Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-02-20
b}oD21U Feb. II,

report OF the senate proceedings Is
deferred The chief part of the day was taken up in
the presentation petitions, reports &c. MIR. Phelps,
If Vermont, who was entitled to the floor the re-
mort of the select committee on the Assumption OF
State Debts being indsposed, ITS further consldera.
lion was postponed till tomorrow. The Senate held
| a short Executive session previous to adjournment
| HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Mr. JONES, Chairman of the Committee OF ways
and Means moved to suspend the rules to enable nun
TO introduce resolution that the House will, tomor-
| row, nj one O'Clock, resume me 1o'''i' " 80
pension bill. !, , rI
the House. made few remarks IN support OF inc mo
ton He observed that the present amount oil tne
nension fund was 81 294 ,000 in the hands OF forty
one auents and there existed no law for the transfer
of any portion of these funds from one agency TO aho
Their There were, indeed, certain general laws re-
spectnp the transfers of money from one fund to ano
ther and some gentlemen supposed that they applied
TO this casc-but it error there was really no
such law which applied to pension balances Ana inc
consequence would be that, unless tins bill should pass
within orty.cght hours from this time, the pensioners
Of the United States would not receive the amounts
due TO them by law. The pensions would be due on
the 9TH of March next and those who were TO receive
them we're scattered all parts OF the Onteu sates
and there now remained but some eighteen days Tor
tbe transfer of the necessary funds TO the various
points at which they must be dsburscd lie appealed
IN gentlemen on all sides of the House, and enreaed
them not longer to discuss this question OF inc pension
fund lfany gentlemen were desirous OF arraIgnng
the Administration,
not on this which must be passed. 1t was due to
themselves was due to the country that the oil
should pass this House to-day or tomorrow lie APP
pcaled especially 10 mis- political friends, to let
the bill pass that the pensioners might get their re-
spcctye ptanccs of the public bounty and their coun-
trvs gratitude He hoped that instead OF suspcndng
the rules of the House, they would, by general con-
sent let the motion of the chairman OF the Committee
: of Ways and Means be put
MIR. WADDY THOMPSON, of South Carolina,
Z hp woull
any bill bv preference long the bill for the occu-
patton of Florida lay upon the table, while the crlcs OF
> massacrcd women and childcn were daily coming up
and ringing in the ears of the House
Mr. JONES said that, objection was made, he
must insist on his motion to suspend the rules; and he
demanded the yeas and nays; which we're ordered.
; Mr. RUSSELL, from the Committee of Claims, sug-
resed 10 Mr. Jones the proprlety OF fixing the hour
for considering the pension bill at o'clock instead oil
so that the intermediate time might be devoted to re-
/. ceiyng reports OF committees
!; Mr. JONES dcclined and the yeas and nays being
taken on suspcndng the rules they resulted as follows:
" Yeas lG6 nays l. (Mr. w. Thompson.)
: Mr. JONES moved his resolution TO take up Inc
the pension bill tomorrow, AT o'clock; and on that
motion he demanded the previous question, winch was
seconded put, and carried, and the resolution adopted
;, Mr. SERGEANT. Chairman of the Judiciary Com,
mittcc appealed Mr. Corwn, who still entitled
tn the floor on the Cumberland road question, to give
= way to allow him 10 report from his commit'ce inc
: a. q :7 VI j. INT c,rr = -
Il be correct onc) that the debate on the Cumberland
n road could not be resumed at this time without vote
=. of the House.
y Mr. LINCOLN here insisted that, by the rules of the
: House, it was now in order TO present petitions
Mr. CORWlN, resuming said that he feared to yield
- TO the request of the gentleman from Pennsy lvania
Mr Scrgeant lest the subject should not be resumed
for that it would require vote OF two-thirds to
e. take it up.
Mr.. LINCOLN insisted on his motion that the House
i proceed receive petitions he expressed regret that
he constrained by pressing this motion TO interfere
in the progress Of the gcncnans Speech to which no
!, had listened with more pleasure than himself but
if the petitions not received now, 1t would be two
! weeks before the opportunity would occur again
: Mr.. CORWlN appeared to be hesi,ang, when the
= hall resounded with cries of I" Go on, Corwn.' lie
l. then moved that the House do resume the consi
Iteration of the instructions proposed TO be given to the
Il Committee of Ways and Means in relation 10 the Cum
a berland road.
= The motion prevailed; ayes 20, noes sc
i The House having thus determined TO resume the
- subject and Mr. Corwn being entitled TO the floor
- Mr.. SERGEANT renewed his request, and Mr.. {.
y giving way, Mr. S., by consent reported from the Ju-
ii dietary Committee the census bill, which was read
: twice, and referred to the Committee of the Whole on
the state Of the Union; Mr. s. expressing his earnest
hope that the bill would be taken up Immediately after
j. the pension bill.
= Mr.. CORWIN then, at length proceeded with his
Speech and advocated with much earnestness the IN
sructons to the committee to report bill making APP
a preparations for the Cumberland road.
IA Mr. CORWIN spoke till twenty minutes past three
If o'clock and, when he concluded, the Speaker gave
% the floor to
f Mr. BELL, who yielded i, for moment to enable
the Speaker to present to the House the following mes
y sage from the President of the U. s..
Of To The H,usc If Representatives.,
submit Congress communication from the Secretary Of the
j Treasury repeating suggestions contained N his annual Report
II IN regard 10 the necessity of early povision by law r the
protection Of the Treasury fluctuations and contngen
cc receipts exposed additional and
The application that although the of the rcasu-
t Department notwithstanding, be rendered unable to meet
The claims upon al the times when they fall due This apprs
portion Of the charges the Treasury including the payment
early part Of this year. Siz IN the month";, March and May e
IN on which mg otherwise rely to dsehn Is then
from the fact that portion Of the means Of the Treasury consists
ofde due from banks for OF which delay has already been
: asked, and which may not be- punctualy paid.
Considering the injurious consequences to the character credit
The Government for short period meet III"
cc'uay guarded against by the exercise Of legislative authority
a, The period when such disability must ARISE if at ALL and
"rovs"n asked for omly intended 10 enable M Esecnye ' o
fulfil existing obligations chiefly by anticipating funds
ys, DUE without Ut, making n any addition, to The public hrdcns
again ask for your early attention. NJ VAN buren,
February Il, lsio.
y Treasury DEPARTMENT,
# Feb 10, 1870
e SIR: The duty entrusted to this Department of SUI
pervsng the execution Of such laws connected
with the fiscal operations OF the Government induces
: ME to make to you the following communication.
!, In the annual report the finances, submitted to
Congress the commencement of its present SEES
sion, had the honor TO state substance that if the
appropriations should not exceed in amount the
estimates then offered and if the indebted banks should
meet their obligations with punctuaty, the receipts
for the whole year would probably equal the expend-
lures.
After the lapse of nearly three months those views
remain unchanged, except far subsequent events
heretofore communicated to You and TO Congress- may
degree affect them. But whether those events
viz: constructions of the tariff laws by the courts
and increased embarrassmens of business in conse.
quence of the suspension Of specie payments by the
banks continuing large part of the United States
will reduce the revenue much to render new
means on those accounts Indispensable cannot yet be
decided with certainty. But il be ascertained be-