The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-07-23
CONGRESS-.

In the House, Friday Mr. Bolts asked leave
to present petition praying that the President
should be required to resign, and if he did not
comply with the request, that he should be i'm
peached
Mr.. COOPER again asked leave to offer the fol-
lowing resolution
Resolved That the Secretary of the Treasury be re
CURED to inform the House why the document fur
nishing the returns of the several Banks in the Uni
ted States has not been reported to Congress- also
that he state whether it is in progress OF preParauon
and II so, when 1t may be expected.
Mr. STANLY objected, on the ground, it was
understood, because it Is dsrespectful to the Sc
cretary.
Mr.. COOPER said it was document demand
ed by the House and placed on the calendar
among those to be regularly furnished His
constituents had desired TO know why it was
kept back, and he, therefore,, wished to obtain
an answer to the inquiry.
The SPEAKER announced the business Of the
morning hour to be the vote on the report from
the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr.. CAVE JOHNSON moved to go into Com
mittee of the Whole.
After some conversational discussion, and
variety of motions, the motion to go into com
miltee prevailed.
Mr.. CARuTHERs, of Tennessee, who was en-
titled to the floor, nveighed against the extrava-
giant propositions OF the Navy. He condemned
the large increase in the number of officers Of
every grade, which involved the country in the
useless expense of paying an army Of officers
for doing nothing He accused the Secretary of
favoritism in making SO many appointments
from Virginia and Maryland. The increase in
the number of officers he maintained TO be lille
gal, and insisted that the appropriations should
be withheld if that were the only method to
control the acts of the Executive.
Mr.. KING, of Georgia, said that the new fash
ion of inveighng against the officers of the Ma
Wy and wrangng about appointments was un-
worthy Of statesmen legisating Tor the great in
terests Of the nation, and on the momentous
question of providing for war in time of peace.
Similar debates took place just previous to the
last war;
At the last session the gentleman from Mas
sachusetts had declared that not half enough
d
come over him, and he pronounced the Navy a
humbug. And yet that gentleman had given
his opinion of the probability of war in more
than one quarter-in some or all of which the
United States would be involved. To prepare
for the emergency is part of wisdom. A part
of that preparation consists in obtaining officers
supernumerary in peace, but whose services
would inevitably be required in time Of war
If defects exist in the Navy let them b, correct
ed-but let not blow be struck at this great
arm of national defence.
The hour of IL having arrived, the Commit
tee proceeded to vote on concurrng with the
various amendments made by the Senate.
On the first which strikes out So, 1885,, 900 and
insert 50 800, 900, the vote taken by tellers
and the House refused to concur with the SEN
ale by vote Of Sc to 50.
The next amendment on which vote was
to be taken, was the proviso inserttd by the
Senate in lieu Of that made by the House. The
House provso requires that no part of this or any
existing appropriation shall be applied TO the pay
ment of officers appointed after this date be-
yond the number in each grade on the first day
of January, 1871, &c. The proviso inserted by
the Senate reads as follows:
Provided That till otherwise ordered by Congress
the officers Of the Navy shall not be increased beyond
the number in the respective grades that may exist at
the end of the present session of Congress, nor Of
midshpmen beyond the number now in service. And
all vacancies of midshipmen, when filled, shall be
| supplied from States, Territories and the District of
Columbia, which, the time, shall not have their
IF IN
raj numbers in the SERVICE provided suitable applca
lions are made for the same.
After various attempts to insert partial amend
ments, the vote was taken on concurring with
the proviso of the Senate, and the concurrence
was negatived
To the clause appropriating $1,000 for the
y-dock at Brookly Senate added to the
proviso, that nothing of this or former appro
priations shall be applied for constructing dry
dock at Brooklyn, the following words: :" er-
ceptin payment for materials previously con-
tracted for and get to be delipered" This
amendment was concurred in.
The proviso from the Senate, authorizing the
Secretary to apply 100000 to the construction
of hoating-dock, &C., was concurred in, with
an amendment, &C if in his opinion the floating
dock would supersede the necessity of dry
dock"
The Senate amendment substituting $780,,
600 for $4,000 in the appropriation for Pensa-
cola was lost
y The Senate amendment appropriating $4,000
for the charter of the steamboats, Splendid and
Clarion; 81, 1865 for the suppression OF the slave
trade, &C., and $4,000 for arranging and pre-
serving the articles brought by the Exploring
Expedition, were next considered
The sum for suppressing the slave trade was,
on motion Of Mr.. FILLMORE increased 10 $fO,-