Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-12-28

Graham, Commissioner of the General an;l Office
with incapaci'y; or, if capable Of discharsiug the
duties OF his Office, with misGem eaiors rendering
him unworthy of the trust reposod in him. This
letter was referred TO the Committee on Public
Lands, and ordered 10 be III inted.
MIR McDuiiie. from the Committee of Ways and
Means, reported bill milking partial aopropria-
tons for the support .. Government for the year
lSeS. (For CongresS) Twice read and made the
order for this day
Mr.. Med. from the same committee, reported a
bill to reduce the duty Greek and Latin Book;
printed previous 10 i7I5. Twice read and. made
I the Order for Tomorrow.
I MIR. Hunt. fIo,n The Committee on Reyoutiona-
ry Cilims, maize uniavorsbie report OF. tn, pc
uton o, Da'id Meade Randoipi,-iaii oi the table.
Mr.. Hni tour 81 - reported. in obedience 10 i'm
s'ructons formerly given, the biz in addition 90 an
act 20 provide for the sale OF lands conveyed TO the
| United States, iii certain cas-, passed 26t May,
1871 Committed, and made the order Tor to-
morrow.
The Speaker laid before the iiouse a letter from
the Secretary Of the Navy, enclosing rcp0r; from
the Navy Commissioners, transmitting incarnation
III relation 10 experiments American Watei rot
ted Hemp; which was read, ami referred to tn ,
Committee Manufactures
On motion of Mr. Martin. il was
Hesotred, That the Committee on hi ~ AZ
fairs be inst uccd TO inquire into the propiety of
retiocetiing TO the State CT South Carolina he soil
and jurisdiction in and over the site Of the United
States Arsenal at Mount Dearborn in sail State.
| On motion OF MIR. white of Florida, it was
hcsoioed, That the Committee on Commerce be
instructed to inquire into the expcdiency OF increa-
sing the duty on Foreign Oranges.
On motion d nr. Forward, It was
| Res0frcd, That the Committee on Roads and
Canals be directed TO inquire into the expedite ncy
of causing survey TO be made coInIncncino. al
| lta2erstoyn in the State of Maryland, thence, 10
hcConnellsburgb, in the county Of Bedford, in the
State OF Pennsylynnia, thence, through the couil-
ues OF Bedford and Huntingdon, to the Gap, be-
tween Brush and Bald Eagle mountains s. thence
oc
and Buffalo, in the Stcte of New York, with view
10 ascertain the nearest, most advantageous and
practicable routes for National roads from Wash
lngton City, TO Erie, and Buffalo.
h.r. Miner submitted the toilowinr
Reso!cea. That the Secretary OF " ar be direct
ed 10 lay before this House j statement of thc
number OF Military Land Warrants due TO Officers
and Soldiers of the Revolutionary War, which re-
main IN his office uncalcd for, designating the
number OF warrants and quantity Of land t;J,c 70
the Line of each State, respectively. and at ,.a
also state what number of such warrants have is
sued ifom The War Department, within the last live
years.
The resolution was read, and ordered to lie one
day.
On motion Of Mr. Moore of Alabama, it was
.teSofred, That the Committee of Public Lands
DC Instructed TO inquire into the expediency o {
granting 70 the S.btc of Alabama, for the purpose
OF aiding that State in the accomplishment of the
contemplated Canal around the Muscle Shoals, in
tie tennessee river, quantity of the public lands
SAtu1.Su III worm Alabama, equal to the amount
which have been granted TO the States of Indiana
ana Illinois, for similar purposes.
On motion of Mr.. Burgess, it was
ResotUcd, That the Committee Oh Military PEN
sons be directed 10 inquire into the expcdcncy OF
so altering the Revolutionary Pension law, that ali
such persons, whether on the Continental estab-
lShinent or regular troops not of the line of the
army, as served in the Revolutionary war under
one or more enlistmentS, at one more terms OF
service, during the term Of nine months or up
wards, or were, after such enlistment, taken and
detained IN captivity during said term; and who
may need the aid OF their country, may he placed
on the pension roll of the United States, and re-
ceive pensions according to their rank in said scr
vice.
RESOLVED, further, That said committee be di-
rected 10 inquire into the expectancy of so alter
ing the laws aforesaid, that all such as served as
Aforesaid or were as aforesaid, detained in cap.y-
~, ana who Of Che age of 65 wears and
upwards. may on placed the pension roll Of the
in said service
On motion of Mr.. Daniels il was
AcSolccG. That the Committee on Manufactures
De instructed to inquire into the expedency OF in
creas!ng the duties the Importation of hemp dis
iilled spirits, and uolasses.
OLD SEDITION LAW
MI Hamilton submitted the following:
F." nereas, a law passed by the Congress OF
the United States, approved on the i4ui July,
lf9S, entitled " an Vet in addition 10 act tor
the punishment OF certain crimes against the u.
S;a;es;' which said act IS commonly known by
the name of the Scdition Law:
BE at Resotred, That the said law was a violation
of the Constitution of the U. States, by "abridsin
the freedom of the press
Be al further ReS0Ired, That, as several persons
were indicted, convicted, and suffered in pecunary
penalties under this law, that the Comm. Of ways
and Means be directed to report bill which shall
make ijil provision for refundng TO the said per-
SONS the amount, with lawful interest, of the fines
which they may have paid TO the respective Mar
slals OF the District Courts empowered to levy and
and receive the same. And in case of the
death. or the absence from the United States of
any oil the said parties, then TO their legal repre-
scntativcs, such person or persons as may be
duly authorized 20 receive the same.
Mr.. Hamilton sail, that he dill not rise fer the
purpose OF asking the House 10 consider, at the
present moment, the resolutions which he bad Just
had the honor OF submitting. His object was IA
thor to Indicate the time which he should ask
such consideration: for he was aware that the
resolutions covered too much ground and iayoly-
cd too many delicate considerations, both of
pTinciPls and expeiiency, to be preoi Jatsly dis
cussed.
lie hoped that, as an act Of justice which n
owed to himself, he might DC permitted 70 ayow,
that, in moving in this matter, lac wa5 influenced
by no desire 10 make the past subscrFicnt to any
purpose Of contemporary excitement. The reso-
lu.ions were intI Otuced because hc believed that
the parties who had suffered In pCcuniary pc
naltics under the Scdition Law, were ia a.
much entitled 10 have the fines which they had
paid refunded % them, rs IN ordinary sutton in a
Court q Justice was 20 have a sum Oi n!o..sy re-
funded 70 him which he had paid; either through
fraud or mistake, and, Ia his humble opinion, te
only ejectual mode Of Offering fit atoncmeni
for the violation inflicted on the Constitution, by
the passage o; the Sedtion Law, was 10 make full
indemnity to those who had suffered BY It's enforce
inent.