, 10 the s,me proportion
ought bis acts TO be examined closely aud project
deeply. lie utterly dscamed all personal and
; ro''icd motives ia This matter. he decisved n.