Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-12-28
Congress Proceedings of yesterday.

him with their patronage to night
Congress Proceedinssof yesterday.
IN rue SrsArr.-The greater part of the
sitting was passed in the consideration OF mat
tiers Of no interest or Importance.
A letter was received from Com. Porter,
complaining ofthe structures of Messrs. Ran
dali and Mountain upon his conduct while in
command ofthe West India squadron, and ask
ing the expression Ofan opinion by the Senate,
in relation to the truth and business of their
imput4tions. II was referred to the Commit
tee on Naval Affairs.
The several resolutions offered on Thurs
day last, and yesterday, were adopted, with
out debate, with the exception OF one offered
bv Mr. Eaton, about the snags and sawyers
in the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, which gave
rise to a slight debate.
The bill to give Clark Mcpherson pension
ofSS per month, was rejected by vote of20
tolls.
Mr.. Robbins gave notice of his intention to
introduce u bin prescribing the mode ofcom-
mencing, prosecuting, and deciding contro-
yersies between States"
A Number of petitions were presented and
referred to theirproper committees.
= IS THE HOUSE, OF REPREsESTArIvEs.-Mr.
Scott from the Committee of Public Lands
reported bill, which was twice read and
committed, giving the right Of pre.emPtion
in the purchase of lands, to certain settlers in
the territory Of Florida. Besides this bill,
Mr.. Scott reported on several private claims;
which reports were laid on the table.
On motion of Mr.. Stcrrs of New-Yosk, the
House agreed to consider resolution offered
BY him on Friday last, calling for information
relative to Mr. Monroe's claims. Some a
mendments were made to the resolution as
first offered, when it was adopted as follows
Resolred, That the President of the United
States be requested to lay before the House,
\ statement of the amount of monies paid out
of the public treasury at any time previous to
the 4th day of March 1925, to James Monroe,
late President of the United States, as CON-
pensaton allowed to him for his services IN
the various offices which he ha, filed under
the government of the United States, except
his salary as President, and all allowances, dis
bursements and emoluments attending the
said services; designating the particular sums
paid as salary or otherwise for such services,
allowances and emoluments, and the times
when such sums were paid respectively: and
an account of all claims Of the said James Mon
roe, for compensation, services, allowances
or emof1ments, which have been presented
at any of the departments ofthe Government,
or to the accounting officers Of the Treasury
Department, which have been disallowed, and
the times when any such claims respectively
have been presented, and the grounds on
which such claims have been disallowed.
On motion of Mr.. Campbell of Ohio, the
Secretary Of War was instructed to commu-
nicate to the House what number of soldiers
deserted annually during the three last years
ending on the S0th of September 1925; how
many of them were of the artillery, and how
many of the infantry service; also from what
posts or garrisons, and at what period of en-
Istment the assertions took place, where
born, their ages and avocations at the time of
enlistment what number Of soldiers has died
and where whether assertions frequently
follow the commission of crime or mhicton OF
punishment; what would be the probable ef-
feet of withholding from recruiting officers
the premiums usually allowed; as well as any
other information he may possess in relation
to desertions.
After protracted debate, in which many
prominent members participated, resolution
offered by Mr.. wurtz of Pennsylvania, and
amended by Mr.. Powell of Virginia, was a-
dopted, directing the Secretary of the Treasu-
ry to inform the House, whether any what
deviatons from the instructions given by that
department, or from the course prescribed by
Law, for securing and collecting the duties on
imports and tonnage. have recently taken
place, and whether any and what extraortIn-
ary losses have been, or are likely to be sus-
tanned BY the government, in consequence OF
such deviatious, or from any other cause; STA
ting particularly the circumstances attending
them, so far as they may have come to the
knowledge of the department; and whether
any and what steps have been taken by any
officer of the government in relation to any
such losses, if such have occurred.
The information desired by Mr.. Wurtz, al
though apparently ola general nature, was
shown in the course Of the debate, to be more
particularly wanted in the case of the Collec-
tor, at Philadelphia, where it is reported that
large quantities of teas and other merchan-
die, have been Illegally withdrawn from the
public stores, and that the duties thereon,
have been lost to the Treasury of the UNI
ted States. There seemed to be no disposi-
ton on the part of any member to impute
criminaIty to the Collector, but general de-
termination was manifested to inv estigate the
Transaction with the strictest scrutiny, and as
eertain whether a defect IN, the law. or IN the