The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-06-19

The Senate then adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
THURSDAY, June II, l84l
About two hours were consumed in debate vnri-
Gus points of order and conversation by many mem
bers which resulted in the following action
On motion of Mr. SERGEANT, twas
Resoired That from and after Saturday next the
daily h. ur Of meeting OF the House be ten o'clock A.
Nj until otherwise ordered.
And, on motion Of Mr.. FILLING ORE, this resolu-
ton was modified providing that for one week there
after the hour Of adjournment be three o'clock unless
the House has previously adjourned
On motion of Mr.. GlLMER,
Resolred That committee Of five members of this
House he appointed hose duty 1t shall be to examine
particularly the number of officers agents en-
the expenditures and modes OF ransacting bu-
slness the several Departments Of the public service
at the seat of Government and at such other points
as the committee may deem necessary, or as may be
indicated by this House, and that such committee re-
port the session whether 1t is proper TO make
any reduction of the expenses OF the civil list or IN
the number arrangement of the persons thus EN-
poyed, and whether the patronage OF the Executive
an indispensable necessity.
An amendment offered by Mr. BROWN, of Pa,
providing that said committee have leave to during
the recess of Congress was rejected
Mr.. J. c. CLARK offered the following resou-
ton
ReSoired, That hereafter all articles Of stationery
and ether supplies usually furnished by the Clerk for
the use of the members Of this House shall be pur
chased by contrart to be made with the lowest bidders
having reference to the quality of the specimens the
articles TO be exhibited And for such purpose, the
Clerk shall advertise in three the newspapers print
ed IN the city OF Washington, one in Boston, in
New York, one in Baltimore, and one in Philadelphia,
inviting sealed proposals for furnishing such stationery
and supplies, giving sixty days notice that a speci-
hcd day all the proposals would be considered and the
specimens furnished examined and that on such day
the proposals shall be opened presence Of the Speak
er and Clerk OF the House. or in the absence of the
Speaker in the presence of the Secretary of the Trea
sury and Clerk, who shall thereupon determine to
which of the bidders the contracts shall be given al
ways contracting with the lowest bidder having rec-
renee to quality aforesaid Propided That the on
tractor shall give bond with suretles to be approved by
the Speaker and Clerk 10 fulfil his contracts and to
furnish the articles equal in quality to the specimens.
Mr.. SMITH, of CT offered the following resoIu-
ton which Mr. RCLARk accepted as a modification of
his own
Resoired, That select committee of five he
appointed to inquire into the contingent expenses Of
this House and into any corrupt illegal or improper
practices which may have existed which do exist in
this branch of he public service, and TO ascertain
whether the expenditures, some part of them have
not been wascful and extravagant; and whether the
same can ne reduced consistently with DIS
charge by this House of its constitutional duties and
whether the method of keeping the accounts of such
expenditures cannot be improved and whether there
are not more clerks and other persons employed in the
service OF the House and in and about the Capitol and
the pubic grounds adjoining than the public good re-
qurcs and whether the salaries or pay such clerks
and other persons should be reduced otherwise alter
ed or modified; with authority to report by bill or
otherwise as they may see fit.
The resolution as modified was adopted
An amendment to the above, offered by Mr..
BROWN, OF ~ Y, "that said committee be instruct
ed to inquire and report to this House the amount Of
stationery used, and by whom used in the recess be
tween the two sessions of the Goth Congress was re-
Jected by yeas 81 nays lOS.
The debate on the above is omitted to give place
for matter Of more interest
THE LATE PRESIDENTS FAMILY
On motion of Mr.. ADAMS the House resolved it
self into Committee of the Whole the state Of the
Union, Mr., Tallafcro Of Va, in The char,) the
bill for the relief of the widow of the late William
Henry Harrison; which read as follows
BILL for the relief Of Mrs Harrison, widow Of the
late President Of the United States.
BE il enacted blythe Senate and House OF Pepresen-
tdhres o. ne tnHed States Of America in Congress
assembled, That the Secretary Of the Treasury pay
out OF any money in the Treasury not otherwise ap-
proprlated, to Mrs. Harrison, widow of William Hen
ry HARRISON late President ofthe United States or in
cNeh' " heI dea'n before payment, Then To the e-
gal representatives Of the said VIM Henry Harrison,
the sum of -
Mr. ADAMS moved TO I'll the blank in the bill
with the sum Of S25, 900.
lCries in various parts Of the Hall Of agreed
:" agreed
Mr. A. said that this sum- as far as he understood
was IN correspondence with the prevailing sentiment
OF tho joint committee raised this subject and Of
which the gentleman now in the Char had been a |
member There had been some difference OF opinion
among the members of the committee to the sum
which II would be proper to Appropriate and also, on
the pant Of some gentlemen to the consttutlonaly
of the act itself in any shape. There had been more
objection TO the consttutonay than there had been |
as to the sum TO be granted SO far there had been