Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1840-06-18
CONGR ESS.

w
the subject of the Revenue laws. 1t was or
dered to be printed.
MIR. Roane moved that 10000 copies of the
report of the Committee on the Militia In re-
lation to the standing army scheme OF the
Secretary of War, be printed.
. Mr.. Norvell moved that twenty thousand
copies be printed.
Mr.. Webster moved that the report of the
Secretary OF War be printed with the Com
mittee's report. This occasioncd good deal
of debate, which is thus noticed by the Baltl-
more Americans Correspondent.
The motion was opposed by Mr.. Roane,
Mr.. Walker Of Miss, and MIR. Clay of Ala.
MIR. Preston asked whether the Report was
laid upon the table.
The acknowledgment was made that the
Report was just laid upon the table-thougl.
printed some days since (Friday last.) MIR.
Roane made this acknowledgment.
After consideration Of fifteen minutes,
then, said Mr.. Preston, we are called upon to
print the report of the Committee on the Mill
tia. Until this morning it has not been
brought to the attention of the Senate, and
thus. briefly we are called upon to send out
twenty thousand copies of an er Parfe and an
electioneering Report.
Mr.. Preston said fortunately for himselfhe
had seen this Report in the Globe. He was
bold enough to characterize 1t as an eXtraor-
nary Report. If it was to go out as the anti
dote of the scheme of the Secretary of War,
he hoped the Report would go out as the bane.
Let the people of Virginia for whom it is eS-
pecially designed, have both Reports, and
draw their own conclusions from them.
MIR. Walker said he did not think it just or
courteous to the militia committee to print Mr..
Poinsetts Report with that of the Committee.
MIR. Webster said he meant to do nothing
H.
considered it but commentary upon text,
and thought both might 90 out together.
MIR. Roane said that he would vote blind
fold, and without knowing word OF the con-
tents of the report of the Committee for the
printing of twenty thousand copies. lie
would do this because an electioneering use
/. had been made of the Report of the Secretary
y of War.
MIR. Preston complained that Gen. Harri-
sons name had been dragged into defence
of Mr.. Poinsett. This was done unjustly
and for obvious party purposes.
Mr.. Clay of Ala. and MIR. Roane. both de-
Tended the committee for dragging in the name
of Gen. Harrison, and both Senators-Mr.
CLAY at length-delended Mr.. Poinsett's
scheme from the attacks which had been
made upon it. The names of Gen. Knox, of
Gov. Barbour and others, were brought In to
excuse the Secretary of War.
Mr.. Clay went on to defend the extra num-
Der of the report of the committee which had
been proposed to be printed for the use of the
Senate. 1t was proper to print these extra
numbers, because extra numbers OF Mr.. Pom
sett's Report had been printed.
t'Not one extra copy" said Mr.. Preston in
his seat.
.sThen by the House of Representatives
extra copies Were ordered to be printed, and
by thousands"
ssNot one extra copy-by the House either"
said Mr.. Preston still in his seat.
'sThen by somebody else" said Mr.. Clay,
Ss'for they have been printed"
Without much further discussion, Mr..
Preston said he wished to put question or
two, to guide him in future discussion. He
would ask sswhether the Senator from Ala
bama approves of the Report of Mr.. Poin-
sett ~ So
Mr.. Clay of Ala.@short as pie crust
''Look at the Report
Mr.. Preston-eDoes the honorable Senator
from Alabama-the chairman of the Commit
tee on the Militia-think the Report OF Mr..
Poinsett constitutional.
Mr.. Clay-'I know no part of it which is
unconstitutional.
Mr.. Preston-s.Then understand the SEN
ator as approving of the constitutionality of
the Report of Mr.. Poinsett, and as not will
ing to say whether he approves or dlsapproves
of the bill under consideration"
Mr.. Clay was not willing to be so under
stood, and said, with seeming reluctance, that
he did not approve of The bill.
The motion to print extra copies was then
postponed to Wednesday next.
Mr.. Preston then proposed that the report
of Mr.. Poinsctt be printed for the use of the
Senate.
Mr.. Clay of Ala. would consent to the prin-
ting of no Reports now, which did notinclude
MIR. Poinsett's explanatory letter, and with
this Gen. Harrison's reports of 1917, 1918,
and 1919.
Mr.. Webster thought the motion very ex.
traordinary indeed, especially as it came from
Senator, not disposed, as he said, to encum-
Der one subject or one Report with another.
Mr.. Preston said that this was not the are
ma for political discussion of the Presiden-
tial question, and he intended motto be dragg-
ed into controversy of this kind, further
than to repel any attack upon Gen. Harrison,
who had been unnecessarily dragged into
debate before the Senate, as though he, and
not Mr.. Poinsett, had proposed the scheme
under consideration.
A desultory and lengthy debate followed
the motion to print, which terminated after
discussion of two hours and half, with All
order to print General Harrison's reports with
the report of Mr.. Poinsett.