The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-03-24
CUNGNESs.
The Senate did not sit on Saturday.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
SATURDAY, March 81

MI w ELLEH dshcu lthFc W u ItSOlu-
lion, which was read for the Information Of The
House, follows
Resoired, That a select committee Of three be sp.
pointed to ascertain and report whether any officer OF
This House has, during the present session. furnished
stationery TO any person entitled, by law, to the
same aud 10 report the probable value thereof
Mr. CHSN moved 10 amend the resolution so as
TO extend the inquiry to members of The House
MIR. Dawson, Of Georgia. objected 10 The introduce
ton OF The resolution. He hoped the House would
not descend 10 such trifng matters. Mr. ID. made
some additional remarks, but owing to the confusion
and loud conversation in the Hall, they were not
distinctly heard. He was understood to character
ize the proposition as inconsistent with the dignity
Of the body, and unjust to its officers.
Several members in different parts of the Hail.
and Of both political parties expressed their opposi-
ton 10 the motion, without rising, by exclaiming,
"Obectl object;" and their opinion Of its charact-
er, by calling il "sma business" "a pitiful game
&c. &c.
Mr.. WELLER said his resolution had no reference
TO members of Congress- but he had understood that
the reporters, letter writer's and Others were in the
habit Of receiving stationery
Mr.. DAWSON said the Clerk of ihe House had
charge of the stationery, and he had so much conf
dence in that officer to believe he would not al
low any improper use TO be made Of 1t. He, there
fore, objected TO the resolution
Mr.. CaAIo, of Va, moved suspension of the
rules; and demanded the ayes and nays: but the
House refused to spend any time on this little low
business the ayes and nays were not granted, and
the motion to suspend was rejected by a large
jority
RIVERS AND HARBoRs.
Mr.. MARVIN gave notice that he would at an early
day, ask leave 10 introduce the usual bill for the i'm
provement of rivers and harbors.
AGENTS CLAIMS BEFORE CONGRESS.
Mr.. HOPKINS, from the Select Committee, APP
pointed the 9th instant to inquire whether any of
the officers Of the House engaged in the prose-
cuon of private claims before Congress, by permits
sion of the House, introduced resolution empower
ing the committee to send for persons and papers;
which resolution was agreed TO.
Mr.. S. WILKINS moved that the House agree to
receive reports from committees during the morning
hour.
Mr.. THOMPSON. of Mississippi, objected; where
upon,
Mr.. S. WILLIAMS moved suspension of the rules
for that purpose which motion was not agreed 10.
Mr.. SMITH, of Maine said number of the States
had not been afforded an opportunity, except on one
OCCASION TO present petitions to the House lie
really hoped that this occasion would be embraced
by the House to enable gentlemen who had not been
afforded opportunity, to present their petitions
during the remainder of the morning hour.
| Objection having been made
Mr.. SMITH moved 10 suspend the rules for the pur-
pose.
Mr.. ADAMS inquired what The object of the
! gentleman's motion.
Mr.. SMITH replied, to call the States for petitions
during the morning hour.
Mr. ADAMS. If that was the gentemans object,
he was sincerely happy to find that the gentleman
was an advocate for reception ofPetilions.
| Mr. SMITH said, having so powerful co-operator
as the gentleman from Massachusetts, am sure
there can be no objection TO the motion.
The question was then taken on the motion TO
suspend the rules; and it was disagreed 10.
NEW JERSEY CASE.
The CHAIR announced that the business first in or
der was the resolution reported from the Committee
of Elections by Mr. Campbell, their Chairman, pro-
posing TO print all the testimony connected with The
New Jersey contested election; and the amendment
of Mr. r. Garland of louisiana 10 discharge the
Committee of Elections from the further considera-
ton of the papers in relation to the New Jersey
question.
Mr. BORIS then resumed his remarks on the course
OF the majority Of the Committee, showing from
the journal that they had not examined the testimo-
ny actually in their possession on the New Jersey
case but on the contrary. had distinctly refused to
consider certain dispositions which prove the ega-
~ of The whole election held at South Amboy
Mr.. BORIS was interrupted by the arrival of the
hour for going 10 the orders of the day-private
bills.
TREASURY BILL.
MIR. JONES' of Virginia. said he could not permit
any opportunity TO pass by without urging the House
to take up the Treasury Note Bill. He asked for
suspension Of the rules, TO enable him TO make mo-
ton that the House resolve itself into Committee
ofhe Whole on the state ofthe Union TO consider that
bill and demanded the yeas and nays on that mo-
ton, which were ordered; and were yeas l03,
nays c..
So (here not being two-thirds in the afTirmalive)
the rules not suspended
PRIVATE BILLS
The engrossed bill for the relief OF Smith and
Farnsworlh was taken up, read third time, and
passed
| The bill for the relief of Bailey and Delord was
taken up on Its second reading; when
Mr.. RUSSELL moved an amendment; which was
agreedto
Several other amendments having been offered, a
debate arose, in which Messrs. Hand, l.. Williams.
Russell, Dawson, and Smith participated: when,
On motion Of Mr.. HAND, the further consideration
of the bill postponed til Friday next, and the
amendments and papers connected with the bill
were, in the mean time, ordered TO be printed.
! The bill for the relief Of Thomas Fillebrown was
taken up on its second reading, read the second time
and after debate on lis merits, in which Messrs
Leadbetter and Perikin participated in opposition,
aud Messrs. Pope, Leet and Evans in favor of the
BILL and the question being on its engrosSmenl for