Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-01-03

whether. before the loss happened, the officers OF
Government had performed or had neglected their
duty and that the second was 10 determine wbetb
or they had omitted or performed il, after the loss
/ I'd taken place. This latter appeared TO him to
be part and parcel of the first inquiry. Both had
equally in view the same great point, whether the
officers were innocent or guilty in this matter. He
was, therefore, in favor of the amendment.
MIR. Webster observed, that it was difficult to
speak on subject. in reference which the w hole
ground was conjectured He had no other obiec-
ton to the amendment of the honorable gentleman
from Virginia, but the delay that it would occasion
~ ans" ering the resolution. If it were adopted.
distant collectors would have 10 be ri,,en to and
an answer 10 the main inquiry be retarded mill
their answers were received His principal wish.
how ever, Was to guard the House acains, hastily,
coming to the conclusion that the fault in this case
lies IN the law. 1t may be elsewhere We hac
gone on very WE'LL he sad for thirty or forty wear,
WIN the law as it now stood, and therefore, the
p'1ma Jdcie presumption was that the defect was
not in the law.
Mr.. Buchanan Of Pennsylvania, said, he should
vote Tor this amendment and it was no more than
due to the Collector of the port of PHILADELPHIA.
that 1t should be adopted Ifa long life ofunsus
pected integrity and public usefulness cons,i.
tuted any claim TO respect, this amendmen.
ought 10 be adopted, in justice 10 that officer IL
the object o. the mover was merely an inquiry into
the alleged iilegaiity Of the removal of certain
eoous rom the public stores. it would stop at the
proper point. But Mr.. b. was Of opinion thai,
II every exertion had been made by the Coec,ort To
protect the public interest, and repair the ,niry
which had been done, the fact ought in Justice TO
be made known. He concurred in eyerv .en,i-
ment expressed by his friend from Delaware, ex-
cept' IN the opinion, that the object proposed by
the amendment ought 10 be distinct subject of in
qury.
MIR. Wurts said, if il was supposed "a tho Ian
guaee oil ms colleague seemed to imply that he had
offered this resolution with any expectation. or de
fire, OF eliciting airy thing impugn the character
OF 'inPeacn me diligence of the Collector of tie
Fort OF Philadelphia his object was wholly mista
KEN Mr. BUcHANAy here disclaimed the r,n,o-
test intention TO impute to his colleague arv such
purpose MIR. w then made few remarks unon
the amendment, to which he only objected, that il
would proong the time necessary to answer The call
MS otJect was, to ascertain whether the loss
winch the Government would sustain in this case
was attributable to defect in the laws mr. "a
loose aud careless administration of the laws Tie
facts, he believed. would turn out to be somewhat
different from what appeared to be the prevalent
opinion concerning them. He though it ,ou,d
turn out that the blame rests on the law hit if
otherwise, that it will not fall on the head of the
officer but on the subordinate officers named in the
law, and whose duties are defined by IT, over W bom
the Collector has little more than a nominal sunar
vision. A further objection 10 the amendment was
thatit seemed TO touch Oh judicial ground, whereas
acepI
by purchase, into the hands of third persons mo-
thing which this House could do could alter such
state oil things. Mr.. w. further objected TO the a.
mendinent that 1t might, perhaps. interfere with the
course OF proceedings Instituted by the Treasury
department In regard TO this matter
Mr. Forsyth, said, in reply that he din M, coo
now any great delay could result from the amend
inent 1t asks OF the Department only 10 tell tie
house what has been done in the case He prc
suhea' 'hat inc officers concerned had already re-
ported TO the Department what they had done and
IL any orders or directions from the Treasury had
been requisite, lac took it for granted that they had
Deeh gwen Gentlemen coUd not surely suppose
that the Secretary of the Treasury would have =,
TINS time, to write 10 Philadelphia TO get inforn,.
tion OF what had taken place there Doubtless the
loss, with all it's circumstances we're alreadv f,,,
| KnS'sh' 10 nun, and, Possessing knowledge of the
whole case, he could readily communicates ono
part OF 1t as another. Nor, Mr.. F. said, could he
perceive the force of the objection that this inopi,
trenched on Judicial ground 1t was proposed mere
iy 10 ask what had been done, and this knowledge
would not affect the rights of the indy id,aIs con-
cerned lhe nature oil the subject required that the
House should have This information The obiec, in
requiring 1t, Is to remedy defect il any such EXISTS
In our revenue laws. But il has also more eyten
sive object IN view, which is, 10 ascertain wbetber
The ltevenue laws, as they exist are properly eye
cuied Some gentlemen had said, that they shouh,
hot choose I'D express an opinion 10 the character
| j.
had no such scruple. and, though the language he
had used was strong, yet it was perfectly usifable
ne was no., however, TO nc unders God az having
intended TO pass the slightest censure on the verv
| respectable gentleman who is at the head of the
/ Custom House in Philadelphia He poSsessed No
evidence to DO so: he only wished TO ask of the
treasury what were the facts in order that when
obtaIned, we may correct the laws il thew neej
correcting, or punish neglect if any has occur,ed
I Ihe question was then taken on Mr. PoveIl's
amendment and IL was agreed 10 without n division
! The resolution then passed as amended
| On motion Of MIR. Claiborne, Of Va it was
Hes0ice0, That the petition of James Steutoe
sen and others, presented 10 the House of REM
sentaiives ON the 10th of December 1928 and tbso
referred 10 the Committee on Public Lands which
betnion is now on the files of the Clerk, not bav
ing been acted on finally heretofore be again refer
red To the committee afoI esaid.
| Mar. Test OF Indiana, offered the following:
AGsofUed, That the Committee on Roads and
canals be Instructed TO inquire into the expedienc,
OF establishing general system Of Internal Tmprov-
inent, embracing Canals, Roads and RAILWAYS with
luna 10 be derived from the sale of Public and.
or Otherwise, adequate to carry into effect such
system, to he distributed among the several States
II required by them, agrecaby to'deir reputation
~ aiVlsion being called THE icsolution--be-
lore the counting was finished,
| M. Test (the mover observed, that the obiecs
oil the resolution was probably not understood II
was, IN substance, no more than the revival of a
similar one which had passed at the asf session.
and under which report had been made by The
Committee on Roads and Canals. II does not no
to commit the House, said he, but asks only tba,
the Committee shall inquire into tie subject The