Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-04-22


agents" The agents of the claimants from LOUISE
ana s. Georgia had thought proper to present their
petitions to this House. II was right they enjoy
cd IN common with all other persons, and they
certdlniy might exercise il without being dencmi
mated "o,iicious and inte. ieddling." Ii made no
difference TO this House whether the citizens ad-
dressing 1t by memorial resided in Georgia and
Louisiana, or in Va. s. MARI He trusted j:
10 more an intrusion on the Heusc to present
petition from Georgia, than TO present petition
from Va. Whether the memorials, which he had
had the honor 70 present, were respectful and de
corous IN their character, or deserved TO be called
"oiiicous and intermeddling," wonid fully appear
10 the House, when they should be printed and
laid before il. He put il TO every gentleman to say
whether lac at present fully understood this SUBJ
Ject or not. IL was not possible that gentlemen
could be acquainted with the facts OF the case,
less they had learned them from the private state
rlents of persons deeply & personally Interested
lie did not complain that such statements should
have been made. He knew and admitted that gen
uenieD had perfect ;sht 90 make them. But such
statements were not calculated to enlightcn the
whole House Ii was very unpleasant to him 10 be
Obliged 10 advert TO view of the subject which
he was now aboutto present; but gentleinenyould
all rcco'Iect the very novel and extraordinary ap
plicaon which had been made 10 them to give GER
tain instructions TO the Committee TO whom this
bill had been referred; mode OF procedure which
nc believed, was without precedent parallel.
ct now, when sim, lie memorial is presented, and
tho printing oft has been ordered by the House
the same gentleman Mr. Taiaferro1 who moved
such extraordinary instructions to the Commit
tee, seeks to preclude the House from perusai of
II, and presses decision upon the bill. One gen.
ticman urges upon the House the necessity of an
Immediate decision with a view 10 save expense
because the sitting Of the Board involves the paw
'ncnt OF the Commissioners salaries, and this argu
rnent is gravely presented 20 the House. when an
interest to the amount of 81 200 900 is depending
Mr.. q. said he was willing to 60 into scrutiny
on the subject OF the improper expenditure OF pub
lie money, as any other member OF the House; but
when such an amount OF property was at issue he
considered prolongation OF the salary OF those Off
GERS who were TO pass upon II, matter not to
be mentioned, il, thereby, a more correct decision
could be had. Another of the gentlemen from
virginia. Mr.. Barbour had said that, if the Com
Irissioners asked for longer time to sit, he
should be in favor of allowing il. But did not
the gentlemen, themselves, furnish Il repIv IN
this argument Did they not urge upon the
House that these Commissioners were receiving
high salaries? and could they expect that men
so situated, would not feel the delicacy of their
situation too strongly TO decide on such ques-
ton: Must they not perceive to what imputa-
ton they would subject themselves by so DOING,
The operation of the bill would not determine
any Judicial question:; and he wished the decision
delayed till the memorial should appear, in order
Chat the House might see, with additional dis
tnctness. the reasons why the sitting of the Board
should be prolonged. The question al issue be-
fore the Commissioners depended on the consruc
ton 10 be given to the Treaty of London The
claims Of those residing in Georgia and Louisiana
Board.
declared to come precisely within the meaning of
that Treaty Their slaves were not ONLY taken
by the British, and deported, but they were talon
within the limits OF ;he United States This had
been satisfactorily proved, and, thereby, their
claims had been brought within the express pro-
visions OF the Treaty. But those who claimed
from Virginia and Maryland, were prepared on
~ to prove that their slaves had been taken but
not 10 prove that they had been taken within the
limits Of the United States. They contcndcd that
having established the first point, the second point
was to be presumed, unless the contrary was
shewn, and they threw the burden of this shew-
ing on the first set of claimants. The Claimants
from Georgia though they had proved the whole
OF what was required, and were, therefore enti-
tied TO full compensation had received only seven
y five per cent. Of their Claims after waiting
twelve years when the documents should be
published, IL would appear TO the House ,.!at the
proof which they had produced, though clear and
convincing, and in itself sufficient and satisfactory
was wanting in some formality as TO the mode in
which 1t had been taken; il wanted some notaral
seal, or some vcrihcation OF that description. This
could readily be supplied, ii time would allow and
all they asked was The allowance Of that time
Mr.. q. insisted that the very pressure of the cues
ton at this moment, contained in itselfthe evidence
that the Virginia gentlemen believed that the pro-
duction, OF these documents, and of this proof
would be fatal 10 their hopes, and this was the
reason why the Board OF Commissioners were IN
be refused longer time OF session; the result of
WHICH world be, that the claimants from Virrinie
and Maryland would receive i!ic money which
was justly due, and which, If time were allowed
could be proTed 10 hc Justly due, not 10 them
but 10 the claimants ficIn Georgia and Iouisi-
ana, who would be able to shew that The slaves
from Virginia and Mary land had been lawfully
taken ia time of war, and not uniawfuliy deported
from within the limits Of the United States, and
therefore, did not Come within TIE provisions Of the
trcaty.
Al this point cl the debate the hour allotted
10 morning business expired, and ITS further pros
erution was arrested by the Chair.
Mr. Floyd moved 10 postpone the Orders Of the
Day, in order that the discussion might be con
tinued bat the motion was ncgatiyed-and the
House then proceeded 20 the Orders of the Day
and resumed tie consideration of the Tariff Bill
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE
TUEsDAx, APRIL -.
Mr. 7. j. Barbonr, from the Committee on the
Judiciary, to which was referred the bill from the
Senate, entitled " An act further TO regulate the
processes in the -" Courts of the United States,r
reported the same without amendment, and the
bill was then committed.
DEPOBTED SLAVES.
The motion of Mr.. Wickfs TO DISCHARGE fbe
Committee of the Whole from the farther consid.
Grafton of the bill to prolong the time for the Sit
ting of the Board Of Commissioners under the
treaty of Client, on the subject of dcportcd slaves
coming up as the unfinished business of yesterday
morning.
K1r. Archer spoke in support Of the motion, and
~ reply 10 the remarks yesterday advanced by Mr.
CiIIner. He denied the necessity Of waiting until
Che memoria! from Georgia this subject should
rave been printed insisting, that, if such mortal
we're now present, it would be improper for the
House to consider the subject matter Of IL. The
question TO which the memorial related, belonged
exclusively TO the Board of Commissioners. ri
brought into the House, it would be coram non