Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-04-17
Fridcy, .GyrH l3. lc%S.
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The Vice President presented communication from
the Post Office Department, on the subject oil contracts
and allowances made To contractors La!o on the taos
and ordered to he printed.
The Senate tnuk up the resolution offered yesterday
hy MIR NorveIl in relation to the absence OF Senators
The resolution was modified by Mr.. NprVell so as 10
make sickness The only valid excuse for absence
MIR King objected TO the resolution that The eHs'ing
law rendered il nugatoly.
Mr. White objected 10 it, that by Implication il took
for granted that Senator might at any Time he absent"
if he chose during that tIne 10 surrender his pay an
medication which Mr. w. thought should by no means
he admitted There were duties resting upon thrm
which were paramount 10 all considerations oil conipen
saiIon.
Mr. Clay of Kentucky objected 10 it, that it also took
for granted that all the duties oil The Senators Tor me
public interest be performed III the senate chah
ber while Mr c. for one performed much the greater
part Of his labor for the public interests IN his own roo
where lie was in the practice OF laboIng day ana hg'
on public subjects; and he was unwilling, therefore, 10
give any for the impression that ali The puoc nh
sness Of Senators done, or 10 be done IN The Sc
nate chamber. ,
The resolution was withdrawn Mr.. Norve remarked
that his whole object to secure a quorum o. the Sc
nate during the hours OF their sitting.
On motion of Mr.. Niles, the Committee on The !adi
cary were instructed 10 rGnIe into the cXpcdIency oil
defining and limiting the term Of all the bureau officers
connected with the Departments. and OF all appoint
mcnls made by the heads OF Departments.
On motion Of Mr.. Ruggles, the Committee on Com
merce were instructed inquire into The expectancy OF
establishing n system Of e!rgtuPhs for the L. States,
and EepGrt thereon.
The bills for The relief Of Thomas Cooper, Of Philip
Marshall and Others of Christopher Clark and OF Elias
Johns were sevsrally read third lime, and passed
PRICE OF THE PUBLIC LANDS.
The Senate took up the bill, on It's lhd reading, 10
reduce and graduate the price OF the public lands
Mr. Calhoun said, that as the bill was now on It's pas
sage he was DESTROYS of stating in few words Tie Eea
sons which had covered hun.
The bill was certainly liable 10 but little objection as
10 the details; but he could not give IL his support lie
felt satisfied that we had arrived at that period when one
of Two Of policy ought I" be pursued IN a'on
TO the public lands either Ia adhere rigidy to the laws
as they now stand without making any material change
or 10 make cesSipn Of them 10 the new States within
whose limits they respectively situated on Terms
mutually satisfactory. Ii cannot he disguised mat the
extent of interest involved in the pubic domain is too
great, and the parties Interested too powerful and ntu.
entail To permit the laws which regulate and dispose OF
the public lands be the subject ni frequent changes
Numerous and popular as these SlateshaVe no" become,
lat which he rpoiced it impossible 10 prevent this
mighty question from being thrown into The party s'Ing'
giles Of The day. and from having most pernIcous elect
politics, long as they are under our CONTROL
unless should abstain altogether from touching 'he'
which lie fea red impossible
II WINS well known that under this impression lie was
in "a vor of ceding them the States, the only prac,l'
cable remedy against the evil he apprehended ana mat
under il he had introduced bill TO ceGe them lie hnpeo
thai the Committee on the Public Lands would call up
the bill a, an early day. He prepared 10 give his
best aid he did hope it would receive the sanction
Of the Senate In the mean time, he shonld eei IL 10 Qe
his duty 10 vote against all measures which provided
for any material change in The land laws as they now
stood.
Mr. Buchanan also, at considerable length, assigned
the reasons why lie felt constrained to vote against The
bill.
The bill was passed by the following vo'c:
ieas- Mcssrs Allen, Benton, Clay of Alabama, Cu,h.
bert Fulton Grnndy, Hubbard King. Linn, Lumpkln,
Lyon Sloutnn Nicholas Miles, Norvrll, Pierce, Il 'bin
son. Sewer, Smith Of Conn Smith OF Indiana, S'range
Tiplnn Tro,,cr, Walker, White, Wright, Young-H
Naus-hlessrs buchanan Calhoun. Clay ct Ken,
Clayton Crenden, Davis, Mexican, Merrick, ptenliss
Ri.es loane, Robbins RuggIes, Swift Wall, Williams
-l6.
Acr an Executive session, the Senate adjourned till
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
THE LATE DUEL.
Memorials IN this subject were presented BY Messrs
A,hertnn Of New Hampshire, and Darlington of Penn.
syvana and were referred to the select committee now
in session.
The memorial presented BY Mr.. Athcrton was from
the inhabitants of The Of Antrim, in the county oi
lsborough, State Of New llampshire which town con
tans three hundred and seventeen legal voters praying
agrceaby 10 a unanimous vote of full meeting OF The
citizens Of said town, for the passage OF law 10 sup
press the practice of dueng.
Mr.. Darlington presented the memorial OF WIN. lla.i
and sixty others citizens Of Lancaster county, Pennsyl
vania praying Congress TO pass law 10 disquay my
holding Office under the General Government
REPORTS OF COMMITTEES.
Mr.. Whiitlcsey, of Ohio, from the COMMITTEE OF
Claims reported against the petition of Miller llaowes
and against The petition of David Cooke.
TREASURY NOTES.
Mr.. Cambreleng, from the Committee Of Ways aud
Means. reported the following bill
Bill supplementary the act entitled "An net to nu
thnrizt the issuing Of Treasury notes.
Be ii enacted &c. That The Secretary ofthe Treasury
with The appreciation Of The President Of the United
States is hereby authorized to Treasury notes 10
be issued according to the provisions of act entitled
Gan act authorize the issuing of Treasury notes.
approved the 18th day Of October last in place of such
have been issued under the authority Of the ACT
aforesaid and which have been paid into The Treasury
and cancelled.
The bill was twice read and committed
/ The Speaker laid before the House communication
from the Postmaster General transmitting in obedience
10 The acl of July =, 1896, statement Of all land and
water mills established ordered within the year pre-
ccdng the Isl july 1887 other than those lei 10 con
tract the annual lettings and other than the express
mails, which have been heretofore reported
BOARD OF CLAIMS.
Mr. Whtllesey, Of Ohio. moved that the special order
for tod (hc bill 10 establish board Of clln) be
postponed until Friday next and that the House 10 day
proceed 10 the consideration Of such private bills
shall not give rise TO debate.
Mr. Cambreleng asked for division of the question:
and the posi- ponenent asked for ordered by vote
Of two thirds.
The question recurring on the last division of Mr.
Whittesey s motion
Mr. Thomas suggested that the following resolution
offered by him former day, be taken up and consi.
dered. This was amendment 10 the Goth rule fol.
lows:
"And on the first Friday Of each month, the calendar
of private bills shall be called over, and the bills the
passage Of which objection shall then be made, shall
be rsl considered and disposed of private bills from the
Senate, having preference over private bills Of the
House"
Objection being made Mr. Whuesey pressed his mo
lion to take up such private bills od day. would give
rise to debate
Some objection being made 10 this course by Mr. vii.
lams Of C., who opposed 10 what he denomnated
"dumb legislation upon private bills,
The Chair said tina! this not dcbatcablc motion;