Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-03-12

sns If ,h,s Union. II affected Immediately or re
motely five millions Of people, comprising no oroina'!
share of the boue, slnew, and muscle winch ha"e "
The strength the energy, and the power OF the conh
,ry The settlers on the public lands formed class
of citizens who had peculiar claims on tue Govern
ment for encouragement. Yet the act OF Distribute"
in fourteen fifteen Of lis provisions, was an act u
Legislation against them-an act OF the most y"
inst and haaiiious character Many OF these pro
visions were at with the spirit and genius %
this Governments and openly unconstitutional
particularly that which coerced a citizen on ac
count of rights secured 10 him by the Constitution
rights of locomotion and perfect freedom as u
the possession Of and liberty to do what he pleases
with his property for it denied man owning lanu oy
Inheritance donation, purchase or marrIage-iaho 'nd
might be useless unsaeable, from seltlh9 Oh 'i'e
public domain upon the same terms as other ci|e"'
or il such man had been settler and spent his mo-
ney and labor Improvements to make nome 'o'
himself and family in perfect ignorance OF tins law, o
nj 50 remote point from any land Office as not 10 De
able 10 learn its RESTRICTIONS he might be dspossesseo
by new conner, who should erect shanty on HIS
farm, and occupy it but three days
Mr. McROBERTS remarked that the class oil c'.''
,ers ,vbo composed the settlers the public lands, ID
advance of their being offered for sale, was class &C
tive rprsing industrious, honest and independent
who would peaceaby yet determInediy, assert me"
| RIGHTS and maintain them US any member oil Tue ot-
mite itself should his rights be invaded by an ln'qu''
tons and de,estabe enactment. Already had large
meetings of most respectable citizens who had setliea
on the public lands taken place IN Illinois, at wh'ch
resolutions were passed showing the utter mposs'p'
of carving The provisions Of this law, complained OF,
into oneration He read several of these resolutions,
and called upon the Senate before was too ate so TO
modify the from It the features OF m
Justice which necessarily led to such slate oil things'
and such resolutions.
AIR SMITH of Ia obtained the floor and expressed
a desire TO speak on the bill, but yielded to
| Mr. CLAY on whose motion its further consideration
was postponed with view to take up his resolutions
TO increase the tariff above the maximum OF Inc COM
promise ac-to repeal that provision OF The Distribution
act which requires its operation to be suspended u
duty of more than 20 per cent be demanded to support
the Governmental retrench and 10 econonse ie ea'
penses of Government and MIR. Wrighss amendments
thereto in favor of practical economy by aooiishihg use
less Offices b. Topping off all unnecessary expenses IN
Congress and all the Departments OF the Government
and ny repeating the distribution act SO as to render any
increase Of the tariff above the compromise act or any
new burdens on the people, unnecessary
Without going into the consideration OF the resniu-
tons with the understanding by MIR. Clay that they
should be taken up Tomorrow and 10 engross the at
ten.on of the Senate from day 10 day until disposed OIL
/ The Senate proceeded TO the consideration OF Exc
culive business; and after some time spent therein,
/ Adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
/ Mr. FILLMORE rose and moved that the House re-
solve itself into Committee of the Whole for the purpose
of resumng the consideration OF the civil and dIplo
matte appropriation bill
".
sumed the consideration of the general appropriation
bill the question being the motion of Mr. Wise to
strike out the following provIso to the 10Th clause IN
serted on the motion Of Mr. Fillmore:
crowded job printing, stationery and binding of each
Executive Departments SHALL un'll otherwise directed by
law contract, proposals for which shall he rreu
aud crption prntn. specified each advertise
men that can hr done, aud being made condition ~
that the the ciIyof Washington; and the
contract case far the proposals and tina accept
rruu
bidder. whose h shall be accompanied with proper testimonials
of the ability of the bidder 10 fnlhI his contract
So that Will read "for incidental and contingent ex-
penses of the Department, of State, including publish
ing and distributing the laws, S24 800.
Mr.. McKEON rose and observed that as the gentle
man from OhIo who was entitled TO the floor, Mr. Ma
son absent, he would take the opportunity OF pre-
sen,,ng his views the motion under consideration
II he IT, it strike from the bill the pro-
yso inserted the recommendation of the chairman oil
the Committee of Ways and Means, that the staone-
ry Job printing and binding Of the Executive Depart
inen,s shall be furnished BY contracts &c As he
disposed to sustain that proviso he would offer few
considerations lis support. THIS proposition org
nally came from gentlemen who were now IN The ma
joty of that House, and was put in the bull on the mo
ton of the colleague at that time oihe gentleman IRON
Ohio, he believed he was right in suggesting the name
of MIR. Bond MIR. NJ. then continued his remarks in
support of the proposition, and in the course of his OBJ
servations read the of many OF the gentlemen
who voted for its adoption, expressing the hope ina
now that they had the opportunity OF doing So they
would re assert the principle of reform they then ss
tanned.
Mr. SAMSON MASON then addressed the House
in favor of the amendment; and, in the course OF his re
marks he charged that the Democratic party for the
twelve years they were in power, had opposed every
measure Of REFORM and censurable for all the ex
travagance that had been committed. If reform was
to be accomplished, he expressed the opinion that II
would only be done by the Wing party.
Mr.. w. SMITH said, when he came here, 1t wa:
his DESIRE and he had prescribed as rule 10 himself
10 participate in the debates oil the House with sric
reference to the matter in hand before them but al
though he had prescribed that rule TO himself, II was
not to be expected that he, of party constnt
ing, he believed, decided majority oil the people
could Sit here in peace and hear that party reyed and
assaed by the tongue of vtuperaton and malice, as
was frequently the during the sitting oil Con
rress and not TO be wondered al then that lie
should rise and repel the attack when gentlemen m
duged in language altogether contrary 10 their repre-
sentative duty and dignity. If gentlemen would d's'
regard the dignity of this body and assai members on
this floor, and members of great party IN ms coun
, try, they should have their reward.
He then proceeded to comment on the beautiful IL
lusta,on Of the sincerity and honesty of gentlemen IN
their proessed desire 10 do their duty Tor The good oil
the people as exhibited in the conduct OF the gentleman
from Ohio, and in the proceedings OF the wing party
contrasting them with the professions made during the
late Presidential contest. lie, however, Cautioned
: them not to be guilty Of moral injustice To the hxecu
long established usage, made large investments to carry
+ on the business.
Mr. CARUTHERS moved 10 amend the amendment
Of Mr. Wise, by striking $1,000 from the clause so as
10 leave the appropriation 500 only MIR. Z. ulen al
dressed the House at length, giving his views oil
retrenchment and reform.
Mr. UNDERWOOD expressed his cordial thanks
to the gentleman from Tennessee for making the mo-
ton, and hoped that it would be carried tie looked
upon Of the best steps that had been taken
reform abuses that had taken place during the pre-
session He ventured 10 assert that It's adoption
would reduce the appropriation bill down TO mere
ordinary piece of business that could be despatched IN
few days. BY doing away with these contingencies
and making every appropriation specific, the approPr'a
ton bills could be disposed Off buslnesslke manner
without difficulty and without embarrassment. They
would only have 10 turn 10 the statute book 10 whe
the the object authorized by law TO Judge othe pro-
priey of passing it, 1t was these contingent appropTia
tons which, according to has experience, had occaoned
discussions week after week, and month after month.
had haap nanTtb mi