Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-05-02


right and power of this House, in reference to our
foreign relations, and especially in reference to the
Panama mission. In future time, when the actors
in this transaction shall have passed away this pro-
ccdure will be appealed 10 precedent, and
your Journals will shew that majority of Con-
gre.s, by solemn vote OF lI3 TO 81, decided this
mission inexpedient; and yet, by vote of lSi to
62, appropriated the money TO meet the expendi-
lures. His wish was to declare the powers Of
this House, and to preserve them. He wished to
destroy all effect which this strange amalgama;ion
OF votes might have in future upon the delibera
tons OF this House, 1t not for present, but
future time, lie wished the opinion of this House,
as fairly expressed in the vote upon the amendment,
preserved and handed down. lie considered the
preservation of the constitutional power of this
House, to refuse appropriation for a mission,
which 1t believed inexpedient, more important than
the success or failure Of the particular measure
upon which the House had recently acted
The press OF business, at this late period Of the
session, the opinions OF many gentlemen as 10 the
necessity OF the resolution, and the manifestation
on the part of the organ of this House and Others,
OF an unwlngness to consume any portion of the
time of this session in the discussion of the resolu
ton, had induced him to decline presenting the re-
solution to-day, as he had before intended.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT.
Mr.. Mercer DIVA Submitted the following Re-
solutions:
a.. Resolved, That it is expeGient TO set apart
from the public revenue, a fund for Internal I'M
provement; and 10 devise system Of rules for its
| impartial and judicous application to such roads,
| railways, and canals, as may be deemed, by Con-
gress, within the scope ofts constitutional power
2 ResOlced, That this fund shall consist Of
| the portion of the revenue OF each year, which
shall remain not otherwise appropriated, after pro-
viding Tor the civil, diplomatic, anG miscellaneous;
the military and naval expenses of the year; the
annual sinking fund OF millions of dollars for
the. exiiEeuishment OF the public debt; and after
deducting from the nett revenue of the current ,
and the unexpended balance of The PROCEEDING year
- dollars for unforeseen contingencies.
! 3. ReSoIred, That, 10 aid the judgn,en, OF Con-
sress in the selection of tit subjects for Internal
I improvement, and TO secure in due time lust re-
gard for all, system be devised 70. the collection
OF appropriate information, and the application of
the fund, rhich shall embrace the following res,,-
iations, together with such others, as Congress NAV
hereafter superadd.
/ list. That the number of the United States
Engineers be augmented, and arranged in two dis
linct corps, to be denominaed, respectively, the
Corps OF Military and the Corps of Civil EnCi
neers: that the latter be subdiyided into two CORPS
one whereof shall be denominated the Corps of To-
biographical Civil Engineers, that every graduate
| cadet, ON leaving the Military Academy of West
FONT be allowed the choice, so far NAV be COM
patoie with the public interest, of entering the
Corps OF Military, or of Civil Engineers, and tina,
the last be recruited, from time 10 time, as occa-
sion may offer, by the appointment of practical
| Civil Engineers Of established reputation
:. That the Corps OF Typographical Civil En-
sineeFs be employed in exploring and embodyins
! all such information as may serve TO ascertain
define, and illustrate, the natural surface of the
United States, and their susceptibility of improve
ment, by artificial roads, railways and canals of
general importance to the Union, from their ten
lpncy n farfli y 70
ton oithe mail; 10 promote the extension of the
domestic and foreign commerce, and to provide
tor the common defence of the United States
B. That the residue OF the Corps of CIVIL Ensi-
neers be engaged in forming estimates ofthe pro
oabe cost OF every such work, in supervising I'M
der the orders of the Department of War the con-
duct OF such works 10 shall have been begun. in
reporting to the Department their gradual progress,
the peculiar difficulties, if any encountered in their
| execution; the manner in which those difficulties
may have been severally overcome and the actual,
compared with the estimated of each elemen-
tary part OF every work. That, of all those re-
ports, abstracts shall be compiled and transmitted
10 the Congress of the United States at or near the
commencement of every annual session. These
compilations shall be made, under the auspices of
the Department OF War, by Board consisting of
not less than three Civil Engineers, who shall sub
join 10 them general history Of the distribution
and operations OF the Corps of Engineers, during
the preceding year, accompanied by such reaec-
tons MS may serve TO deet existing errors in the
design or execution of any work, to suggest suita-
bic correcuves thereof, and TO guard against their
recurrence.
| 4. That, along with every enumeration of the
population 1.-THE u. States, there shall be collected
under instructions from the Treasury Depar;rnert
TO the agents dePuted to make the same the neces-
sary materials for exhibiting, in tabular form. the
distribution OF the People, according to their cccu
paiions, and the productveness, where ascertajna-
ble, OF those occupations, in the several States and
IerritorIes; and In their respective subdivisions
into incorporated towns, cities, and counties or
districts That those tables shall comprehend GO
pecially, a description OF the Artificial Roads
Railway. and Canals, already executed or in pro
gress, within the United States, and the Terrific
ries thereof -denoting, of the RAILWAYS the MN
Der OF lines of parallel rails, and their horizontal
inclination; OF the canals, their breadth, depth of
water and lcckage; and Of all those public works
their denomination, length, actual cost and annual
profit, with the tonnage, or number, and computed
value OF the various commodities transported there
on, within the two years next preceding the period
OF inquiry and that those statistical tables be nub
lisbed, cotemporaneously, with each census.
D. That, during the first Congress as sembled
under any new census, or as soon thereafter as
practicable, the fund for internal Improvement OF
the ensuing ten years. shall be appropriated BIZ an
tlclpalion, to such roads, railways, and canals
as the wisdom OF Congress may deem within the
pale Of its constitutional authority, and worthy Of
public aid.
D. That in those appropriations, preference.
where practicable, shall be given to the execution
OF every such work, by the instrumentalitv of
joint stock companies, incorporated by the seve-
a'Staies through whose territory such work may
extend.
T. That the interes, Of The United States ac-
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