The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-02-12
CONGRESS-.

CONGRESS-.
On Friday, in the House, Mr.. Fillmore pre-
sented three reports from the Committee OF
Ways and Means. Several resolutions were
also offered and received by general consent
The most important presented were the follow
ing by Mr.. Medil;
Resolred, That the President of the United States
he reauested to communicate to the House, the nfor
nation in his possession upon which the commission
of inquiry in relation to the public buildings in this
city was instituted last spring, and the law under
which the same appointed also, the names OF the
commissioners copies of all Instructions letters OF
other documents addressed to them, or any OF them
in relation to their duties, or in any way explanatory
of the object for which they were appointed; the
time when they severaIly entered upon their duties
and how long they continued in discharge OF the
same the names Of all witnesses summoned, invited
or admitted before the commission or elsewhere 70
give testimony ia relation to the objects had In vew
desig mating such were examined the expenses IN
directly or indirectly in the execution Of said CON-
mission, the amount paid to each commissioner, wit
mes, and other person respectively, and the fund
from which said expenses were paid
Resolped, That the Secretary of the Treasury be
requested to inform the House, whether any person
or persons have been appointed within the last year
to examine the books or official proceedings of the
registers or receiversin the land Offices or any OF
them; and if so, how many and who were so APP
pointed, what were the duties assigned them, ana
when did they severally enter upon the same-how
long they have been expected to remain In
the discharge of said duties what is the rate OF their
compensation, from what fund the same has been or
is to be paid, and the law under which said person
or persons appointed. And II he or they were
appointed for the purpose of making special ihvestl
cations of alleged defacations, or other MISCONDUCT
on the part of any register receiver or other officer,
that he communicate to the House all the informa-
ton in the possession of the Department at the time
of said appointment or appointments-showing the
necessity r such Investigations, and in either case
copies of all Instructions letters other documents
accompanying or subsequently addressed to the said
person or persons whether relating to the examina-
ton aforesaid or any other business OF public cha
racter and copies of all letters that have been re-
ceived from said person or persons and now on file
in the Department.
They were laid over in consequence of others
wishing to append amendments to them.
Mr.. Saltonstall called for the orders OF the
day, being resolution offered by him autho-
rizing the Committee on Manufactures to en-
ploy clerk. He said in explanation, that though
the House had refused permission to the com
mittee to summon persons before them Tor the
purpose of obtaining information, yet many had
voluntarily appeared before it, and the assistance
of clerk is wanted to take down the knowledge
communicated Mr.. Brown of Tennessee, OPP
posed the resolution. The services Of clerk
were not required for copying informal state
ments. Had the House authorized the Com
mittee to summon persons, he could conceive
the necessity of the assistance of clerk-bul
under the present circumstances, each member
could take notes of the points he deemed impor-
tant. Mr. Randolph followed in reply. Mr.
Turney moved to lay the resolution on the ia
ble On the motion of Mr.. Randolph, the vote
was taken by ayes and noes-and there was a
tie,-99 in the affirmative and 89 in the mega
tive-the Speaker voted in the negative. After
some unmportant proceedings, the vote to lay
on the table was renewed and carried.
The House then resolved itself into com
mittee of the whole, Mr. Casey in the Chair
for the consideration Of private bills.
In the Senate the following bills were read a
third time and passed, viz: The bill making ap
preparations for pensions for the year 1912; the
bill for the relief and protection of American
seamen in foreign countries the bill to confirm
certain land claims in the State of Louisiana
and the bill authorizing claimants in the States
of Missouri, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louis
iana to institute proceedings to test the validity
of land titles in those States.
ON THE APPOINTMENT OF WASH