Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1836-12-22

NbT.SbDTOWH tuc OI INODeTt
Strange, Senator elect from North Car
0lina.
M-ssrs. Strange and Parker appear
ed, were qualified, and took their seats.
the DUTY on coal.
Mr.. Ws6r ef pre 2s6ted tw 1yttitj01k
-ope from eki Hask ell, and , greea
number of otl,tr pc rsohs, md th& aher
from N. u. .So-lIiog snd cthers, &c DoS-.
ton, praying for u reduction Of the duty
on Coal.
The memorials were referred ,as NOV
ed by Mr.. Webster, to the Committee
on Manufactures.
BURNING OF THE POST OFFICE.
Mr.. Robinson presented the following
resolution and moved its immt iates con-
sideration: .-.-s..tss.
Resoired, That the Committee en- the
Post Office and Post Roads be instruct
cd to inquire into the cause Of the de-
struCtion by FIRE of'tl,e building in which
were kept The General Post Office, the
City Post Office, and the Patent OF.
flee. '''' 49, -.N' ''.'''
Mr.. Clay suggested whether II wouldi
not be expcdient to invest the committee
with power TO send for persons and pa
pers, so fnr as there nigh, be any papers
remaining. s55i..t4o. 7fsrf--,.i.r
Mr.. Robinson said the idea Of, the
committee was that the proposed Com
mittee Of Inquiry should proceed-in the
duty assigned them til they should find
il necessary 10 send for persOhs and pa
.pers, when they could readily ask and
obtain the requisite power. 1,,.,a>.-
The resolution was unanimously adopt
ed.
Mr.. Clay gave notice that he should,
on Monday next, ask leave 10 Introduce
n bill to appropriate fora limited time
the proceeds Oft sales Of the public
lands, and granting lands to certain
States.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,. s
The House resumed the considera-
ton Of the fifteenth Of the resolutions re-
ported by the Committee Of tie Whole
House on the 18th instant, on the Pre-
sident's Message. ~ a.e- b.. ,... G00A
Mr.. d. J. Pearce spoke at length in
oppo sition TO the adoption Of the rrsolu-
tion, the objc ct Of which, he conceived
TO be, merely TO enquire into the truth Of
that portion Of the Presidents Message
which spoke in terms of high eulogy of
the zeal and fidelity with wl,irh ahe sss-
rious he ads of the Executive Depart
mcDts had discharged their vn,inns du-
ties. Mr.. p. contcnd,d thai the ap-
poinimcm of a select committee Ia en-
quire into the oflic ial conduct Of these
officers, was a work of smpcrerog ntion,
IN as much az the Departments 10 which
they severally belonged wcre under the
supervision of the Committee of Ways
and Means, and other standing commit
tees Of the House. let the gentleman
from Virginia make some specific charge
against the president or any officer of
the Executive Department, and he (Mr.
P( would cheerlully vote to give the com.
mittee. But he would not sustain the mp
pointment Of a committee on general and
indie finite gforn'l., such as those contem-
plated in the resofnsiUn. These officers
were appointed by The President, and
were rcmovnb. at his pleasure, inns
much ns the Chief Magistrate was &C.
sponsil,le to the people for The course Of
policy pursued under his administration.
Why then not take the Bull by tho
horns at once. The House could not
adopt the resolution, without a departure
from fs rufes in such cases.
Mr. p. concludrd by moving to
amend the resolution by striking out all
after the word Resolved, +" and inserting
that so much of the Presidents Mes
sage, as is contained in the paragraph
containing the euiogy on fhe heads Of
the Departments and inserting prop0-
sition to refer the same 10 a select com
mitee Of nine, with instructions 10 en-
quire into the specific charges, if any,
alleged against The administration Of any
ofthe Departments or their bureaus, or
fhe vigilance and fidelity with which
THEN duties have been discharged, and
that said committee have power to send
for persons and pnpers a. a..... ."
Mr.. Peyton Of Tenn. replied TO Mr..
Pearce in n speech of more than one
hours duration. He referred TO what
had formerly been the political opinions
Of the gentleman from Rhode. Island ,nnsb
expressed his astonishment and regret
that the President OF the United States
should have fallen into snch hands, fov
the protection of his character and repn-
latiOn. He reviewed the course of Gen.
administration for eight yenrs
st;-denied that the eulogy contained
10 the Message had been .wliiten by tho
President,-r referred TO the course vhish
had been adopted at the last session ia
skulking an invcstig ahion simrlnr to the
one now sonssmpased;s to- the go-by