Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-12-13


OF Engineers on the subject Of making canal be-
tween the Hiwassa and Cendsauga rivers, and for
tha purpose o! connecting the waters OF the same;
and that he be also Directed 20 communicate TO
this House the report OF Mai. Armstrong upon the
same subject under the authority lately given
:,im to open negotiation with the Cherokee ma
ton of ind;ens.
The following resolution was submitted 5y Mr.
Resoiced, That the Committee on Roads and
Canals be instructed 10 inquire into the expedicn
tyof adopting some regulations for the appoint
inent of a Commissioner IN each OF the United
States and Territories belonging thereto, whose
duty II shall be TO report annually to the President
Of the United States 10 Congress, such iuforina
ton he may be able 10 collect relative TO the in
ssrnal condition Of the State or Territory tor which
he nsy be appoact', and the Improvements
ressary 90 be made therein.
fn offe ing this rcsoiution~-
MIR. Chiffon said, il was far from any intention
Of his TO ansu,ne unnecessarily the time OF the
House. He knew very well that we had already
COMMISSIONER of the Public Lands. whose duty
was TO report annually or the condition of them.
But, for himself he had becu long satisfied that i;
would be matter Of vast Importance TO each mem
Der on that floor who called to appropriate the
People's money TO know for what objects II was
be expended. lie could assure evey gentleman in
,he House, that the resolution he had offered, was
prompted by The most solemn and most sincere con-
Sicon that less due TO the best interests of
the American People 1t was strongly recommend
ed 70 every member Of this body 10y its nnate
proprcty and great importance. Because, as he
had once before had the honor TO state upon that
floor. ihcre>w re some parts Of the American
Contederacy which had been ieastcd as il were
upon the most eXtravagant appropriations pro
.usciy lavished upon them, while upon others not
one. setting beam OF the great political iuninary
had even glanced. GeDtlemens' bosoms need
not catch alarm--the resolution he had enjoyed
the honor Of presenting to their notice, was one
which by no means interfcrrd even in the most
distant manner with TIA sacredness of State
rights. II did not attempt 10 declare, either di-
IrnfhF nftant rt.ntl
eessed or possessed not the power to interfere in
the internal improvement of territory. His
object far different. II s great object was
that gentlemen who reached this place and took
their seats within this hall, and were there en- :
trusted with the sovereign and unlimited control
OF the Treasury, should know whatare the 90
sects Of which the public resources should be ex-
pended. he wished 1t to he understood by all,
and by each, whcr they were voting away pub
Tic money, whether they were actually voting it
Tor something OF Importance whether they
were not, for, in his humble judgment, no man
located here at Washington City, could under
stand the internal condition OF every ind vidual
portion State, and territory, Of the Uuion, by any
means so accurately aud so infinitely a Com
missioner, actually located and permanently re-
siding within such portion, such State and such
territory. The result of the adoption of the re-
solution he had now presented, would be, that
the Congress OF the United States would under
stand the true importance of the objects of i'm
provement proposed TO them. For twas no.
torious fact, which gentleman would under
take to deny, that, when gentlemen who had long
possessed seats upon this floor, and who Justly
possessed high standing i'll this body would rise
IN their place, and make proposition involving
an appropriation OF public moneys, those who were
young members, and had as yet but little compar-
alive experience III the intIicacies of legislation.
felt it ebt OF gratitude grant the appropriai;n,,
and often did 30 without that rigid scrutiny which
ought ever to precede grant oil the Peoples mo-
rey. The consequence was, lhit, while members
were young, and possessed but little experience
and standng the voices of their constituents
seldom heard, in appropriatihg public money He
feared that his resolution had not been fully under
stood-and he confidently hoped that il would
never be supposed, by gentlemen that any prop
osition ought to be adopted, because offered by
him. any more than by any Other gentleman here.
He was deeply indebted to the House for its pro-
found attention to the very few remarks he had
deemed it consistent with his sense Of duty 10 him
self and to his constituents 10 make upon this oc-
casion, and regretted to have troubled them so
long, should ne have done so, were he not
impressed with deep conviction of the paramount
Importance o. the object he had in view.
The question being put on agreeing TO the reso-
luton, it was decided in the negative, by large
majority.
So the resolution was rejected.
Mr.. Wicklife moved the following resolution:
Resolved, That the Committee on the Public
Lands be instructed to enquire into the expedien-
cyof setting apart and devoing the proceeds ari
sing from the sales OF the public lands TO the pur-
poses of education CATER the public debt shall have
been extinguished); the amount to be apportioned
hHiohS scfeidi otdleS according representa-
ton, and to be expended under the authority and
direction OF the respective States.
conversation arose. in consequence Of . reso-
luton OF similar teno having been last Session |
offered by MIR. MeTcer---it resulted in declarinp
Mr.. Wickhe's resolution in order. That OF |
Mr.. Mercer, in the following words, taken |
up and referred to the landing Committee on the
state of the Union:
L. RESOLVED, That the nett proceeds of the sales |
Ofthe public lands, specifically pledged for the
payment OF the public debt Of the United States |
DE applied, under such regulations as the Legis-
iature of the several States and Territories may |
respectively, provide, to popular education. !
z Resofued, That, in ctieciIng this purpose, the !
said sum, be distributed among the several States
and Territories according to their respective fcder
al numbers.
3. Resoiued, That the nett proceeds of the sales |
OF the residue OF the public lands, not included !
within the provisions OF the preceding resolutions,
be applied, in like manner, 20 The object OF popu |
The public debt now charged thoreupon shall have |
been paid
Mr.. Mercer gave notice that, on Friday next |
he would call up the bill for the repair and preser-
gation of the Cumberland Road.
Two Messages in writing received from |
the President Of the United States by Mr. John |
adams, his private Secretary, to wit
FIRST.
: To The House Of Representatives. Of the u. s.
WASHINGTON, 9Th Dec. 1928.
In compliance with a resolution Of the House of
areport from the Secretary OF War, with Docu- !
nents cont aiming the information requested. rels-
ting 10 the harbours, roads, and other works of in
teTnal improvements, undertaken and protected
since the goth Of April, 1924.
JoHNo. ADAMS