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

evisaton, along the a-board OF the United States
from Maine, across the Peninsula of Florida, to
New Orleans TO the Chesapeake and Ohio, and the
Ohio and Erie canals; TO the improvement, of the
navigation of the Tennessee, Ohio, and Connect
cut rivers; to the extension OF the Cumberland
road, TO the construction OF the contemplated road,
II ON the District of Columbia to New Orleans;
and, to such other works of general importance.
as farther surveys may develop, and the part a
foresad, of the fund for Internal Improvement,
may be competent to construct, or 10 afford eiIec
taal aid In constructing"
In submitting motion TO lay the preceding re-
solutions on the table, and to print them, Mr..
Mercer said, that it had long been the avowed
wish OF many members of the House toprovide
system of Internal lmproveme That, concur
ing in that sentiment, he had Submitted 10 the
Committee on Roads and Canal, at the last session
OF Congress, the outlines of such system, which
he had since reduced to the form Of sundry resolu
tions, that he now asked leave TO offer 10 the
House
He did not design to press decision upon them
during the present session, unless the House shall
be disposed, as he himself is TO act upon bill in
relation to the same topic. some time past report
ed by the Committee on Roads aud Canals, and
referred to a Committee of the whole House.
He had hitherto withheld the resolutions, in the
expectation OF receiving report from the United
States Engineers on subject of great magnitude,
and which must be comprehended in any plan OF
Int rnal Improvement, ut all Commensurate with
the wants of the Union.
De.paring as he did at present, of seeing that
subject brought before the House, in time TO be fl
nally disposed of during the present session OF
Congress, lie. notwithstanding, felt IT to be his
duty to call the attention OF the House 10 those
outlines of system on which he had himself long
inedia!ed, and which, presented in the shape oil
distinct resolutions, might have tie effect OF elici-
ting the opinions of much ADLER minds, and expe-
di!ing favorable decision upon subject OF vital
importance, as he believed, TO the union and pros
| perity of the United States.
| The details embraced by the resolutions. were
Designed, and would be found, he hoped, TO OBJ
viate some of the objections which had been hi
! therto urged, even by those gentlemen who adj
nitted the power of Congress to legisla,e on this
subject, 10 the expediency Gifts exercise. They
| involved, he hoped, no doctrine which would ex-
c!ude from their support, any OF the advocates
| for system OF Internal Improvement, however
they may differ among themselves as TO the sour
ces in the Constitution from which the general
! power may be legi,imately deduced
The resolutions were ordered to lie upon the
| table and to be printed
An engrossed bill '' for altering the times OF
| holding the Courts of the United States for the
| w eStern DlstTlCt virginia., was reau tniiu
time, PASSED, and sent 10 the Senate for concur
renee.
| An engrossed bill " 10 provide for the apprehen-
sion and delivery of deserters from French ships in
| the ports OF the United States,'' read third
time, PASSED, and sent TO the Senate
The House then, on motion of Mr.. Hemphill, OF
Penn. resolved itself in committee OF the whole,
Mr.. Webster, of Mass. in the Chair, on the state
of the Union, and resumed the consideration Of the
,I Il, IS ~
Army ofthe Revolution
The Bill, originally reported, is in the follow
ing words:
d" BE 1t enacted, &c. That the accounting cfff-
GERS of the Treasury Department be, and they
hereby are, directed and required to adjust and
make statement and distribution of
dollars, among such of the surviving officers OF the
army Of the Revolution, who, by the act of Con-
gress made the twenty-first day of October one
thousand seven hundred and eighty, were entitled
to hall pay for life, und who shall apply for that
purpose, within
months, from the date the act; the distribution to
be made in ra,eable proportion, according to the
annual pay of each officer, and agreeable TO his
rank in the line of the Continental army, in the
State TO which his regiment or corps belonged;
aud when the distribution shall have been made,
certificate shall issue to each Officer for his pro-
portion of the
dollars 10 be signed by and dated on
the day in which the distribution shall have been
made, bearing interest of FIVE per cent, and re-
deemable at the pleasure of Government.
Sec. 2. Ind be II enacted by the authority
aforesaid That TO certificate shall ISSUE by vir-
tue of this act, unless upon evidence credentials,
which shall &c saliT satisfactory to the Secretary
of the Treasury, and which shall specify the regi-
ment or corps in which the applicant served and
the place of his present residence Provided, h0,c-
epey That the provisions of this act shall not ex
tend TO the foreign officers, who were specially
provided for under the act of Congress, the third
Of October, ore thousand seven hundred and eigh-
ty-four''
Mr. Drayton, of South Carolina, then addressed
the committee in support OF the BILL ard in reply
to Mr.. Carson, OF North Carolina.
| Mr.. Bidder Of Maine, followed on the same side
| OF the question.
Mr.. Kremer of Pennsylvania, wishing the pro-
visions of the bill extended, so as TO embrace the
militia officers as well as those of the Continental
line, moved that the committee rise, with view
to having the bill Te-commieed TO the Select Com
mittee who reported it, with instructions TO that
effect.
| The motion was lost.
After few remarks from Mr.. Bassett of Va,
in opposition 10 the bill, the question was Lut on
filling the blank, which contains the appropriation,
with one million of dollars and decided in the af-
frmalive. Ayes II, noes AZ.
On motion OF Mr.. Dwight, the second blank was
filed with the word " six, which was to make
i, read, e" who shall apply fo. that purpose, within
sir months from the date of this act;'' and the
next blank was filled with the words g Secretary
OF the Treasury" TO make it read " ceriif-
shall issue each officer for his proportion Of
the million ofdolIars, TO be signed by the Sc
erefdyy Of the ITedSuTy;" and the words, Z" on
the DAY in which the distribution shall have been