The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-07-28
CONGRESS.


The bill for providing the adjustment of amsa RS
ing under the fourteenth and nineteenth articles OF
The treaty of Danicng Rabbit Creek, between the
United States and the Choc.aw Indians, was ordered
to be engrossed for third reading
MIR YOUNG offered the following, an amend
ment to the resolution submitted by him on Tuesday,
in relation to the public lands, which ordered to
be printed, viz:
IL. The quantity of land in each State patented on
account OF military bounties for services rendered
during the late war with Great Britain
L. The number of unsatisied claims on the same
account and the quantity of land required to satisfy
the same.
IA The amount Of land scrip issued on account of
the State OF Virginia, in consequence of the cession
OF her waste lands Of the United States for military
services rendered by her citizens during the Revou-
tionary war.
l5 The amount of scrip required to liquidate the
unsatsted claims on the account as far as the
same can be ascertained at the Department.
10 The grants Of lands made TO the several States
and Territories, from the earliest period up to the
present time, and the purposes for which such grants
were made.
H. The quantity of land reserved by the States
respectively or for their benefit from the lands coded
by them to the United States.
MIR. BENTON, from the Committee on Military
Affairs, reported, without amendment, the Sena e
bill, as amended by the House, providing for an
armed occupation of Florida.
The bill for the satisfaction of claims arising
der the fourteenth and nineteenth articles of the
treaty OF Dancing Rabbit Creek, was ordered to be
engrossed for third reading.
Mr.. MERRlCK moved that the Senate now pro-
coed to dispose of the motion made several days ago,
to reconsider the vote by which the bill in relation
to postage on letters, private expresses, etc., or
dered TO be engrossed for third reading. He stated
haf he ot he fica tmep Mt wa nj
the opinion that the rates of postage, as fixed by the
Senate on Saturday, woald seriously curta the re-
venue of that branch of the Government; and there
fore desired that they should not be enacted into a
law.
The vote by which the bill was ordered to be en-
crossed for third reading, was then re-consdered
Mr.. MERRICK moved to strike out the first
section.
Mr.. WALKER said that this was the most i'm
poranl part of the bill His State considered it
Of Mississippi forwarded to him positive instructions
to support such modification Of the Post Office laws
would introduce the Federal coinage in the place
of that now paid for postage.
Mr.. MERRICK remarked that the Committee on
the Post Office had framed the section the section
on the suggestion of the Postmaster General, who
conceived that what lost by receiving five and
ten cent pieces in lieu of six and quarter and twelve
anda- halt, would be counterbalanced by requiring
twenty cons in place of eighteen-and-,h tbu.ths
But the section had been amended not only as 10
rates, but distance; and he desired that il should be
stricken out
Mr.. McROBERTS observed that if they should
strike out that portion Of tie bill which adopted
on the motion of the Senator from Rhode Island Mr..
Smmons) on Saturday. the section would be left MS
was reported; and he DESTROYS that should be
retained, because IL would conform the rales OF post
age to the Federal currency, aud attain on ohjec
which was anxiously desired by the countty
Mr.. WOODBURY. moved to rccommit the bill 10
the Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads.
MIR. MERRlCk hoped that this would not be done
the Senate were able to restore the bill to what il
was, if they should think proper so to do.
Mr.. CALHOUN preferred that the motion of the
Senator from New Hampshire should prevail. The
committee could cone to some satisfactory concu-
sion with regard to what rates of postage should be
fixed, after consultation with the Postmaster Gene
raj and the bill could be reported to morrow morn
ing.
MIR. KING said that they should take no step in
this matter which would have tendency to dmn-
ish the revenue of the Department but a conformity
of the rates of postage with the Federal coin would
not, he imagined, have this effect and he thought it
to he well worth the experiment
MIR. MERRlCk urged that the first section be
stricken out and that the rest of the bill become
law.
MIR. WALKER could not agree to that, and was
anxious to improve the section as it now stood
MIR. BUCHANAN desired that the further conside-
could obtain estimates from the Department as 10 the
probable effect of n reduction of postage upon re-
venue So far as his vote concerned, he would
not move inch in the absence of estimate. He
would vote against recommment Of the bill and
he desired that the first section should not be acted
until they heard what the Postmaster General had
to say upon the subject.
The question was taken on the motion to recon-
nit the bill to the Committee on the Post Office and
Post Roads; and it was decided in the negative
ayes IA, noes 20.
Mr. WALKER moved to strike out all after the
enactng clause and insert that on all single letter
Sheets except those which exempted from post
age by law, there shall be paid for transportation,
not exceeding twenty-five miles, five cents over
twenty five, and not exceeding one hundred and
twenty, ten cents over one hundred and twenty,
and not exceeding two hundred and fifty, fifteen
cents over two hundred and fifty and not exceeding
five hundred, twenty cents, and over five hundred,
twenty five cents.
The amendment was disagreed to- and
The question having been taken on striking out
the first section-relang to the rates OF posage-t
was decided in the affirmative.
The section relating to the size of the largest
newspapers which can be transported by mail at
the ordinary rate was amended as to increase
the limit of from 1907 square inches to l,450; all
papers above this measurement to be charged one
cent additional postage for every five additional
square inches
The bill was read third time and passed.
Mr. WALKER submitted the following resolution,
which was adopted, viz:
Resolved That the Postmaster General be directed
to communicate to the Senate at the commencement
of the next session estimate showing what reduc-
ton Of the number of miles on which postage is now
charged in the several designated by law would
be necessary to introduce the Federal coinage, so
not to diminish the aggregate revenue of the Post
Office Department
A message was received from the President of the
hn nd cjy tba
tied An act regulating the value to be affixed to the
pound sterling by the Treasury Department"
The Senate then took up the Navy Appropriation
bill, and receded from its amendment to strike out
A. 1856 900 in the item of appropriation for the pay
of commissioned, warrant, petty officers and seamen,
and insert 81, 800, 000-ayes ID, noes 20.
And insisted on the following amendment, viz
Strike out " Provided that, until otherwise order
ed by Congress, part of this any future or ex-
istng appropriation shall be applied to the payment