Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-08-28
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
The journal OF Yesterday was read and approye
POSI- nEEIEE nED ID II w - W

POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT..
On motion Of Mr. BRIGGS, the House again re.
solved Itself into Committee Of the Whole on the
state Of the Union, (hr Everett Of Vermont, In the
Post Office Department.
The pending question being on the motion Of
Mr GlLMER to amend the bill 10y adding thereto
the following proviso:
"Pr0Uidsd, That the money hereby Appropriated
shal! DC accounted for by the Post Office Depart
rent hereafter, when the gondi'i~n o; It's FUNDS shall
permit TO be refunded into the Treasury or deduct.
eli from any sums VIII ch the Post Office Depart
lnent may heretofore have paid into the Treasury"
Mr. CARY SAID he rose merely Tor the purpose
OF lnqIirug oil the worthy and able chairman OF the
Coma ucs on the Post Office and Post Roads, f
that committee had taken illo .ous.dera iol the LEI
ter Of the Postmaster Genera, for information re-
latvs n the detention OF the Southern MAI. 10 the
city of Baltimore - nours.
Mr. G. considered this a subject Of grca, insror.
lance TO the whole country, aud trusted The commit
tee would act promptly on Il. lie had received
TWO 'sttcrs iIOm the President OF the Petersburg
and Roanoke RJi'rCaJ, complaining Of the MUS
tee ofthe delay OF the mail, and the particular in
jury TO hls road 10 dIyer,Ing irave. from il.
The Chairman (Mr BRIGGS) replied that the
committee had not yet need on the subject, bu;
thought P obabie j. would IN a few days.
Mr. STEENROD was very desi oas he said, 10
vote for the appropriation contained H. the b but
he could not consent 10 do so II, he believed hy
voting FOR It the Post Office Department was 10 be
fixed on tie Treasury Department, and thus .om.
dependent on tue public Treasury. And he there
fore, sincerely hop TINT the Chairman Of the Com
mlttee on the Post Office and Post Roads mir
Brggs) would consent TO the amendment indicated
by the gentleman from North Carolina mir Nc.
MAYO and, instead Of drawing money from the Trea-
suty, give tue Department power TO borrow such an
amount as Was necessary 70 meet its necessities.
The amendment indicated by Mr. Mckay, but
not formally offered, and to which Mr. S alluded
gives authority to the Postmaster General, under
the direction Of the President Of the United States
TO borrow the sum Of five hundred thousand do
lars
mrHOPKINs thought, he said, that the amend.
ment Of the gentleman from North Carolina CNr
Mckay ought not 10 be adop,od Thacxpsnso and
delay Of negotiating loan were strong objections
10 tia mode Of relieving the nece5st cs of the De.
PARTNERS and, even Ifd loan were nrgO'iifed the
Government o. the United ST ties would become re-
SpOnsIu.e Tor It, litiat w S. and n las had been
stated y the Chairman OF be COumi,ts. IN the
Pos Office and Post Il adsl the Secge.ary OF tho
Treasury could part with the necessary qr. punt
without the expense and delay incident % a .oar
he (Mr ii srw no good reason why they should
resort TO the latter alternative. For himself he much
preferred the amendment Of his colleague from Vtr.
gina, (Mr Gimer)
Mr LIrTLEFIELD expressed himself, in favor
Of the amendment Of the gentleman from North
Carolina, thus Keeping the Post Office Department
separate and apart from the public Treasury MIR
l.. then made some remarks In relation 10 the Pos,
master General and political prescription.
Mr. GORDON asked the reading of the amend.
ment o Mr. GIImCfi which having been read
mrGORDON said this amendment he presumed
opened the general field Of debate. ILaughterI
Mr. @. contcnded that tho Post Office Department
had the means 10 pay every dollar % owed, and
mat there was no necessity for borrowing money
either from the Treasury, which was never 20 be
repaid or from any other source. To sustain this
position, he went into an examination Ofthg IIabiI-
lIes o. 'hc Department as compared with be- means
Of payment
Mr. O. then entered a. length into the political de.
bate IN relation TO The Postmaster Gerrr1I whom
De designated os having py teal sapac.ty crorrb
~ DO that portion Of hs work boz which bt W.. on.
rnged, but ps not having the capacity TO rrsoooe
the afldrs or the finances Of the Pos, Office DrpaT
mcpt.
Mr. ARNOLD took the a1or and addressed tls
committee during an our, boo speech upon Oh,
.snCn political condition Of PARTIES, upon TIC poit
zeal topics which had been introduced iu the debate
and 10 reply 10 the remarks Of Mr. Cave johnson
and ether members who had preceded him.
ln fhC course nj hIs r~marks, inc House rot int
.pmc coniu.''n by u.lu. ns supposedto be made ~
Mr. Arno.o 20 iHe President Of the United STATE,
lwfi reference '1 the Ns.D aud which were re-
Eu1to Hy several members as disr-rp.ctfuI to tha
flrrfiUnrfy.
Mr WINTHROP and Nc RCDSEyEIT c,lle,
Nc Arnold 20 order
M ROOSEVELT stating as his ground of 81
doing, hat tho gentleman from Tennessee (N
Arnold had spoken Of the President as the miser
sble wretch ~ the Other end Of the avenue"
The CHAIRMAN decided that the gentlema
Tom Tennessee was out Of order, for referring