Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-12-13

The great length Of the interesting Report Of
the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Committee ex-
cludes almost every thing else from our CO.
lumns We have inserted only moety of it
to-day, but shall conclude it tomorrow, and
thereby present it, in oae paper, TO our country
readers.
CONGRESS PROCEEDINGS OF YESTERDAY.
In THE SENATE.-Mr. Dickerson Of NewJer-
sey, gave notice that tomorrow he would ask
leave to introduce bill, 10 apportion the sur
plus revenue among the several states.
Mr. Johnson of Ky. asked and obtained leave
to Introduce a bill "to abolish Imprisonment for
debit In presenting, Mr.. ]. remarked, tha,
if he were offering proposition OF a doubtful
character TO the consideration Of the Senate, he
should not so often have pressed its adoption.
1t was proposition which has been sanctioned
and approved by ma jorily Of the Senate at It's
previous session. Imprisonment for debt, he
believed, had no advocates in Ame"ica-cer
lainly, none among the generous and benevo-
lent of mankind, in any country. The contem
plation of the idea struck him with as much
horror as that of the torlures OF the Spanish
Inousilon, and it was surely as dlsgracetul as
the continuation of that system was to Spain.
1t was equally productive Of signs, and tears
and woe Such being the view he entertained
of it, could he return 10 his constituents and
tell them that Congress would not devise the
WAYS and means necessary for the preservation
Of innocence? The country, almost with one
voice, called for the measure-the public press
was unanimous in its favor, and orators and
statesmen united in denouDclDg 1t as relic OF
barbarous age. 1t was also violation OF the
spirit Of our free institutions-of the Declare
ton OF independence. 1t was violation Of
personal liberty-it destroyed personal happi-
ness and took from man his locomotive pow
er. The system originated inJudlclal usurpa-
ton in England, whose courts had assumed the
mower upon .mesne process, TO incarcerafc an
unfortunate individual! The system, odious as
il was 10 freedom and indie 2endence, was sup
ported by aris,ocracy and aided by the vindic-
live cruelty Of unrighteous creditors. 1t was
hostile 70 the morality and TO the precepts Of
the Gospel. and was a remnant oil bar5arIsm
and Gothic cruelty The obligation of man 10
his felIowman should have its basis on honor
and property, and not upon the pound OF flesh.
He felt therefore, that be was discharging an
imperative and a sacred duty in calling upon
the wisdom and experience of Congress to wipe
away the stain from this fair page Of our legis-
la,ion. and he hoped that decision would be
had upon its merits, at an early period Of the
session.
The bill was read twice by unanimous con-
sent, and referred to aselcct COMMITTEES, consist
ing of Messrs. Johnson, Bcrrien, Chambers
Harrison and Macon.
The Senate then went into Executive bust
ness, and in {; short time adjourned.
In THE HOUSE OF RErREsENTATlyEs.-Aite r
the disposal Of numerous peuhons, several pri-
waite bills were reported by the Standing Com
miltees, read twice and committed.
A resolution submitted the previous day by
Mr.. Cambreleng, Of Yew-York, was consider
ed and adopted with an amendment proposed
by Mr.. Everett Of Massachusetts. The reso-
luton calls ON the Secretary Of the Treasury to
furnish the House with statement, exhibiting
annually, from the. soth September, 1915, to
the soth September, 1926, the amount and de-
scrip,ion of merchandise exported from the
United States TO the British Colonies, embrac-
ed in the recent Order in Council, and to the
other British American Colonies, the amount