Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-06-23
CONGRESS or THE UNITED STATES.
HOUSE OF REPRESEN rATlVES.
FRipAI, juno IS.
TO FAMILY OF GEN
MA n ION


solved itself into Committee OF the Whole on the stat
OF the Union, mir Tsafcrro in the chiir) on tn
bill for the relief OF Mrs. Harrison, widow Of thu
l,te President OF the United Safes, William Henri,
Harrison.
The proposition of MIR Adams was to I'LL the
blank with $4,000.
which motion MIR Gordon, OF n. Y. had hereto
fore moved to amend by striking out $4,000, and
inserting SO $50.
Mr. Gil. NER, Of Va , was entitled 10 the floor
and had risen to address the committee, when
MIR ADAMS asked his permission TO make o
statement. Some inquiry had been made yesterday
whether the late President had received any portion
Of his sll,ry, inasmuch some gentlemen were OF
opinion that, IN that case, the amount So driwn
should bo deducted from tho amount IN the bill. MIR
A. had urcl in tho proper quarter and had aSeer-
tanned that President Harrison, at the time OF his
death, had not drawn dollar of the salary. The
usual practice was for the President to draw month.
ly, but just month had expired, and he died at
the time the draft would have been made.
Mr. DAWSON inquired II there was any law
which regulated the manner IN which the salary
should be DRAWN
Mr. ADAMS said he knew Of none: the usual
practice had been draw for the Presidents salary
10y monthly instan.ents.
MIR. GILNlER now took the floor, and observed
than when he had yesterday moved for the rising of
the committee he mad not proposed 10 himself to
cupy much OF the time OF tho House IN debate, nor
such his purpose at present. With every dis
position to vote for this bill, he had then felt, and he
still felt, himself unable to give it his sanction, and
llll lOE fCaSO0s "nlCn nau OcSH ADVANCED py many
OF the advocates in its favor. This was not place
10 indalSe feeling and sympathy It were, he pre-
sumed there would be but one sentiment throughout
that House and throughout the country, and that
would be in favor OF the bill II this were act Of
generosity, il the object were to vote bounty,
Eratuty, the widow or latjveS to the late PTes-
dent, it seemed to Mr.. Gilmer that they ought no,
TO vote IN their representative capacity, OF the
public funds, but privately from their own persona.
resources. They had no right to be generous with
money Of the People. Gentlemen might bestow as
much out OF their own purses they pleased but
they were here trustees for the property Of others
and no public agent was At liberty 20 disregard the
trust confied to him under the theory of our Go
vernmeni IL was quite needless here to attempt an
culosy the character Of the illUs,rous dead his
tory had done and would hereafter do ample Justice
10 the civil and military character of William Hen
~ Harrison The result ofthc recent election, a re-
suit unparalleled IN the annals OF this country, spoke
the sentiment of the nation IN regard 10 his merits
while the drapery OF death which shrouded the lie
sls.atlve halls, the general gloom which oyerspreaG
the nation spoke that sentiment il accents mourn
fully Impressive. Bat those ThipsodIts in which gem
tomen had inIu.sed might, he thought, better be de-
fered for some fourth OF ulY Grafton, AZ least re-
served Tor other theatres than this They had not
come up here TO be generous but 10 be lust. His
object now was % inquire whether they could not
place ;.s o.. on lac basis OF lndlsputab,e Justice
50 tina. !; might ui be carried by mere par,ill
vote, bat might cou-iate the support of gentlemen
OF al. parties and on every quarter Of the Union |
lie wished, russ n.r, 20 the whole House unit
ed, so 10 give 10 ILr the undivided weight oi
public sentiment No GI.mer said he could no. |
bow TO The authority of precedent; he should ever
act under the light Of the circumstances which sur.
rounded him. His wish was, not TO furnish an evi. |
precedent 70 others 10y his example. He thought |
the House m some danger OF setting one OF tort |
chaucter-G precedent which might hereafter be /
strained and tortured - apply 10 cases OF very dit
fe;ent kind and objects OF widely different charac-
ter. He called upon the advocates VI the bll. 10 !
enable all the members OF the House, or as neaE'y
all as PRACTICABLE or, after what had iranspred
yesterday, he confessed his despair OF seeing the
House entirely unlIed,l to agree IN voting for the
bill
Mr. G. sid he was willing TO vote TO the legal re.
personalities Of the deceased President a sum .ufi-
Gent 20 cover all expenses incurred by him in con.
sequence OF the position TO which he had been cal
led by the voice OF the American Peop-. Thus
much lac considered as act OF mere Justice and
one that could no, be drawn into precedent ofevi
omen lie was wiling TO vote indemnity, but not
bounty. And TO gentlemen who Land so much stress
upon the force OF precedents, he would say that
there were abundant prccedents 10 Justify such
proceeding. lie would refer TO but one The
fankIng privilege had been conferred by law on all
our Presidents for life; and what ground! To
indemnify them for expenses actually incurred, or
against such as they must lie Otherwise exposed 10.
This was not IN the nature OF a bounty, or as a re
ward for meriOTlOuS services: for Il had been voted
alike to good and bad Presidents: but 10 in
demnlfy men thus extensively known from the grea,
burden Of expense TO which they must otherwise be
exposed from the position they had occupied. the
principle OF that law was precisely the same as nj
the present bill. The voice of the American Peo
pie most distinctly and clearly uttered had ca led
Gen. Harrison 10 the Office OF Chief Magistrate oil
the Union he was not to blame for that This cal
had unavoidably subjected him 10 a very l7rse .r
pcHse, from which he would Otherwise have remain
ed free. Shortly al er entering on the actual dis.
charge Of the duties of his office, he had died: and IL
was for Congress 10 decide whether !, was not
Justine: gGnerous-io indemnify his estate for
pvr g--Ey sa.rl 1r-., -.sI- 10.
qigucc OF his compliance with the mandate Of the
public will.
II MIR q. reco,.Cctcd, for he had not read the hi.l
1t proposed 10 give The money appropriated 90 the
widow OF Gen. HIuIsOH, and, 10 case o. her de.
cease, to his descendants. Hc would su-se,,
whether Il would not be better 10 give the money
to the 5s'ateto the egaI representatives Of the ate
President II was yely true that, standing as Mrs
Harrison did, On the re alton Of widow u he de-
ceased and mother to his children, the practical cf.
icct might be very much the same, in Whichever
form the bill should be drawn; his only objection
WAS this, that ii the money were given 10 the Vi
dow rather than TO the executors, II would have
more the ar OF bounty OF gratuIty. Tie money
would he hers, though u would certainly be srioy-
ed by the nearest and dearest relatives OF Tie de.
ceased; II would have different look from voting
he money to his estate. Mr. G.. should prefer the
latter form. He threw this out, however. merely
for the consideration Of the friends OF lie bill
The evI.s OF The pension system has been deeply
felt IN the country; but Mr.. g. unprecedented that Nv
NJtlng lhis OIL no precedent would he set That was
lkcyto lead 20 Tue system Of granting pensions for
civil services. He not desIrous Of send.ng the
bIll TO commissioners % ascertain tho precise sum
which had been expended, md which would Ue due
rs an indemnify; that would ue niegarI'y bro.
cectng. He did not wish % make this act n mere
matter Of dollars and cents. lie would no, Il % the
blank, as had Teen proposed by one gentleman yes.
terday with so many dollars and 80 many C. MS
no, he would do the thing handsomely, but on the
principles Of justice, snd as indemnify alone
Then the only remaining enquiry was as 10 what
would be suitable amount with winch 10 fl the
blank IN the Uili. On this subject Nj g. had no
d tn to 60 upon, and doubtless other gentlemen who
had been members Of the joint committee 'hnt had
reported the DILL were more accurately iufYrmed-
lie had only thrown out these hints by way Of de-
hong his position IN regard TO this measure, and m
the hopeo inducing others vino hlG scruple5 on the
ground Of TIE pension principle, 20 vote with him.
The military pension system OF this country had
grown 20 He enormous. IL was "a practical 1bYs.
calling loudly for reform. tic trusted that r.a
House would turn their attention 10 the results.
which had AJwed, Ia Great r tain, Gom the c,y.
pension system, VS. now IN operation IN that cnun.
try. thought 20 be remembered by every citizen Of
free Republic, that. under our forms Of rUvrrr.
mont, while the soldier hlzatded bis lilo aud spen,
hif time or his fortune for the public GOOD he could
look 10 nonC Of those rewards which, under Euro.
Pean Governments, were SO frequently bestowed u1
marks Of public honor. There were here no stars
or carriers, or orders Of merit OF privileged rank 49,
'ilt ihHre ought sure reliance fO br Irl In him