Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-03-14

= ReS0!red, That the same Committee be ia.
structcd 10 obtain, and 10 report 10 the House in
conneXion with The said bill, explicit inioma
on the following points, WILL as the extension Of
the term beyond the period prescribed by the OK
ting law been asked for, or suggested 10 be ne
cessary by the Commissioners nOsv encalcd i'm
the execution of the said Conyention Is the extern
sion OF the term, proposed in the said bill, designed
to a'-Drd the claimants more time TO procure evil
dence in support Of their claims! Ii no--is it cal
culated 10 operate as an injunction or stay of pro
ceedlngs, as 10 numerous list of claims set for
hearing, and now c0rGa JUDGE? Ii yea--lor
whose benefit is this measure proposed! Is it to
enable class OF claimants, whose cases have besn
adjudcated, and who have received seventy-five
per centum On their claims, respectively 10 col
lect PdTte evidence in a foreign country, TO de-
feat the Claims OF another class of claimants their
fellow sufferers, who, after delay OF thirteen
years, are now here, anXiouslY asking aad prepar-
ed TO have their cases decided? Has any new
question arisen in the execution of the said Con
venuon; or has any recent testimony been filed
before The Commissioners, such as 10 Justify the
extension OF the term as contemplated in the said
bill, with view TO col Get testimony adversary To
claims now set for hearing! Whether the fund
now remaining to be distributed by the Commits
sioners, be sufficient to satisfy the principal sum
claimed Tor refugee slaves, aud other property, en-
tered on the deiinitiye list?
j. ReS0Ivcd, That tie Committee in order 20
obtain correct information on any or oil of the A.
bove topics shall have power 10 send for persons
and papers.
MIR ialaierro saiu, that il was not his wish, in
anticipation, to take UP the time Of the House, by
giving an expose OF the reasons and objects OF
these resolutions. He trusted that il would an
swer the purpose, if he assured the House that
the information sought was important 10 true un-
derstanding OF the Senate's bill, when it should
reach the House IL was purely with ! view TO
nave settled beforehand the facts OF this subject,
that thereby the House might be saved from that
unavoidable collision of dsagrecing and contradic-
tory statements, which usually took place in cases
Oh this description. The only way to avoid this,
was 70 nave the facts established beyond contro-
versy. The House would then be prepared to
Judge on what was, in ITSELF a local question.
Mr.. Everett Chairman OF the Committee on Fo-
reign Affairs, TO which the Senate's bill had been
referred, stated that 1t was probable that Commit
tee would move to be discharged from the con-
sideration of the bill, in which case the wording
OF the resolution, as it now stood, would have no
Application. He. therefore, suggested 10 the gen
tenan from Virginia the propriety of modifying
The Introductory clause of his resolutions so thatt
might read, . the Committee which is, or which
bill.
Mr.. Taliaferro accepted this modification.
Mar. Oven said, that he had no objections 10 these
resolutions, so far the subject of them was con-
cerned, but he considered il a very unusual cour,e
of proceeding for u member of this House to rise
III his place, and propose TO instruct one of the
standing committees of the House in the discharge
Oh ats duty. IL was, to say no more extremely
unusual. lie should not be disposed to give in
suucuons to any committee on a subject under its
consideration, till that committee had at least, had
an opportunity OF reporting. If their report when
received, should be unsatisfactory, then let the
House instruct them in its pleasure Mr. Owen
concluded his remarks by motion to lay the re-
solutions on the table. The molten was oegatiyed
Ayes 32-Noes not counted
ne resolutions having been again read Mr.
AGlaIcEio said, that he wished TO offer one or two
words IN explanation. From the remarks of his
Hishl from Alabama, he was convinced that that
BehIeman had not apprehcndcd the import Of the
resolutions III the same manner that hc did. If
therc was any thing contained in then which in
uhcated, IN the most remote degree, the least in
tehhon OF instructinS the committee in the dis
chafge OF ITS duty. II was unknown to- him, and
should be eXpunged with his ready consent Hi,
object was very different. lt was one which IN,
considered perfectly fair and legitimate and i'm in
innate connexion with the subject of the bill All
ne desired was to obtain Information, and in asking
IL under these circumstances, he was not without
precedent, even during the pre-ent session. His
was labor saving vocation. lie wished q move
directly to his oblec, and 10 prevent What had
happened III the case of another bill - hich had
come from fiic Senate without one scinGl,a of O.
whence being proposed by the committee to Illus
Udte or support II, aud which, by crcujtous nm
cess, had been sent back again to the Senate that
some information might be obtained. Mir T. slid
that all lac desired or asked for was facts; but he
wanted 10 have these facts on the authority of
committee OF iinS House He did not wish when
the bill should reach the House, 10 be Obliged TO
ask gentlemen 10 receive facts on his individual
statement and possibly to have uat statement met
~ other Individual statements of a conflicting
Cnaracter' lie desired 20 avoid this, and, that he
ihiSht 'vod 1t, he sought for facts in such form
as could not be controyerted. it was far from
his thought intention TO offer TO instruct 4 con,
mitee OF ;his House how its duties should be
discharged.
blr. Livingston said, that if these resolutions
called simply Tor statement of facts. as he was
sure the honorable prOpOser Of them believed, for
he had disclairned any other object, the mere no.
Vejty OF such course Of proceeding would not be
u'hcient reason why he should rise to oppose it.
he course certainly was novel. When the House
referred bill 10 any OF its committees, il became
them 10 Tcpose confidence in iat committee fhot
they would do tina for which the bill had been re-
tcrred to them, and that they would present the
bili TO tile House, not only with their opinions res
pecung IT, but also with such documentary or other
information as would enable the House TO Judge IN
derstandingly uponthe subject. The novelty there.
lore OF this measure, was, III Itself strong obiec
uou 10 IT. but Il IL much more Objectionable on n
mother ground. According 10 my Understanding
OF the purPor of these resOu,ions-I speak ,.ot Of
inc intentions OF the gentleman who moved them
they DO anticipate the Judgment which this
House Is to pronounce on the bill to ,vbirh thcv
relate. Here MIR Livingston quoted the resolu-
lions lie then proceeded: Sir is this iuforna-
ION before the House, Who are this cas- of
claimants whose case is thus piteously stated, and
10 whose claim we are thus, by side wind asked
10 give quasi sanction: / win tcll the House
who they are. The House is aware that, under
lie Convention mean the last Convention un
Ter thc treaty Of Ghent--accordiug to law Of
last session, The claimants for certain property.
onsisuns chiehy OF slaves, carried off by ths Bri-
18Th during the last war, have onIya limited fund
10 lookto. According 10 that Convention, the sum
u 81 ,2OO,OOO is U be datrbutad AMONG Glo.e who