The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-12-20
TWENTY-FIFTH CONGRESS.
THIRD SION.
IN SENATE,

TUESDAY, Dec Is.
The PRESIDENT of, Senate communicated
letter from the Secretary Of the Treasury contain
ing report from the Commissioner Of the General
Land Office in relation to the operations of said Of
fee for the years 1887 and 1888. Laid on the ia
bic and ordered TO be printed.
Memorials, petitions, &c, were presented and re-
BY Mr.. CLAYTON: From Agnes Dundas.
BY MIR. ROANE: From the heirs of Robert
White.
By Mr.. BUCHANAN: From John p. Esby.
stating that he had discovered the means of making
il rain in tracts of country and proposing 10 make
the experiment al his own expense, provided If he
succeed, that Congress would give him premium
of so much for FIVE miles, and at like ratio for any
hrEhes powers. RAISE, Pieasare, The
Ohio river .....ss
Mr. Buchanan admitted that all these things were
strange, passing strange and though he did not pro-
fess 10 have full faith in the powers Of the petitioner
yet there were more things in philosophy than were
usually dreamed Of This he would say that he was
personally acquainted with the gentleman, and that
he was not only very respectable but highly nelli-
gent and besides, the petition was signed by some
of the most scientific and literary gentlemen in Phi
ladelpha, who state that his views are founded on
strict philosophical principles, and that it highly
probable that he would succeed.
Mr.. BENTON said he had risen TO make mo-
ton which could not properly be made by the Sena-
tor from Pennsylvania, and he moved that the petit
toner have leave to withdraw his papers.
Mr.. BUCHANAN said he would rather that
course should not be taken, though he hardly knew
what it was best to do on the subject He knew Mr.
Esby 10 be a highly respectable man, and in meteo-
rol0gy he had no superior in the country. Mr.. B.
did not believe, however that he could make il rain
but, al the same time, the probability Of his success
in the attemp, had been atested by some of the
learned and respectable men in Philadelphia. Mr..
B. wished therefore, that the memorial might be re-
ferred TO the Committee on Agriculture, and he
hoped no other motion would prevail or if any, that
the memorial would be laid on the table; though he
greatly preferred that il should go to the committee.
Mr.. CRITTENDEN having made some remarks
which the reporter could not hear, was understood
to say that he was particularly alarmed at the sug
geSton thatthe Ohio river was about to be put I'M
der the peculiar care of the petitioner, though on
what principles he could succeed Mr.. C. did not
know. But if he should succeed, he might, in some
fit of msanthropy, involve us all in eternal Clouds
and might even bring another flood to desolate the
earth so that unless the petitioner could show that
he could also remedy these evils, and manufacture
sunshine as we'll as rain MIR. G.. would rather he
would not go on in these experiments, and he was
unwilling to encourage one in the attempt merely TO
produce rain, unless he could also make sunshine
This latter exploit Mr. G. believed had been attempt
ed BY Frenchman, who proleSsed that he was able
to make sunshine enough for the Kings garden
But this would not be enough 10 scatter the clouds
from the whole face of the United States, and check
the swelling Of the Ohio Mr. C. thought this SEEM
ed to be conceived in the spirit of the Sub-treasury
SYSTEM to extract from the heavens their stores Of
rain, and put them up in csterns Of own to use
according to our own wisdom. Mr. c. thought that
the system Of Providence this subject was on the
whole better than any man could invent and in the
hands of Providence he was disposed to leave it.
Mr., NILES also opposed the motion, mostly with
indi>tinclness to the Reporter. He desired that no
further progress might be made in this business for
he who could create could destroy; and if human
being could bring us rain, he might also destroy MS
with drought He thought that if this memorial
should go 10 any committee, it oughtto be the Com
mittce on Finance, for he considered ii part and
parcel of the paper system; which he argued philo-
sophically to prove.
| Mr.. BUCHANAN said he hoped, if the petition
could not be referred, that it would be laid on the
| table; which acquiesced in.
| BY MIR. Upton From Joseph Kennedy and
WIN. Kennedy.
| Also from Joseph Sdel. ...
| By Mr. FULTON: From James Erwin.
| Mr. WRIGHT, from the Committee on Finance,
! reported bill for the relief of Jechonie Piggo and
B. Legraff, sureties Of James Manning late Collec-
| tor of Customs in North Carolina.
| Also the bill TO remit the duties on the iron used
by the Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Baltimore
Railroad Company.
Also, the bill from the House of Representatives
making partial appropriations for the year 1888 and
| 1899.
M WRIGHT stated that, as this bill was one OF
some Importance, and as speedy action was some
what necessary, he would move to consider il al
once The bill was accordingly taken up in Com.
mittee OF the Whole, when
| Mr.. WALL. moved 10 amend il by inserting at the
bottom Of the bill, "and for the revolutionary pen
sions under the act OF the 9TH July, 1888, the sum
of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.