The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-08-09
CONGRESS-.


In the Senate, on Monday the CHAIR laid before
| the body communication from the Secretary OF
State, enclosing 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
to his contract to sell lottery tickets under law
of Congress- and in relation to the bill in the possess
sion of the Senate having for its object the suppress
sion of the sale of lottery tickets in the District OF
Columbia which was referred to the Committee on
| the District of Columbia
| Reports were made from several of the standing
committees, and various private bills were passed.
| message was received from the House of Repre-
sentatives stating that they had passed joint resou-
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 was postponed until Monday next
and made the special order for that day.
The bill to extend the time during which the du-
ties on certain railroad iron imported by the State Of
Michigan, and laid down for permanent use, may be
RENTED, was taken up on the motion of
| Mr.. PORTER, who remarked that he would not
detan the Senate with any remarks upon the subject
| MIR. 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 a
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
million and half of dollars The interest Of this
fund paid the pensions of officers and seamen for
wounds received in the SERVICE actual engagement,
or for disabilities arising fiom accidents the ord-
| nary service. To this list subsequently added
pensions the widows of those who had fallen either
in battle died of their wounds while in the ordna
ry performance of their duty. These pensions were
continued from five years to five years, and were in
tended to be perpetual; but in 1887, when this evil Of
| temporary egisla ion was intended to be remedied
Congress placed on the list the same individuals,
| the heirs Of those widows who had died; and this
| had swept the whole fund out of existence. The
question now remained what modification of the law
would they now make. He would propose an amend
ment to the BILL in the form of proviso that if any
officer of the Navy or marine corps or any seaman
marine shall have died after the 3D. of March, 1887
and his widow or children shall have been placed up
on the pension roll prior to the 10Th of August l84l
and entitled to receive pensions, shall continue
to receive the well after before the present
| session Of Congress.
| Mr.. WILLIAMS proposed to amend the amend
ment by striking the words cas- well after be-
fore the present session of Congress- and inserting
in lieu thereof the words "unt they shall have had
the benefit of the pension fund for five years"
Mr.. CHOATE 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
| age of maturity
Mr.. SMITH, of Connecticut, arose and submitted
few observations for the purpose, as he said, of
combating and protesting against the doctrine which
! had been advanced by the Senator from Massachu-
setts and by Others viz That when the Legislature
holds out inducements to enter the naval service the
act is irrevocable and cannot be repealed
| MIR. SIMMONS replied, and commended that he did
not understand the Senator from Massachusetts as
holding any such argument as had been attributed to
| him by the Senator from Connecticut.
| Mr. SMITH made some additional remarks; and
the further consideration of the subject pospon-
| 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 a comprehensive form, all changes and
notifications made by foreign nations in relation to
duties imports and EXPORTS and other regulations
on the subject, as shall come to the knowledge of the
Department, was read third time and passed.
The bill respecting furloughs in the naval service
was taken up; when the question stated agree
ing to the amendment of the Committee Naval
Affairs viz: "No officer shall be put on furlough
without his consent for less period of time than
| three years."
Mr. BAYARD explained the object of tie bill. 1t
was to restore to the Secretary of the Navy
the power which he formerly possessed, Of
putting officers on furlough without consulting them
but if he did consult them he could not fix the time OF
furlough at less than three years. SO that they might
| turn their attention to some other business.
Mr.. CALHOUN said that the regulation, in effect,
really amounted to halt:pay.
Mr.. BAYARD replied affirmatively.
Mr. CALHOUN would rather act openly, and
make express provision for halfpay at once and he
would suggest the proprety letting the matter go
and taking up at another session. The subject had
been agitaed heretofore, and the feeling OF Congress
Mr.BAYARD said that there were sixty eight
captains in the service; and one which he would
imagine would elucidae the whole Suppose there
were ten who Inefficient, and the Secretary of
the Navy did choose to employ them. How did the
law stand He coud not put them on furough, and
they would therefore continue to receive full pay
| And what now proposed was, that the Secretary
should put them on Through and half-pay, whenever
he had occasion to place them on service BY this
regulation large amount would be saved to the De-
parment and no Inconvenience whatever result
from it,
MIR. ARCHER conceded in the remarks of the
Senator from Delaware, and added few remarks in
support ofthe argument.
| MIR. CALHOUN observed that in his opinion, tn y
were endea7oring to avoid one evil by greater one ;
besides, they would give tremendous power to 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 pro-
posed to be restored to the Secretary of the Navy had
been exercised from the commencement of the Gov
ernment until the year 1885, when, in the bill estab
fishing the pay of the Navy, it was stricken out
There was no instance record that this power had