The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-08-09
CONGRESS-.


State, enclosing a letter from Thomas Allen, Esq,
asking payment for printing the Compendium OF the
Sixth Census together with his accounts relating to
| the same.
Also memorial from J. l.. Maury, with refer
ence to his contract to sell lottery tickets under law
of Congress- and in relation to the bill in the posses
sion of the Senate having for its object the suppress
sion of the sale of lottery tickets in the District oil
Columbia which referred to the Committee on
the District of Columbia
Reports were made from several of the standing
committees, and various private bills were passed
A message was received from the House Of Repre-
sentatves, stating that they had passed joint resolu
ton providing for an adjournment of the two Houses
of Congress- sine die, on the 22d of August, instant
| On motion of Mr.. PRESTON, the confederation
of the resolution postponed until Monday next,
and made the special order for that day.
| The bill to extend the time during which the du-
ties certain railroad iron imported by the State OF
Michigan, and laid down for permanent use, may be
RENTED, taken up, on the motion of
| Mr.. PORTER, who remarked that he would not
detan the Senate with any remarks upon the subject
| Mr.. BUCHANAN said that he would not object
to ordering the bill to be engrossed for third read
ing to-day but he would like to have time until to-
morrow to consider whether he would object to its
passage.
| The bill was then ordered to be engrossed for
| third reading.
The Senate resumed the consideration Of the bill
to supply the deficiency in the navy pension fund,
| when
Mr.. WHITE said that this fund.- originally, con-
sisted of prize money and money levied officers
and seamen in the naval service and it reached one
| mil. ion and half of dollars. The interest of this
fund paid the pensions of officers and for
wounds received the service, actual engagement,
or for disabilities arising tom accidents in the ord-
| nary service. To this list subsequently added
pensions for the widows of those W no had fallen either
in battle or died of their wounds while in the ordina-
| ry performance of their duty. These pensions were
continued from five years to five years, and in
tended to be perpetual but in 1887 when this evil of
temporary legsa ion was intended to be remeded,
Congress placed on the list the same individuals, or
| the heirs of those widows who had died and this
| had swept the whole fund out of existence. The
question remained, what modification Of the law
would they make He would propose an amend
ment to the BILL in the form of provso that if any
officer of the Navy marine corps any seaman
marine, shall have died after the Sd of March 1887
and his widow children shall have been placed up
on the pension roll prior to the 10th of August 1874
and entitled to receive pensions shall continue
to receive the well after before the presc
| session of Congress-
| Mr.. WILLIAMS proposed to amend the amend
ment by striking out the words Gas well after as be-
fore the present of Congress" and inserting
in lieu thereof the words 'unl they shall have had
| the benefit of the pension fund for five years"
| Mr.. CHOA TE opposed the amendment of the Sc
nator from Maine on the ground that the widow had
vested right to receive the pension and if she should
die then the orphan, until he shall have arrived at the
| aye Of maturity.
| Mr.. SMITH, Of Connecticut, arose and submitted
a few observations for the purpose, he said, Of
combating and protesting against the doctrine which
l L. a.. &.
Sets and by Others, viz That when the Legislature
holds out inducements to enter the naval service the
| act is irrevocable and cannot be repealed
| Mr.. SIMMONS replied and commended that he did
not understand the Senator from Massachusetts, as
holding any such argument had been attributed to
| him by the Senator from Connecticut.
Mr.. SMITH made some additional remarks and
the further consideration of the subject was postpon
| ed until tomorrow.
The bill to suppress to sale of lottery tickets in the
District of Columbia was read third time and
| passed
The bill requiring the Secretary of State to lay be-
fore Congress, annually, at the commencement of the
session, in comprehensive form, all changes and
notifications made by foreign nations in relation to
duties imports and exports, and other regulations
on the subject shall to the knowledge of the
Department, was read third time and passed
The bill respecting turloughs in the naval service
was taken up; when the question stated on agree
| ing to the amendment of the Committee on Naval
| Affairs, viz: No officer shall be put on furlough
without his consent for a less period Of time than
three years"
Mr.. BAYARD explained the object of tie bill Ii
was to restore to the Secretary of the Navy
the power, which he formerly possessed of
putting officers furough without consulting them
but if he did consult them, he could fix the time OF
Through al less than three years, that they uigh
turn their attention to some other business.
Mr. CALHOUN said that the regulation, in effect
really amounted to halfpay
Mr. RAYARD reped Automatically
Mr. CALHOUN would rather act openly and
make express provision for pay at once and he
would suggest the pIopriety letting the matter 90 over
and taking up at another session The subject had
been agated heretofore, and the feeling of Congress
was against it,
Mr. BAYARD said that there were si1ty-eight
captains in the service and one case which he would
imagine would eucidate the whole. Suppose there
were ten nho were inefficient, and the Secretary of
| the Navy did not choose TO employ them How did the
| law stand He colud not put them on furlough and
| they would therefore continue receive full paw
And what was now proposed was, that the Secretary
should put them on furough and half-pay, whenever
he had no occasion to place them BY this
regulation, large amount would be saved to the De-
| partment, and Inconvenience whatever result
| from it.
| Mr. ARCHER conceded in the remarks of the
Senator fiom Delaware, and added few remarks in
| support ofthe argument
Mr.. CALHOUN observed that, in his opinion tn y
I were endea5oring to avoid evil by greater one
| peslues, uey Wouiu give tremendous power 10 the
Secretary OF the Navy to give preference to certain
officers, whether competent or not; and they were
laying the foundation for relaxing the discipline Of
the Navy.
Mr. BAYARD remarked that the power now pro-
posed to be restored to the Secretary Navy had
been exercised from the commencement of the Gov
eminent until the year 1885, when, in the bill estab
fishing the pay of the Navy, it was stricken out
There instance on record that this power had
been abused.
| MIR. CHOATE said that the proposition was good
as far it went. Ii would effect saving of s25, 900
and would do no harm whatever.
Mr.. ARCHER replied to the Senator from South
pliua