Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-12-24
Con-ress Proceedings Of uesterdau.


Congress Proceedings Of yesterday.
The Senate we're not in session, having ad-
iourned to Monday next.
IN THE House, OF REPREsENrArIvEs.-t'h
business commenced as usual, with petitions,
among which, Was one laid before the House
by the Speaker, from DIR James Smith OF Bal
timore, praying assistance to the Vaccine In
stitution, of which he g manager, and the PR
viiege Of ranking letters, transmitting matter
TO any part ofthe U. States. The petition was
referred to the Vaccine Committee, raised on
4 former Observation-Disclosures petition entitled
70 notice, was presented BY Mr.. Hamilton of
South Carolina. The Captains ofthe army Of
the United States, stationed a. Fortress Mon
roc. near Norfolk, pray for an augmentation
Of the pay of their grade-Refcrred to the
Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr.. Mccoy, from the Committee of Claims,
said he was instructed by that committee to
ask its discharge from the further consdera-
ton of the claims of James Monroe, late Presi-
dent Of the United States; and he moved that
the same be referred to a Select Committee,
IS was done when the claims were first
presented to the House. 1t was urged that
the Committee Of Claims had already as much
business before It as could be properly attend
edto, and that II these Chains were pressed
upon 4, either they, or all others must be laid
aside; he therefore hoped that the direction
would be changed by the House, and the
Committee of Claims left to the investigation
ofmportant subjects which would otherwise
be wholly neglected.
MIR. Mangum Of North Carolina, said that
although he might stand alone, he felt it his
duty to oppose the change of reference
When these claims were first presented to
the House, accompanied by Mr.. Monroe's
message, it was doubtful whether the object
was to settle an account Of long standing, or
TO free the individual from aspersions which
had been east upon his charscteri the bust
ness was therefore referred to Select Com
mittee. TWAS now ascertsined, most clear
", to be matter of claim only, and had
been very properly referred to the Committee
Of Claims. No difference, he contcnded,
should be made between Mr. Monroe and 9TH
or citizens, and il the Committee to whom the
subject had been referred, could not attend
TO it at the present session, he saw no reason
why that, as well as any other, might not lie
over till the next.
Mr.. Mccoy replied that it was the constant
practice Of the House to referimportant claims
to select committees, and enumerated many
cases, even during the present session. This
he considered an important case and in ask
ing its reference to select committee he did
no more for Mr.. Monroe than he would for
any other person under similar circumstances.
II, however, the House should think proper to
refer the subject to the Committee of Claims,
he, fol one, would not shrink from his duty.
Mr.. Saunders of North Carolina, said he was
one of the former committee TO whom this
matter had been referred, and was convinced
that ii ought again to be referred to select
committee. The claims, he said, must stand
on their own merits, and 4 select committee
was better calculated to do justice in the case
than the Committee Of Claims, whose atten-
ton was already engrossed.
Mr.. McIane, of Delaware, said that when
these claims were frs. referred, it was his mis-
fortune to differ from the House. He was
then ofopinion that they ought to have been
referred to the Executive Departments to
which they related, but the House overuled
him and referred them to select committee.
When lately brought up, he was in favor OF
referring them to the Committee of Claims,
and voted for it; he was now in favor ofa Sc
lect committee, because he was satisfied from
what had been said in debate that the Com
mittee of Claims could not do justice to them.
He put out of sight the high character of the
petitioner, when he expressed the opinion,
that the House ought to give different d.
rection to the subject. as had been done in
many other cases, on the sole ground, that
the Committee of Claims could not attend to
them at the present session.
Mr.. Dwight Of Massachusetts, said he had