The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-05-28


On Monday Mr.. JOHN q. ADAMS offered the
following resolutions ia the House;
l. Resoired, That the investment in the stocks 81
the several States Of this Union Of funds held by the
Government of the United States IN trust IL, TO the
amount Of the sums invested and OF the interest
thereon an assumption by the United States Of the
debts of the said several States in the event Of their
failure punctualy 10 pay the same.
2. Resolred, That the purchase, by authority OF
any Executive Department Of the Government OF the
United States of the bonds Of any OF the States Of
this Union at their nominal value with premium
thereon and the subsequent sale OF the same bonds nj
discount is an unwarrantable and wasteful dilapi-
dation Of the public funds
g. Resoired That il is the duty Of the Executive
Government Of the United States to require Of the
Government OF each and every State of this Union
in whose stocks investments of the public moneys
held in by the Government Of the United States
have been made, punctual payment in specie or its
equivalent Of the interest stipulated in the said stocks,
and repayment of the principal possible by
the terms Of the contracts upon which such stocks
have scveray been issued.
T. Resolred, That the further investment Of any
public funds Of the United States in stocks Of the
several States ought forthwith, TO be prohibited by
law And that the Committee Of Ways and Means
be instructed to report a bill for that purpose
These resolutions, or any other original motion,
could only be received (unless through suspension
of the rules) by general consent which Mr.. A. ex-
pressed hope that he should obtain from the courtesy
Of the House.
Mr. SMITH, of Maine however, and others, OBJ
jected SO that the resolutions not received.
THE AFRICANS or THE AMlsTAD.
Mr. ADAMS then submitted the following resou
tons:
Resoiped, That the Circuit Court Of the U. States
within the District of Connecticut having decided that
the Africans captured in the Amistad were not anne
nable before itself any other Court of the United
States for trial Of the crimes of piracy and murder
committed the high seas, upon the charge Of which
against them they had been captured by Lieutenant
Gedney, executive officer in the service of the U.
States and brought before said Circuit Court, there
exists within the United States lawful authority to
hold the said Africans in captivity within the said State
of Connecticut and all detention or imprisonment Of
their persons within the said State without charge
against them of any offence against the laws of the o
States Of the said State, is unlawful arbitrary and
oppressive.
Resoired That the President of the United States
possesses lawful authority to deain, as captves or
prisoners the said Africans any of thcm or TO sutho-
rize the detention imprisonment of them any Of
them by any officer or officers Of the u States whether
civil or military. executive or judicial
Resoired That there exists obligation either in
the law Of nations by any treaty stipulation between
the United States and Spain by which the President
of the United States be required authorized
to the said Africans to be delivered up to the
disposal Of the Diplomatic Representative of SPAIN
to any officer of any foreign Government in the United
States.
Resolped That the Committee the Judiciary be
instructed to inquire into the expediency of amend
ing the laws Of the United States for the punishment
Of crimes confer upon the Courts of the United
States of competent jurisdiction, full power to take
cognizance Of try, and adjudcate in conformity with
the laws Of nations all charges against persons ac
cused of the crimes Of piracy and murder committed
the high in vessels and by subjects or citizens
of any nation foreign the United States, whenever
any such person persons charged with the commits
sion of the said crimes, either Of them, may be
found lawfully brought within the jurisdiction Of
the United States
Objections being made to receiving this notion Mr.
ADAMS moved to suspend the rules so as to allow
him TO make the motion but the House refused TO
suspend the rules, and Mr. Adams not allowed to
make this notion