Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-05-29
Rrsssu stanly. Storrs, Taliaferro, Tnghast, Trum-
bull Joseph l.. Will'ams-23
So the bill passed
And then the House adj ourned.
Monday, May %, Isl
IN SENATE


!, rsl,on IN the presents of the lmaun OF hluscat,
consisting of horses pearls and other articles OF great
yaue0 The President says that inashu' Us t.'e co
mnnder of the Imauns vessel with The view OF carry
ing out the wishes Of his sovereign now o,ers ane pre-
sent 10 the Government of the United States, he there
fore laws that proposton before Congress LOT such aus
nos;t;on as it NAV see fit to make The PRESIDENT also
suruests the adoption OF some legislative PioVs'oh'
pontng out the which lhey may ueei y proper
for tho Executive to pursue in any future instances
wbar. oh;rs of ike kind may be made to the EXecu-
five or Legislature branches of the Government or the
auents abroad under circumstances pfeciuuhS ieiu
sal, without the risk OF giving offence.
The Senate took up the bill making appropriations
FIR the Patent Oce-part for the increase OF IT'S library,
and part for the distribution m ths country OF seeds
brought from foreign countries:
a. p,,an,s % 600 in the resolution for the dIstrbu
ton If foreign seeds, was reduced to $ ,oOO
Nj CRTT'TENDEN and Mr.. CALHOUN opposed
tbs reoInton. chiefly on the ground that this 81 900
went yond the proper and constitutional
spbere Of the Patent Office, and was in danger OF beng
the entering wedge to great and insch'evous abuses
| and assumptions. , cr,,Ncp AZ INN
and Mr. LUMPKlN, on the ground that these seeds
we're presented gratultously by patriotic individuals
who had been in foreign countries; that the Patent VI
fce os The most suitable depository Tor these seeds,
but they had already taken that drecto ana haa neeh
distributed largely the country through that chan.
mol. that the head of that Office had shown himself well
oual6ed for the execution of such duty that the OBJ
;eet was decidedly the promotion OF the arts ana SCI
ences particularly those of agriculture, winch STANDS
at the head OF them ALL that the object was therefore,
NJ least within the general view Of the Constitution
and though many of these seeds would OF course, ia
vet others would succeed, probably to render the
object immensely important, compared WIN the small
requisite expense ooo ;
Mr. CALHOUN moved to strike out the 81 900 for
the distribution Of foreign seeds; which motion was ne
o,tiypd by yeas and nayS follows:
yeas-Messrs Benton, Brown, Calhoun, Critten-
dem Grundy, Hubbard Nlerrck, Phelps, Pierce, Pres
ton, Roane, Sewer, Smith of lndlana-i3.
Naus-Messrs Anderson, Clayton, Davis, Fulton,
Knight, Linn, Lumpkin, Monton, Norvell, Porter,
Prentiss, Robinson, Smith of Connecticut, Spence,
Strange Sturgeon, Tappan, Walker, Williams, Young
30.
The resolution as amended, was then ordered TO a
third reading.
The Joint resolution for the distribution of 700 copies
of the ssDigest of Patents" taken up, on motion
of Mr.. TAPPAN; and, after being explained by him,
was ordered to be engrossed
SYSTEM OF BANKRUPTCY
The Senate resumed the consideration of the bill 10
establish uniform system of bankruptcy throughout
the u States. The question being Oh Mr. Wall sub
stitute for the bill
Mr. HUBBARD argued at length against the orisi-
nal bill as unconstitutional because it would operate on
all classes, while the Constitution, he INSISTED, did not
allow its operation any others than those who live by
buying and selling. And, should the tribunals decide,
as in his opinion, they ought TO do that the law was
unconstitutional instead ofrelevlng the debtor, 1t would
involve him in far greater difficulties He declared the
passage of the bill would be the dissolution of all the obi
cations of debtors throughout the country who might
at once avail themselves of such law to get rid OF all
their contracts He conendcd, emphaticaliy, against
the advantages which the bill would thus give the debtor
apanst the creditor He insisted that II Congress had
power to pass this BILL they had equal power to pass
compulsory law and might thus force any individuals
or classes in the country 10 become bankrupt He de-
clarcd himself in favor of including banks and other
State corporations, in the substitute, but opposed
that provision of the substitute which allowed the
States TO exempt their institutions from the operation
Of the substitutes and he argued at much length to show
that compulsory bankrupt law Of this Government
ought TO be brought TO bear upon the banks He
called emphatically Senators 10 recoect the frauds
under the bankrupt law of $780, and to beware at this
time of producing similar results.
Mr. III protested his readiness to vote tor the substI
ue if the mover of it would to modify it so
that the States could not exempt their institutions from
its operation.
Mr. WALL would acquesce in the opinion of the
Senator as to such modfcaton but he would be sorry
TO do any thing by which he would lose two friends in
gaining one. He admitted the power Of Congress 10
compel the banks in defiance of the States; but he did
not at this time think it expedent to do He denied
his hostility to the banks, and insisted that the original
BILL passed, would destroy all the banks in The
country, by releasing their debtors lie denounced it
as the greatest Loco Foco that had been
proposed in a legislative Assembly.
| Mr. HENDERSON, in reply TO Mr. Hubbard, adj
mtted thatthis power over bankruptcy more liable
to abuse and assumption than almost any other, and it
especially for that very reason that he would now
contine the exercise of that power 10 the sole OBJ
iect OF relieving debors which, and which alone, the
country emphatically demanded.
Mr. ii. also argued further 10 show that Congress,
like the British Parliament, has the power to include
any and all classes Of persons which they may think
proper.
On motion of Mr.. STRANGE, the subject was laid
over till tomorrow: and after Executive session,
| The Senate ad journed
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE
| When the journal was read, no quorum present,
and the first hour nearly consumed by the pro.
ceedings call Of the House. The roll call
ed, the doors closed, absenccs called, and
ceivcd.
All further proceedings in the call having then been
suspended the doors of the Hall were thrown open.
CUMBERLAND ROAD.
The question recurring as the unfinished business
| from Monday last, was ordering the main question
to be put giving instructions TO the Committee of
Ways and Means to bring in bill granting appro-
priaon for the Cumberland road (hesc instructions
founded upon resolution passed by the Legisla.
turc of Indiana, and which had previously been pre-
scented to the House by Mr. Davis of that State)
! The question was taken by yeas and nays, and re-
suited as follows: Yeas So, nays -.
/ So the man question ordered 10 be put.
| Mr. PECK demanded that the question be divided,
and put, hrSt, on referring the resolution from In
diana, and then on the proposed instructions to the
committee
The question referring the resolution agreed
to- mem and the question being then instruct
ing the Committee of Ways and Means, proposed
! by Mr.. Davis
| The yeas and nays demanded, and, being Ia.
ken, resued-Yeas 81, nays so.
! So the House refused to instruct the committee.
Mr.. WICK Immediately moved reconsideration
Of the vote referring the above resolution to the Com
nittoc of Ways and Means; with view 10 refer it 10
the Committee the Judiciary, to have the question
settled whether the United States is under obligation
to continue the road not.
| Mr. DAWSON, of Georgia, moved to lay this mo-
| ton this table.
The question being taken, it decided in the aft
native: Ayes ~, noes 81.
| So the motion was laid on the table.
PETITION AGAINST ARDENT SPIRITS
| The SPEAKER presented petition from citizens Of
Oneida county, u York. against the sale of ardent sp
rts in the Capitol of the U States, and against furnish
ing the TO the army and navy and Indians on our
frontier
Mr. DIXON II. LEWIS moved to Law il on the table