The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-06-04
Washington, June 3, 1912.
CONGRESS-.

In the House on Friday, Mr. DAVIS offered a
resolution calling on the President to inform
| the House whether the commission, established
| demonstrating the affairs Of the New 7 ork
Custom-house, was yet in existence; If SO, why
it was continued and if it no longer existed,
| when it had ceased.
| Mr. CusHINl made a question of order on the
reception Of the resolution; but his objection
was overrued and the resolution adopted.
Mr. CAMPBELL, of South Carolina, again at
tempted TO bring up his resolution fixing the
day for the final adjournment, and moved
suspension of the rules for the purpose OF con-
sldering it. The yeas and nays being ordered,
80 voted in the affirmative, and "a in the mega
tive. The motion to suspend was therefore
| lost.
1 Mr.. SALToNsTALL moved a suspension OF the
rules for the reception Of resolution to take up
the Tariff bill as soon as the Army bill should
be disposed of by the Committee of the Whole.
The vote on this motion stood 80 to 81.
Mr. FILLMORE, on leave, reported bill from
the Committee of Ways and Means, pro-
vdng for revenue and revising the present
revenue laws The bill was read twice and re-
ferred to the Committee of the Whole. Mr..
Fillmore stated that the report of the Secretary
of the Treasury formed the basis of the present
bill, but the committee had made many lmpor-
| tant changes in the details of the report. He
thought it important, for the purposes of good
Legislation, shat the report should be widely dis
semnated 1t might be the instrument of elici-
ting information on the complicated question OF
the revenue He therefore, moved 10 print 5000
extra copies of the report. The motion pre-
vailed.
MIR. FILLMORE then offered resolution that
the debate on the Army bill shall cease at one
O'Clock next Monday. 1t was adopted-9a
voting in the affirmative, and IS in the mega
tive
Two Senate bills, one in relation to our COM
mercial intercourse with certain British colonial
ports, and another for the protection of the peo-
pie of Florida, were read twice and referred to
the Committee of the Whole.
The House then resolved itself into Com
mtee of the Whole, and took up the Army
bill. Mr. HALsTED was entitled to the floor,
and delivered long and elaborate speech
against the reduction of the rank and file of the
Army He thought the staff might be reduced,
and in one portion of his speech he showed that
the expense Of the staff officers is vastly to-,
great and the services of so great number not
required
He was followed by Mr.. Cross, who advo-
Gated the same doctrines, though on different
grounds.
In the Senate, Mr.. WOODBURY. submitted a
resolution, (Which he desired should lie on the
rable, } directing the Secretary of the Treasury
to inform the Senate how much money has been
borrowed since his last annual report on the
finances, and the rates of interest and discount
on each sum, and the length of time for which
such sums were borrowed.
Mr.. GRAHAM moved that the Senate take up
the bill for the relief of Hezekiah l.. Thistle.
Mr.. BUCHANAN was very DESTROYS of INDUCING
Senators, especially the Senator from North
Carolina but, as the Legislature of Pennsylva-
MIA would meet 10 very few days. he hoped
the Apportionment bill would now be taken up,
and the question taken on its engrossment IN the
course of the day.
Mr.. GRAHAM would, then, withdraw his mo-
ton; and,
AT the suggestion of Mr.. WALKER, the Sen
ate proceeded to the orders Of the cay, and took
up the bill providing for the apportionment of
Representatives among the several States &C
cording to the sixth census.
The question pending, when the Senate adj
ourned yesterday, was on the motion OF MIR.
Wright to amend the following section of the
bill:
SEc. g. And be further enacted, That, in every
case where State Is entitled to more than Re-
presentative-the number to which each State shall
be entitled under the appoonment, shall be elected
by districts composed of contiguous territory, equal
in number to the number of Representatives to which
said State may be entited-no one district electing
more than one Representative
Mr. WRIGHT moved to strike from the above
section the words, no one district electing more
than one representative" and to insert the words
as far as that can be done in conformity with the
established election systems of the States but no
State SHALL by virtue of the provisions of this section
consider itself called upon to divide countless other
election districts, for the purpose of furnishing single
districts"
Mr.. BAGBY entered into a constitutional arg,l-
ment as to the powers of the General Government
to show, beyond the possibility of doubt, that if
any thing was to be gained by the general ticket
system it would be by the small States rather than
by the large States. He did not believe that the
small States would, by the general ticket system, be
swallowed up by the larger States, as had been con-
tended He granted that the people were original
y the resduary Of all political power, and he admitted
further that the streams which emanated from the diff
ferent States formed the fountain of political power
and that the power contributed in proper to thu
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