Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-03-15
Ihursdap, .Nrch 10.
CEN TT

! Mr. PRESTON, who bad been for some time con.
fined 10 his by indspos;on, appeared III his seat
TO. day
Mr. WALKER presented a memorial from the town
Of Luchield in the county of Medina, Ohio, signed
bv seyenty.ive citizens of that place, attrbutng
the embarrassment of the day to the use OF paper as
circulating medium, and to its fuctuang character,
and maintaining that the true basis OF value 10 all com
modties well rs TO paper money, IS specie. lhe
memorial represents that vast amount OF gold and
silver coin is withdrawn from circulation, by being
melted Town into ware, which, II It was added 10 the
present gold and silver REGULATION OF the country,
would be abundant for all the wants OF the country
The memorialis,s ask that Congress would impose
tax on gold and silver ware To prevent the Withdrawal
of those metals from circulation.
MIR w presumed the memorial was sent to him in
consequence OF the amendment he proposed 10 the
amends ent of the Senator from Missouri TO lax bank
notes when the Treasury note bill was before the Sc
nate Mr.. W. then pr posed to tax gold and silver
ware He was still in favor of such tax and he was
pra,iiied that the people had turned their attention to
the subject The memorial then referred 10 the
Committee Oh Finance.
Aferthe further presentation of petitions and memo
rails, reports were presented from committees, among
which
Mr. LINN, agreeaby 10 notice given, introduced on
leave bill 10 indemnify Major General Andrew Jack
SON for lie damage sustained in the discharge of bis Oil
cia duties Tins bill refund TO him the fine Of
81 GOO and costs imposed by the court Of Louisiana IN
$3.50
The bin having been read twice,
Mr. LINN moved lis reference TO the Committee on
Clo,ms, aud
Mr.. GRAHAM moved It's reference TO the Commit
tee the Judiciary.
A desuory debate took place between The two Sc
majors as to the proper reference Mr. LINN contend
ING that he had examined the precedents, and they al
mos, unanimously went to sustain the reference he pro-
posed: and Mr. GRAHAM arguing that however the
preceden,s bills 10 indemnify for fines imposed by the
courts should lee referred 20 the Judiciary Committee
The question taken, and the bill was referred to the
JUDICIARY Committee.
The Senate ten proceeded to the cons ceraton OF the
bill 10 amend the entitled an act 10 appropriate the
proceeds OF the sales al the public lands, and to grant
pre- emp,ion rights, approved September j, le4l Inc
immediate question pending was the amendment SUBJ
mitied hv Mr. McRohetts 10 remove the restrictions TO
pre.emp,ion rights in the distribution bill OF last ses-
son. in the following PARTICULARS, VIZ SO much as ex
cluies foui the right of pre- empton those who set
lied on the public lands before they surveyed; so
much denies the RICH, to those who own three hun
bred and twenty acres of land where or those who
reno Yed from their own land 10 reside upon the pubic
lands and much of said act as denies pre- empton
to all persons who not citizens of the u ) or who
had filed Their application 10 become CITIZENS, De-
/ fore they settled upon,he lands.
| Mr.. SMITH Of Indiana, who was entitled 10 the
floor. replied al length 10 tie arguments oil Mr. McRo-
beris on Yesterday con,endng that presumption law
had ever been passed by the Democratic party or since
the formation Of the Government, whose provisions
liberal 10 pre- emptioners as the pre- enplioh
portions Of the Distribution bl-beng, as he saId the
first prospective presumption act ever passed lie en-
deavored show that the restriction in that law against
rights Of pre-empton 10 those who owned land else
where was at time favored proposition with a
large portion Of the Democratic Senators; and NAM
tanned that all the odum which the Senator from ILL.,
nos asserted attached the Wing party consequence
of IT, and all the Remuneration which he visited up
pom them FOR incorporating II IN that law, equally APP
Piled To those Democratic Senator'S He maintained
that the presumption las OF privilege and be-
nefit; and he reason why they should confer
this benefit on foreigners when denied 10
citizens who not actual settlers. There was, he
sad hardship in H. Congress- he contended, had a
right constntionally 10 discriminate TO who should
lie its benec,aes; and far the argument OF the
Senator MIR Mcober,s went against the constitutions
al right to Discriminate granting presumption rights
between those who held property elsewhere, and
thought proper 10 remove from 1t, and those who
no property, equally applied to the whole pre.emp-
ton system. Ii Congress had right TO discr''
inmate, it had right 10 pass pre.emption
law. lie opposed 10 the amendments in toto
The Committee Public Lands was opposed to them
having voted them down. However much he desired
the passage Of The bin amended by the Committee
. on Public Lands, If tine amendments OF the Senator
from Illinois adopted, he would certainly vote
against the bill itself lie hoped the amendments would
be voted down. and the bill passed.
On motion of Mr.. CLAY the bill was laid on The
9 table
Mr. Clov's rercnchment and reform resolutions were
then taken up.
The purpor Of these resolutions, it will be recoec
ed is the tariff above the maximum of the
Compromise to repeal that provision OF the DIstr
button aci which requires It's operation to be suspended
if duty Of than 20 per cent. be demanded tc
support the Government; 10 etrench and to economic
= the expenses Of Government.
/ To which Mr. Wright had proposed amendments
! in favor Of practical economy, by aboshng useless Of
: fees BY Topping off all unnecessary expenses in Con
gress and all the Departments of the Governments ant
By repeating the Distribution act 10 render any
increase the tariff above the Compromise act, any
/ new burdens on the people, unnecessary.
& Mr. WOODBURY. addressed the Senate for nearly
two hours in speech distinguished for practical de
tails candor in treating the arguments Of opponents
and mascrv array of facts in defence OF the last two
Administrations He showed that in reference 10 the Isl
resolution of the Senator from kentucky-tha in favor
providing an adequate revenue to meet the wants o.
the Government both Gen. Jackson and MIR. v Blu
rens administrations, not only had subscribed fully to
the principle, but had uniformly urged upon Congress
that principles and that it only by the enforcement oil
appropriations enormously beyond the estimates press
ed upon those administrations that state OF the pub
lie Treasury was brought about which drove the Co.
ycnment 10 the expedlent of Treasury notes. In re-
ference 10 the rerenchmen and reform resolution, he
showed that could not produce more ardent desire
than had been practically exemplihed by Mr. Van Blu
rens Administration, 10 bring down expenditures to
ratio corresponding with the ratio of increase IN the
popuaton taking the starting point from the average
of the first term of Gen. Jacksons Administration
which was fourteen millions. Had Mr.. Van Buren,
Administration continued, the expenditures of the Go.
vernment would now be only seventeen or eighteen
millions 1t had down. year BY year, till the es-
Inmates of ls1l were reduced 10 eighteen millions, at
which rate bu, for the extra session, the Government,
with due economy could have been carried eiectu.
ally This was much less than the of these resou-
tons seemed disposed to allow for the expenditures Of
this Administration. His proposition was twenty-five
millions But he had not shown necessity for
this Without interfering with the estimates for the
permanent sources of xpendtue, there aggre.
gate for incidents now complete, and consequently
done away with amounting 10 more than six and a
half D.I,ctin thz and ra..n ali l..