The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-08-14
NAvY prNsIoN FuNp.

nothing herein contained shall be construed 80 as to
affect pensions granted 10 officers seamen, and marines
BY special act Of Congress- in which act such officer
seaman or marine shall be designated by name,
Mr. WISE moved the previous question which
seconded.
And the nain question (being the first the amend
ment the amendment, proposed by Mr.. Adams)
was ordered To be now put; and, being taken was
decided in the negative Ayes GA, 100
So the amendment TO the amendment, was rejected
nd the amendments of the Senate were then con-
CURED in
Mi MOORE asked the House TO take up at this
time certain resolution Of inquiry offered by HIM on
Monday last
Nh j G. FLOYD objected
On leave gwen MIR. .STEENROD presented the
resolutions of a portion of the citizens Of Wheeling
Virginia protesting against the incorporation OF
Bank of the United States and avowing the right of
the People to repeal any such incorporation
Also the resolutions of meeting of the citizens OF
Ohio county holden at Tradelphia, demonstrating
against the legislation Of Congress at this session and
avowing the right of the People repeal the charter
Of Bank OF the United States
All Of which were laid on The table
BANKRUPT Law.
On motion o. Mr. BARNARD, the House again
resolved itself into Committee of the Whole on the
state If the Union Mr. Tllinghast of Rhode Island,
in the chair on the bill from The Senate 10 provide
for the establishment OF a uniform system of bank
ruLtcy throug bout the United States.
Mr. MILTON BROWN, after congratuating
himself and the House that the bill under cons
deration measure v holly unconnected with par
" politics, said that 1t united considerations OF the
wses national policy with those of humanity and
justice The only difficulty in the was found IN
the apathy Of the House and the indisposon of gen
tlemen TO into careful investigation Of the sub
Ject.
He went on 10 observe that the object of general
bankrupt system was one which commended itself
alike TO the debtor and the creditor He was not
that lis constituents peculiarly desrous OF
such law on their own account they were plant
ing and agricultural people and had suffered as little
from visits Of the Specializing mama as any portion OF
the Union The policy was engratted into the Con.
sttutIon, and was which the whole country
had general interest The origin Of the process Tor
bankruptcy had been exclusively with the creditor,
and for his benefit but experience had shown that
the system, when rightly administered, was as much
a shield the honest debtor il protective TO the
rights of creditors. There not civilized coun-
try in the world without a law Of the kind the sys-
TEN had existed in Great Britain for three centuries:
had received the deliberate spobspna Of WISE ana
ened British juriss and had recently been very great
| ly extended by the legislation Of Parliament. Ours
was the only enlightened commercial nation whichre
manned at this day destitute Of SO benefcent regua-
ton and who could give valid reason why its adop-
ton SO long delayed In the recent extension
Of the system in Epgland, new classes had been
brought within its operation, the voluntary principle
had been introduced, and, though not extended quite
as far as this bill proposed, It would, before many
community.
| The trainers Of our Constitution had engrafted in
/ il provision comforting Congress the power 10
pass general and uniform law for the whole land
and the vote upon the adoption OF that clause of the
instrument showed majority of nine States TO one i.
proof how entirely the measure received the sane
ton and appreciation Of the American People After
tins It was indeed matter Of astonshment that Con-
gress should only have exercised the power and
then but for a shot time. The reason why the law
hall ~, y 4
the narraw, partial, and temporary character Of It's
provisions which seemed rather intended to release
the debtors tAen in the country than 10 make wise
and permanent provision for future time. But no
sooner had this law been repeated than the want of
it generally felt and the States accordingly com
menccd TO pass laws Of their own but these how
wisely soever they might be framed with reference Ia
the wants of each State, were inadequate TO provide
uniform system for the whole country They had IN
the meanwhile generated, naturally and from habit
an attachment in the minds of gentlemen here each
to toe law Of his State; and this might have
been one reason Why general law had mol earlier
1 been introduced
Nj. b. declined entering at large on the constitu.
tional power pass such law because that question
had been already so fully argued
Mr. B dweIt upon the policy Of granting an inso-
vent debtor full discharge, as that which was most
likely To the interests Of the creditor He adj,
verified to the intute love of freedom and the resis
lance to oppressive force which strongly marked our
countrymen and TO he far stronger influence of feel
ngs Of honor and gratitude those of degradation
and fear. 1t had once been deemed necessary and
Just 10 mprison the debtor this was now abropatcd
relic nf barbarism. To retain an endless lien
ufon all the future Efforts and acquisitions OF the debt
was little better; for it reduced him in effect To
the condition OF slave. Ii was SAID that when
creditor trusted his property he looked for his security
rather IN the honor and integrity Of his debtor Than to
on property, Mr. b replied, very well let him CON
thue So to look tins bill did no, interfere with such
reliance IA the least Mr. had had some exteflcnee
he of nd ha b,I & 49,,
honcst debtors were far reader 10 pay an appeal TO
lhelr honor than under coercion Of law. The bill
was well guarded yet still II might release some Gre
dlofs who dshone,t and whose conduct had been
fraudulent even If Tins were the case 1t would he
better that soAe such characters should escape than
or the sake Of furnishing them, mulitudes OF honest
but unfortunate men should be subjected To endless
bondage. The ram OF Heaven fell on the eva, to-
eeher with the good and some tafcs suffered 10
grow rather than the wheat should he rooted up III
rogue escaped now and then, let him 90 there was
tribunal whose judgment he could not evadc
Some gentlemen wished the bill 10 include incorpu. 7
rations, and especially Banks But, IN the FIST place
this could not be- effected the trlal had been made in
The other branch OF Congress and rejected by vote
OF two y one Besides, banks must he included /
either under the voluntary the oluntarv portion
Of the bi He presumed no gentleman would ,blnk /
Of including them within the former; they must then
come under Z latter; and, u so, on what act OF
fraud would gentlemen place the night 10 declare bank
bankrupt Corporations did not run avay nor ,id
they sectete themselves (howeyer they might their
money II was SAID they issued bills they could not
pay was the TO be The ground And we're gentle /
men prepared to place individuals upon thai ground
his he ianeled would be squeezing rather lightly
these hard tunes. When gentlemen were ready H.
-how how banks could nationally be included in the
bill Mr. b who was friend to hnnks. was ready
to see them inserted The thing was so manfestly
Impaciicabe that he took 1t for granted gentlemen
who insisted on such an amendment sought to defeat
the bill and had made up their min Il to 90 ogains, il
at all events.