The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-09-04
commanding he strkng out the enacne clause Of the

commencing ne srkng out the enaciine clause OF the
Since that vote, however, while the bill vet remained
IN possession q the chairman TO be reported at the
earliest practicable day, according to the committees
order, to the House, with such recommendations the
parties Interested had applied once to the COM
mlttee stating that If the committee deemed the first
section Of the bill wholly inadmissibe, they would be
content with the passage Of only the second section
While the committee were about 70 consider this sug
gestion they were arrested IN Hine by the question
whether il would be in order to reconsider their vote
after the bill had been ordered to be reported They
had found recurring the journals Of the House Of
the last Congress that after foil discussion and on the
call for the yeas and nays, had been decided that
the COMMITTEES, IA such circumstances could not re-
consider. Hence the Committee on Foreign Affairs
had felt themselves bound to acquiesce and they had
consequently refused TO reconsider their vote. In
consequence Of his, they had not entered the
alteration Of tho merits Of the second section Of the
Mr. WISE sala that it had been at his instance
that the decision the Committee on Foreign Affairs
had been susPendH. The claimants on Mexico would
provided y should modified in the manner Mr.. w I.
would pssPoss IA, IN tsmsndmsnt which he should
offer to the bill
/ Mr.. W. then raw . history Of the legislation and
negotiation l6esubect Of the Mexican claims and
showed that the opinions Of the Secretary of State and
the Secretary the Treasury conceded the neces
sity of new legislation by Congress to secure the
] prompt payment Of the claims when awarded i.
/ Mr. EVERETT remarked ut some length on the
bill showing the npropriety Of the first section, and
the Justice of the pbvsion made in the second section
for the claimants. He had some objection however
to The present sec1D to obyiate which he offered the
followingpropi ab amendment to Mr.. Wises in
tended amendment n m sM ao y
Provided, That nothing An this act shall be con-
strued to give any rights claimants that are not
conferred by said convention and the act of June 18TH
l840 and thar the substance of the provision be in
serted in the certificates that may be issued.
Mr. WISE expressed hi assent to the insertion Of
such prosiso. n1S 1..44 "
The question being not about to be put s4. 2
/ n Mr.. ADAMS said he Inclined, as at present in
formed to the opinion he House should concur In
| the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and
reject the bill by srikndout the enacting clause He
considered what had jul been stated by the gentle
man from Vermont Everett) as demonstrating the
effect Of the second secton Of the bill, would be to
make the United Stats ultimately liable for the
amounts awarded nor bid he see that the gentlemans
4 proviso would prevent lch result. Let the bill
pass in any shape and The Government would in the
end be responsible This not necessary; 1t was
done by giving to the wbrds Of the convention con-
struction not necessary be given because there was
behind II all the question whether this Government
by negotiation at all with Mexico br the payment of
the claims, had not already made sef liable for them.
i Mr.. A. had not examined the words of the conven
ton and Of the law of lS4l bit he inclined much
to the opinion that these two a9s Of the Government
had already pledged the Government to the creditors
III
ted States would If the Government stood pledged
to that extent very well; ID il But if not, the
construction given to the contention by the bill would
pledge us to those claimants He hoped the House
would concur with the Conn ittee on Foreign Affairs,
and strike out the enactiDg clause of the bill. ,
Il Mr.. HUNT spoke in favor of some provision for
the claimants and conclu Jed by expressing his opin-
ion, that the proviso suggested by Mr. Everett would
be sufficient safeguard against any liability from the
American Government fron the passage ofihe second
| section Of this bill stslta ag.E.fTe - @%"
Mr.. EVERETT stated to the committee that he
had just been thatthe late Secretary of State
Mr. Forsyth concurred with him as to the construc-
4 ton of the words Of the convention. ksf
Mr.. TILLlNGHAST also expressed himself in
i favor of, the proposed modification Of the bill.
-The question was then taken concurriag in the
Recommendation bf the Committee on Foreign Affairs
TO strike out the Snacng clause of the bill.
| And the House refusing to concur With the commit
tee in that the enacting clause of the
bill was not stricken out M@ss ~ Ha1,..Z, Z. 80 "
Mr.. WISE then moved to amend the bill o..
l. BY striking out all after the word shat" in the
third line Of the lt section to the words "the Secre
tary, !" in the lst line of the I'd section. a...
Q. In the I'd section and tho Sd line, after the word
"awards, insert "as have been shall be made in
pursuance Of the convention with the Republic of
Mexico, concluded at Washington the 18th day of
April, 1882 in favor of citizens Of the United
And by adding to the end thereof the following
words: E '. -.
{. Propided, That nothing in this act shall be con-
strued to give any rights the claimants that are not
conferred by said convention and the of June 18TH
and that the substance of this provision be in
serted in the certificates that may be issued"
| [Noic.-This proviso was offered by Mr.. EVERETT,
and accepted by Mr. WISE modification of his
amendments - r." ."s'
Mr. G. DAVIS moved to lay the bill on the table;
which motion was rejected.
| MIR. WISE moved the previous question.
And there was second.
And the main question (being first on the modified
amendment of Mr.. WIsE) was ordered and being
taken, was decided in the affirmative.
SO the amendment, as modified was agreed to.
And the bill having been ordered to third reading
now, was read third time, and passed in the follow
ing form:
BE it enacted dc, That Il e Secretary of the Trea
sury be, and he is hereby, authorized upon the pre-
sentation of certified copies of such awards as have
been or shall be made in pursuance of the Convention
with the Republic of Mexico concluded at Washing
ton the 18th of April 1882 in favor Of citizens of the
United States TO issue certificates to the pers' ms au-
horzed to receive the sums SO awar led their legal
representatives and assigns, in the manner directed
by the 7h section OF the act Of Congress entitled An
act to carry into effect Convention between the Uni
ted States and the Republic of Mexico" such certf-
Gates TO be In such form and for such portions of the
sums awarded may be convenient for the claimants
and to be subject the deductions provided for by the
10Th section of said act Propided, That nothing in
this act shall be construed give any rights to the
claimants that not conferred by said Convention
and the of June H. lS40 and that the substance
Of this provso be inserted in the certificates that may
be issued q t-
On motion of Mr.. CUSHING, the title of the bill
was 50 amended read an act in addition to"
act, sc.
Mr.. UNDERWOOD rose and said that if there
was nothing else to do he would call up resolution
offered by HIMSELF in laton to the lighting up of the
/ Capitol.
Cries Of Adjourn, aljourn."l
/ Mr.. ADAMS What has become of the Mcleod
| resolution
| The SPEAKER said it was on the table.
! Mr.. ADAMS. Well, il the House has nothing
else TO do, why not take up that2
/ Mr. HOLMES said--as the reporter understood
that the resolution had been some ime in nubibus,
where he hoped ii would be permitted TO remain.