Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-01-20
.Nynday, January Ia.
Sl'< ATE

| In The Senate to-day, numerous memorials "cis
presented, principally IRON 'he OF VIEW io'n, -
Scai;on Of The Bankrupt Law; others praying ii.
post oonemeut, modification and I'd eal, Also' proceed
inns of nnblc meetings the SAT- SUBJECT, were pre-
sen;ed All Of which were referred 10 the !udic'a
Committee. ~
AR. WALKER presented memorials from the Giles
or Nav. York aad Troy, demonstrating against The re-
peal of the bankrupt Law; when Mr. W: moved u
refer TO the Committee on the JuscIary, with lnsruc-
lions 10 report bill amcndatory o That law including
Ranks within its compulsory provisions; and such other
meudmen,s ~ tina, Committee might think advisable
Air. BEFRIEN having indicated wis! 10 debate
The proposition, il lies over for future action
Mr. Cl NY had great variety OF petitions TO present
demonstrating agans. the repeal or posponement OF
the Bankrupt Law lie enumerated 'neni III pl'oeiI
Of from Two 10 four, stating whence they came, and
generally by.wlat hunters signed Before making a
motion TO refer them, he submitted few observations
on the subject particularly IN reference TO the argu-
ments propoumded i'll favor OF poslponement or repeal
namely that one hundred miHions of dollars worth oil
proDerv would be thrown by the operation Of the law
under The auconeer hammer, at time that the ccun
,,v could not furnish means TO purchase such pro-
perty This he considered uniounded assump
,ion He knew not why two hundred millions
MIGHT not be assumed well as But whether
ffty millions or hundred, or two hundred millions,
he would as; what worse it would be to have the pro-
pery of debtors sold under the operation OF the Bank
rupt Act than under the executions Of the Courts, and
by the sherlS other officers Would 1t not IN fact
b., better because all the creditors would get pro rata
Share under the Bankrupt Act, but except the
partial creditors uater the execution ot the sheriff. In
line latter case, the creditors would have motives TO
attend sales and bid for the property with view OF re-
aIlznr the from il; but under the Bankrupt Act
all would he interested in keeping the property from
being sacrificed In conclusion he referred to ru-
NOR which had been circulated in manner that de-
manded some notice At his hands. This rumor
was, that he had insgated certain movements IN
the other end Of the Capitol (lhe House OF Repre-
scntatives in relation 10 the repeal Of The Bankrupt
Law He scorned TO rcpel an insinua,ion dshonor
able, and so inconsistent with his whole course Of life
and character He might well be accused of orr
ginatng the motion of his friend from Missouri, Mr..
Linn,l to repeal the Distribution Act When the
Bankrupt Act was on its passage in the other House,
every one Of the Kentucky delegation but one voted
a gainst il and that one, his return home, finding
10 change his opinion had now voted 10! lis re-
peal. 1t had been nslnuaied Oh this that nc, (Alr.
Claw had dictated to the Kentucky delegation, and
their vote. Those who made the III.
situation knew nothing of kentuckans, if they sup
posed any delegation sent from that State would brook
such dlcation. And whatever difference of opinion
pre- vailed in the Senate between himself and those
who opposed to him in politics, he could appeal to
every gentleman in that chamber for the reiutaon 10
all such nsinuations. lie believed there not one
who would countenance The foul calumny-not one
who did not believe of him, that whatever may be the
Of the head, the heart Mt least right and that
he had studied 10 live and die honest naD-honest
in public and in private life. having made these few
observations, he moved that the petitions should be
ierrcd 10 the Committee on the Judiciary: and they
were so referred.
Mr.. CALHOUN submitted tie following resolution,
which read and adopted, viz:
Resoiced That the Secretary Of War be directed 10
report to the Senate tue average strength Of the army
the Military Academy and Cadets, during
the year ending the 3lsi December last, estimated by
the average strength OF each month, with tile proper
ton Of officers 10 men, estimated in the manner
and also The expense Of the army, including the Aca
DENY, for the period, as nearly as can be ascer
tanned.
Mr. ALLEN submitted the following important re-
solution, which read, VIZ,
Resored, That the Secretary Of the Treasury be d-
rected 10 inform the Senate, practicable,
whether, in his opinion, the Government can, III the
without either reca!!n. TO lis service the de-
rived from the sales ~ the public domain and which,
by an existing act, apart for distribution TO the
States or without drawing from the people, i'll addition
to their present taxes an amount equal TO that revc
nue; and i'll consequence o! IT'S distribution, by means
Of increasing the levied apon them, in the
form Of tariff duties, or, by imposing and direct
upon them; or by borrowing upon their credit, in
The form d. direct uans, OF Treasury notes, 10 be
paid eventually out Of their labor aud property And
if, in his op;aion, the Government cannot be
ried on, without thus recalling the land revenue; in
creasnT the taxes or the loans amount equal 10
that revenue, and, in consequcoeA It's distribution,
Then which Of those ALTERNATIVE in his opinion,
be the most economical 10 the pkopW the recall Of that
revenue the taxes Or The loanse Also, that he be d-
reced to lag before the Senate the estimates and the
reasons upon which such his opinios may be founded.
Mr. ALLEN wished lis consideration at that tin
hut
Mr. EVANS having objected 10 its consideration,
the resolution lies over Tor future action.
On motion OF Mr.. LINN, the resolution ordered
to be printed.
The engrosscd bill f,r The relief of James H. Rele,
and the bin Tor The rlef Of V Ham Dupeyster and
Henry NJ. Cruser and Tie bill Tor tic relief Of Caleb
Eddy, seycaliy read the third time, and passed.
Several bills Of private nature considered as
in Committee Of the Whole, reported 10 the Senate,
and ordered to be engsossed for i tl,rd reading.
The bull ofSlr. Ba$TON to postpone the operation
Of the Bankrupt law two years from the first Of Fc
bruary, was, the motion Of that gentleman, laid on
the table pending thr action IN the ether branch OF
Congress that subject.
THE RErEAI. ur THE DISTRIBUTION ACT
The bill 70 repeal The disrbn'ye sections OF the act
entitled San ac, 10 appropriate the proceeds of the
sales of the public lands aud 10 grant pre- .cmption
rights, approved the .th day Of September ISL and
in lieu of the distribution Of the land therein
proposed, to pledge the same 10 the common defence
ofthe Union, coming up for consideration
Mr.. LINN SAID that he would prefer that this bill
should 90 over until tomorrow, but, III would lose It's
place the calendar by such proceeding, lie would
rather go into DISCUSSION upon The subject at the pre-
sent time. He was DESTROYS that the report Of the Sc.
crctary OF the Treasury, reply To the resolution which
he offered ,'nSago showing The effect of the Dis
trbutivn Land act, should be printed, before the sub
!ect before the Senate, that the people nigh,
what mere pit;ancc they would individually receive
being not more than eight ten cents to each ndiv
DIAL in the coun'ry-and how much they would lose
| in the aggregate, as nation.
| The PRESIDENT observed that, by general consent
the special order could be passed over
| Mr.. CLAY SAID tina. the Senator had better move t.
postpone the special order until 10 morrow
MIR. LINN informed the Senator that he had already
made that suggestion.
Mr.. KING remarked that, by making the bill the
special order for Tomorrow, i would place il al tie
foot of the s., rs there were several other special
ders upon the calendar which woad in that case, have
precedence.
Mr.. CLAY inquired, what were the special orders
The PRESIDENT replied, The joint resolutions pro
posing amendments 10 the Cons,itution VIZ 10 pre-
vent the appointment of members of Congress
offices during the term for which they elected
restricting the exercise Of The Veto, and vestng il
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