The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-03-04
gWentp-Seoenth Congress.
t SECOND SESSION.
THURSDAY, March 3, 1912.

from the State of Pennsylvania asking for additional
protection on iron.
Legislature of Rhode Island, passed in January last
upon the Importance Of protection 10 American in
dustry.
Mr. MILLER presented petition from 81 ladies
OF Railway, in New Jersey, asking that an additional
duty may he levied upon imported ready made cloth
ing also, memorial from Alexander M. Cumming,
praying compensation for certain extra services per-
formed under mail contracts.
| Mr.. BARROW presented the resolutions of the
Legislature of Louisiana with regard private land
claims in that State; also the resolutions of the same
BODY In relation TO the aggressive policy of the British
Government, and plejgng the State of Louisiana TO
support The General Government in redressing the
wrongs of our citizens and preserving the honor of the
country.
MI, YOUNG remarked that friend in London
had sent to him statement, in tabular FORM Of the
net produce of the revenue of Great Britain for the
years loii and 1872, showing the amount derived
from customs, excise, stamps taxes post office crown
lands and from other miscellaneous sources with the
Increase and decrease in each branch of the
within these years. As it matter of some I'M
porance, ne would present the statement for The
use OF the Senate; and on his motion, il was refer
red to the Committee on Manufactures.
). On the motion of Mr.. McROBERTS ii was
Resolved, That the Commissioner of the General
Land Office be directed to lay before the Senate
statement of the names OF such of the early settlers
in the Illinois country were not confirmed by the
Governors of the Territory in the full quantity Of
400 acres of land also, that he state what number
Of acres confirmed in each case and in a CORE
spending column the number of necessary to
make up the said quantity OF 400 acres also that he
inform the Senate whether the reports of the Com
missoners for re-examinng ad usting land titles at
kaskaskia showed the said claims to be valid and
further, whether the Register and Receiver, acting
as Commissioners subsequent to the reports made by
the Board Of Commissioners aforesaid approved said
claims and recommended that the additional quantity
to complete the grants OF 400 acres, aforesaid,
should be made by Congress.
| The bill for the relief of Hezekah Cunningham
was read third time and passed.
The resout of Mr. MERRIcK, as Joint rule to
the two Houses-tha no amendment shall be made
to any general appropriation bill for objects call
ed for by some pre-existlng law, was taken up for
consideration.
Mr. WOODBRIDGE opposed the resolution, and
remarked that those who were its friends should
hibit strong why it should be adopted. The
effect of the resolution, if acquesced in, would be to
tie up the hands of the Senate, and he did not
why the members of the body could not trust to them
selves and act wisely
i Mr. MERRICk replied that it was to be pre-
sumed that the Senate would act wisely; but not
withstandng, Senators were not wise and perfect
as to dispense with all restraint whatever. The
solution which he had submitted was, in his opinion,
very important, for it was well known that at the
last night of session important bills had been
passed with amendments engrafted them re-
atng to objects not at all german to the subject
it with its Objectionable features and he hoped that
gentlemen, from their long experience in legislation
would the necessity of the measure which he had
proposed, and adopt it, with view to guard against
the evil which he had designated and Of which they
had so much reason to complain.
Mr. WOODBRIDGE called the attention Of the
Senate to the disadvantages which would result to
them if the resolution should be adopted and he stated
that an appropriation was some time since made to
general appropriation bill for the improvement of the
harbor at Annapolis, which could not have been
added had rule similar to that now proposed been
then in operation.
1 Mr. LINN remarked that as the Senator from Indi-
ana Mr.. SMITH had the floor for to-day, upon the
resolutions Of the Senator from Kentucky he would
suggest that the resolution before the Senate be
passed over informally until tomorrow.
i Mr. MERRICK hoped that the suggestion would
not be acquiesced in the resolution would not
much debate and it could be easily disposed of.
i Mr.. LINN assured the Senator that there like
y to arise considerable debate upon the subject; and
his motion the Senate proceeded to the orders of
the day.
THE TARIFF AND INFRINGEMENT AND REFORM.
Il The Senate resumed the consideration of the
utons of Mr. Clay with regard tic the revenue, etc.
/ Mr. SMITH, of Indiana, after preliminary
remarks, said that the head of the Committee
Public Lands he felt called upon to speak of the dis
trlbution land law, which had been particularly as
4 sailed. This act was now the law OF the land, and
he should meet the question upon its merits, and
deaVor TO show not only that The Land Dill was con-
stitutional but that, if il was unconstitutional, all the
acts of Congress connected with the public lands
were unconstitutional also. The public lands were
derived from three several sources, viz the lands OBJ
tanned under the treaty of peace with Great Britain,
the lands ceded by the States to the General
Government, and the lands acquired by pur-
chase from France and Spain The express pow
er of Congress the public lands was per-
feet, and ample, and penary. 1t not an i'm
; piled power, but was full and sufficient. The dis
nF he land Wo a
the only contingent question that connected with
Congressional discretion Congress had the express
power borrow money but all of the nclde OF this
power the manner of borrowing and the interest to be
paid subjects Of Congressional discretion Con-
grcss had power to regulate the commerce of the nj
ted States but the whole vitality of the power rested
upon Congressional discretion. Congress had power
to coin money but the amount Of the money the
dard of value, the proportion of alloy were all left 10
the discretion of Congress. Congress had express
power to establish post Offices and post roads but all
of the forms of this power were dependent upon the
action of Congress The Senator from New York,
Mr.. Wright) however, in his argument yesterday,
had spoken only of the abuses fhe power and il the
way he might have debated every express power
in the Constitution He then referred to the several acts
of Congress making grants of land for the purpose of
showing wherein Congress- and members of Congress,
had committed themselves upon the subject of the
public lands, and he advered to the opinions of Gen
era Jackson and to other authorities, to prove the
position which he endcavored to establish with regard
to the subject now under consideration and, m the
course of his remarks, he incidentally alluded to the
increasing culture of cotton in India and said that,
a consequence, the Southern portion of country
would in five six years, be the oudest in asking
for protection
The joint resolution from the House. suspendng,
until the further order of Congress, the application
of the money appropriated to defray the expenses Of
printing the tables Of the Sixth Census, read
first and 4 second time,
Il And the Senate then ad ourntd.
The GIRARp COLLEGE FuNp.-According to the
calculations Of Mr. John NJ Read, the whole value
of the Grard College fund, according TO present