The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-08-10

the crew. during the period oil MS enstmehtoh OF ~"
their own account or benefit The third section pro
poses TO substitute annual pay to pursers in lieu OF
the paw rations, and other emoluments, authorized
by existing laws and regulations
| Mr.. WILLIAMS explained the provisions OF The
bill and on motion OF
Mr.. WOODBURY. its further consideration was
postponed until tomorrow.
The bill respecting furloughs in the naval service
and the act TO prescribe the number OF professors oil
mathematics in the navy of the United States, allow
ing each ship of the line for each irigate
and for each soop of war actually finished OF
launched,) were read third time and passed
In the course of the day reports were made from
standing committees, and several bills from the House
were received and referred.
MIR. EVANS moved that the Senate adjourn
Mr.. SEWER asked the Senator 10 Withdraw MS
motion for a moment
MIR. EVANS complied with the request
MIR. SEWER moved to take up the bill for the re-
lief poor Mary Johnson.
Mr. CALHOUN inquired what was the nature oil
the bill.
Mr. SEWER. 1t is bill granting pension OF
500 to old Mary Johnson.
The bill was then passed, ,em DIS
And the Senate adj ourned
In the Hou g. Tuesday on motion OF Mr.. Will
LIAMS, of Connecticut bill was taken up eXplana-
tory of an act entitled An act TO constitute the ports
of Stonington, Mystic river, and Pawcatuck river,
collection district The bill read twice and, 10y
general consent it engrossed and passed.
Mr.. c. j. INGERSOl.L again asked leave to IN
troduce his resolution calling on the Secretary oil
State to furnish at the session Of Congress, The
number of those who have taken the benefit OF the
Bankrupt act, &c.
Objection was made and he moved a suspension of
the rules The motion was lost.
Mr. FILLMORE submitted a resolution calling on
the Secretary Of the Treasury to communicate to the
House the amount Of duties collected since the Both
Of June. 1t was adopted.
Mr. HUBBARD gave notice that he would move "A
reconsideration of the vote the bill for paying the
Iowa militia
Mr. JOHNSON, of Mary land, presented memo
rial praying that the General Government would IS
sue stock, to be distributed among the States and
pledge the proceeds from the public lands for its re-
dempton. lie moved the reference OF the memorial
to a select committee
After some remarks from Messrs. BROWN and
TOLAND, of Pennsylvania, and brief exposition by
Mr. Johnson of his for moving the reference
to a select committee
Mr. JOHNSON, of Tennessee moved to lay the
subject on the table. On this motion the yeas and
nays ordered The vote stood ayes loo, nays
II.
On motion of Mr.. STANLY the bill for the re-or-
ganzation of the Army, together with the report OF
the Committee of Conference, was referred to the
Committee of the Whole.
The business of the morning hour was the report
from the Committee of Indian Affairs
Mr. PROFIT was entitled to the floor. He said
he had intended to make some comments on the
boasts made by the gentleman from Massachusetts,
concerning the great and beneficial acts passed by the
present Congress The Bankrupt act had been put III
the foreground. He had not time allowed him to d.
gress into this comment-he would but remark en-
PEASANT, that, but ten days of the present session
remained, 1t would be very expedlent for the MEM
bers of this Congress, at least those belonging to
the majority, to pass political bankrupt law and
take the benefit of themselves when they got home
This is the only mode by which they can
pay their debt of promises. With this remark
he would pass to the first question at issue-the re-
fusal of the Secretary of War to obey the require
of the House calling for certain papers in rela-
ton to alleged frauds in transactions with the Chero-
kee Indians. 1t had been argued that the House has
the right to demand any similar papers, and that the
course ofthe Secretary IL unprecedented.
Mr.. PROFIT said, if time were SLOWED him. he
could quote series of in point to show that the
Heads of Departments had refused obedience to such
calls, but his limited. In case, the Sem
had called foi papers relation to the transporta
ton of Indians and subsequently passed resolution
directing the Secretary to transmit them, during he
recess of Congress- to the Secretary OF the Senate.
The Secretary obey With the limitations dictated 10y
his judgment. He transmitted such papers as
he pleased and how he pleased expressly stating that,
in certain cases. he had withheld paragraphs and
whole letters No complaint was mace against him.
In 1888, call had been made on the Secre,ary of
War to transmit papers connected with treaty al
ready concluded. No answer to the call has been
ceived to this day; say nothing about It, While
Mr.. Bell was at the head of the War Department,
call made for the report OF the inspectors of arse
mails. The reply received was that the report was re-
garded confidential and therefore could not be
communicated to Congress. Those who now are so
anxious pass resolutions of censure against the pre-
sent Secretary, and vlrulen in leir denuncations
against him, WIRE silent and passive then. Certain
political or party relations between the ma oli iy here
and tho Executive have undergone some change, and
helce the ucrnony exhibited towards the present Se
cretary OF War. The head of the War Department
was right in refusing to transmit papers considered
confidential imperfect bat the prescott one must be
condemned for acting in the same manner, iol
sons, all former occasions, acknowledged to
be lust. That Is the state OF the case. The
Secretary has his possession cel tam communIca
TONS making serious charges against respectable
men, and containing statements completely DEM
natory of the character OF these men. These
charges and statements, yet crude and misshapen
and based in most cases mere rumor have induced
an investigation by the Secretary That mvestiga-
ton is not complete If the Secretary obeys the
call, what will be the consequence Why, we will
publish to the country charges and accusations, and
nsinuations and injurious to the character of
men of honor hitherto unimpeached, before we have
received the defence of the aecusedbcfore the
accused have been notified OF the charges made
against them. If this is not unjust and yrannical,
what is And yet you condemn the Secretary for
not becoming an instrument of this in Justice and ty-
ranny.
Mr. PROFIT continued, in reply to the argll-
ments of Mr. Cooper until his allotted time expired
Mr. CUSHING then obtained the floor.
At this moment, half past eleven o'clock, Mes
sage from the President was brought in by his Secre
tary, John Tyler, jr.
Mr. CUSHING said that all the remarks he had
intended to make on the report of the Committee on
Indian Affairs, he had already offered. His omission
had been fully supplied by the gentleman from Indi-
ana, (Nlr Profft) On that subject he would state
but fact-that the papers in the War Department
in relation to the subject contained little more than
hints and rumors. But he had rseu merely for the
purpose of replying to the remarks of his col
league. lie would not forego the right duty Of
sef-defence. The fact that his colleague had aban-
doned the principle point at issue, and expended all
his strength a collateral question, must be taken