Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-12-29


voted rs liz had also done in the Of his New Jsc
sey friends the nlber day. Nuw, in ms npn"n, ti,is
practice OF paying ehe expenses in contested elections,
nj both The contestants, establishing precedent
by which the ten thousand witnesses who night hr *
amned before justices OF the peace in contested eec-
tons, wouE have IN be paid from end OF the
Try to the other lie was in favor Of liic proposition
Of The gentleman from Massachusetts, In r,r- !hr who
subject TO committee, but il dIa not % quite far
enough. He thought the committee nngtic hr direct
ed to inquire 10 the legality of paying nesants to
seats here.
Mr.. JOSEPH JOHNSON would mt have troubled
the Hnuse with single word tie Subject. had not
reference been made 10 the Committee Accounts
But the gentlemen from Pennsylvania TNr. .iry!nrl
had directed his eye towards him; and rFitrred To
vcrsatinn which the gentleman alleged lad taken place
between them previous 10 The adnurnmrGtn f the las:
Congress. Nlr. j. then proceeded To soat> lin: hr
had not the most distant recollection II having
hear, any thing from that gentleman - he ch"
he said had taken place: all he knew relation 10 the
matter from the accounts presented 10 the com
mttee by the gentleman from Prunsy lvana. The com
mtec reference to the rule, agreed to pass the
accounts without reference to party other considera
tons and the accounts Of both gentlemen were passed
In passing The resolution, he believed the committee
had followed the nvariablr rne in such cases and
when the proper time came, they would be ready to g"
INTO The matter.
Mr.. NAYLoR was perfectly sure that the conversn,
tcn III question took place with 4 member of il.e Com
iiltec on Accounts, aud that he had expressed lis
opinion in regard the ilegal,ty Of the payment 10
Mr. IngcrsoIIs witnesses; but he perhaps III error
in saying il was the gentleman from VrsInm. ttir.
Johnson,) 10 whom lie had made the remark; he be-
evcd he might have been mistaken IN that respect
After some brief remarks from Mcssrs. Bolts and
ANDREWS,
Mr. WISE sad he was sorry TINT this great contest
between the two gentlemen from Pcnnsyyana, had at
last dwndlcd dawn to a mere little shabby matter of
accounts. He hoped foreign issue would be involved
,l,a ed nj hoy lTht
pay for two in the House, seat was not
worth double price. The principle OF paying double
price established long before the case Of Graham
and Ncwland; and if we mean 10 follow the example,
would nave the effect OF offering bounty to contest
the lie had risen, however, to call the attention
Of the House point, w: what right had they TO
make either Mr.. Naylor Mr. lngers"il TRUSTEE for
The payment Of these witnesses: Where was IN" a!-
fhory for making those gentlemen the trustees i"r a,
g. c: II. would like t. have the inquiry 70 further,
md require the gentlemen To INTO an account with
Government, aud show that they had pad these wit
nasss FIR If they had not the pat,es could recover
the amount from Government III any court III justice
He hoped the matter would be investigated, as, if the
Committee on Accounts had paid away money wrong
fully they would be allowed opportunity of account
ing for il. He hoped this would lead 10 some rule or
law the subject.
Mr. JOSEPH JOHNSON begged leave to say that,
= n member of the Committee ON Accounts, he be-
licved they had not paid away money either negligent
siric, conformity with the l3lst rule of the House, as
follows
''Thr rule fnr paying witnesses summoned To appear
before this House either Of lis committees shall be
as innws: For each day witness shall attend the sum
If dniiars; FIR each mile h. shall travel, IN going
from coming to the place Of examination, the sum OF
ten cents rnch, way, etc.
Mr.. WISE wished 10 enquire if that rule authorized
the payment "f the money
MIR. j. JOHNSON would inform tho gentleman that
he must PROFOUND the question elsewhere. The com
miitee passed the accounts presented IN accordance
with the rule, and the receipts were now on file
Ms EoT1S desired desired 10 know if''"t r"" authorized
Mr.. j. JOHNSON in reply, read the 91tl rule Of
the House, VIZ:
ali shall br the duty Of tie Committee Accounts
snrrlntcnd and control the expenditures "i The c"n-
ringr; fund Of the iousc If Representatives, snd I"
audit and stfHe all accounts winch may be charged
thereon, &c
Here said Mr. j. is the authority and the commit
tee will with great pleasure report all the facts as
far as they They have acted in conformli! with
the praclce of the House since We have had G"
yeruiDent Mr. J. concluded by observing that these
objections were n mere matter of smoke, without IN"
least shadow of substance.
Mr. SMITH of Maine wished 10 know if tbs were
not petition day.
MIR CUSHING wished 10 say few words.
Mr. SMITH. 30, there has been enough SAID; let
rs have the pr,vInus question:.
Mr. CUSHING said he should b. very brief in what
lie had To- say.
Mr. SMITH. Well, ! will allow the gentleman five
minutes, if he will promise 10 move the previous ques.
ton at the end Of that time.
Mr. GUSHING promised and proceeded Ia argue
that the gentleman from Kentucky, MIR Underwood
was wrong IN stating that tie al Newand aud
Graham was Tie first Of contested election where
payment had been made. Tie first ih,t OF
Elisha Potter Senator from Rhode Island IN 1884 An
act passed by the Senate for the payment Of the
nd n in hy thP
Mr. UNDERH GOD said the case al Nrwland and
Graham the first where the moaey had been
taken from thu contingent fund Of the House.
Mr. CUSHING SAID that was a mere matter oi mr.
runien the question was, the fact "f payment, ana
llat settled far precedent concerned As
gardcd the question Of principle the right of contest
the right not of member himself but of his con-
sttucnts. 1t not right for the House to shut "ui
his constituents. II in that view of the matter that
he voted in the case of Newland and Graham Moore
and Letcher, the Mississippi case, md also in another
case the present session Mr.. T.. then moved the
previous question.
MIR. BOLTS consented to modify his resolution as
follows:
RcSoIcd, That the Committee OH Accounts be IN
sirucied to report by what authority they authorized the
Clerk OF this House to pay the sum of S2,lo0 % to
Charles ngersoll and others, for taking testimony
and Tor other expenses incurred IN the contested cleo
ton.
Mr.. BRIGGS then withdrew his amendment.
The call for the previous question was then seconded
and the main question the resolution ordered and de-
cided in the affirmative. So the resolution adopted
MIR. MEDILL then moved TO recoinmit the report o!
the Clerk with the instructions previously noticed
which motion agreed 10, and the report recomnt
ted accordingly.
PRESENTATION OF PETITIONS.
The States and Territories then called, and Pc
titions presented by
Messrs SMITH and CLIFFORD of Maine.
MIR SMITH asked and obtained leave TO introduce
bill entitled "a bill in addition act to regulate
tho pay of the Navy of the United States approved
March g. 1885. Referred to the Committee on Naval
a fairs
Mr.. TOLAND presented the petition Of Margaret {
Meade, widow and execnirix Of Richard w. Meade,
praying for the adjustment of the claims OF her de-
ceased husband.
Mrssrs. JOHNSON, WISE, and HUNTER of Vir.
sina.
rMr. TRlPLE7T presented the memorial OF meet
ing of Tobacco Planters of Davcss county, Kentucky
Aso the petition OF sundry citizens ni Davess county
III the cultivation OF tobacco
STEAMBOAT DISASTERS.
Mr. UNDERW GOD presented five petitions, to VII:
From Henrietta Hope and 50 others, ladies OF Bali-
more; from Emily 6. Fulton and g. others, ladies' "f