Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-03-11

motive ana consistency OIL aCuon, that man 10
Charles Fenton Mercer.
From the National Intelligencer
TWEEN rIErH CONGRESS,lsT SESSION
Saturday, March 8. 1928.
Senate did not SIT to day.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
DEPO2TED SLAVES.
Mr. Taliaferso moved the following resolus
tons, viz:
Resolved, That the Committee which now
is, or may be charged with the consideration OF
BILL f ON the Senate, which relates 10 the com.
mission created under the Convention with
Grea, Britain, on the subjec, of the refugee
slaves, be instructed 10 obtain, and to report to
this House, in connexion with the said bill
the resolu ion OF petition, as the Case may oe,
in pursuance of which the said bill was intro
tucrd into the Senate.
, Resolved, That the same Committee be
instructed to obtain, and ~ report 10 the House
in connrxon wi n the said bill, explicit infor-
nation of The following points, ,9iz:-Has The
extension Of The term beyond the period pre-
SERVED by he existing law been asked for. or
suggested TO he nee ssary,hy the Commission
ers now engaged in HI execution Of the said
Convention? Is The extension of he Term, pros
posed in the said BILL designed 10 afford the
claiman more lime to procure e.idence IN
support OF their claims? II mol, it calculated
10 Operate as an iujunction or stay of proceed
ines, as 10 numerous list of claims set fof
hearing, and now coram judice? IL yea-ior
whose ben.ft is this measure proposed! Isl
20 enable aclass OF claimants, whose cases have
been iudil a,ed, aud who have received se,en,y
five per centum on their claims, respectively
TO collect ex partte evidence, in foreign coun-
try 10 defea, the claims Of another class OF clai
man,s, their fellow suff rers, who, after delay
of thirteen wears, are now here, anxIouSly ask
ing, and prepared to have their casts decidrd
Has any new question arisen IN the execution
Of the said Conv, ntion; or has any recent tesu
mony been filed before the Commissioners
such as to Justify the extension Of the term a.
concentrated in :be said bill, with view tc
collect testimony adversary to claims now SET
for hearing. Whelher the fund ROW remaining
to be distributed by the Commissioners, be suf
ficieu, 10 satisfy the principal sum claimed 70,
refugee slaves, and other property, entered or
the deGnitive list!
2. Resell, ed, that the Committee, in order &c
obtain correc, information on any or all Of the
above topics, shall have power to send for per-
sons and papers.
These resolutions were discussed until the
hour for considering them elapsed.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
The engrossed bill making apProprI a.ions
for Internal Improvements was read IN ri
time, and the question being, Shall the Bill
pass?
MIR. Hamilton demanded tina, the question be
taken by yeas and nays
Mr.. S. Wood, of n. Y, then delivered his
views in opposition to the constitutional power
ofthe General Government to make surveys
for works of Internal Imp rovenent. He was
in favor of some Of The items Of the bill,
for clearing out the mouths Of rivers, &c.
but objected 10 having those included in the
same bill with the surveys, and thought the IL
lie of the bill was improper.
Mr.. McDuffie made brief reply, declining
the discussion of the constitutional question,
as useless waste Of time, since not more than
six,y members agreed in denying the existence
of the power He vindica,ed the title OF the
bill as truly expressing the nature OF its object,
and asked, if clearing out the mouths oil rivers
was not 10 be called a work Of Internal Inn
provcment, by what lille it was 10 be express
ed?
Mr.. Hamilton now expressed his willing
ness, With a view of saving the time oil the
House, 10 withdraw his call for the years and
nays, and he Withdrew it accordingly; but il
was Immediately renewed by Mr.. Bassett; and,
the question having been put from the Chsir,
the bill was passed by yeas and nays, as follows:
Yeas 1874, Nays 81
MIR Hamilton then msved to alter the title
IF the bill = The motion was negatived, wtb-
GU, division, and the title, as reported by the
Committee, was agreed TO by the House:
So the bill was passed, and sent to the Sen-
ate for concurrence.
CASE OF RICHARD w. MEADE.
Mr.. M'DufFie moved 10 postpone the orders
Of the day, with view to take up the bill ma
king appropriations for the Indian Department