The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-02-15
gmentp-Atnemth Congress
SECOND SESSION
IN SENATE,
MoNpAr, February IA, 1912.

The PRESIDENT laid before the 'er 49, IT,
ons adopted by the Legislative Council o. tract Of
country owned by the Sac and FOX iuiai., s'So,
from The same source, asking donation OF land Tor
school purposes, -, ,o,.,.ono.
ain., nostnonement or a repeal of the Bankrupt
ia, and he said that it was accompanied by let
,sr stating that there not one person IN ten IN
Northern Indiana, who was opposed to the Bankrupt
law until il shall have had fair trial.
Mr. WRIGHT presented memorial from the city
of New York, requesting that Congress will not
amend postpone or repeal the Bankrupt law ; also,
the memorial of merchants Of the same city, propo-
sing specific amendment to the Bankrupt law
MIR KING presented petition from Gieen coun-
~ Alabama, praying that the Bankrupt law may mol
Mr.. CLAY presented memorial from Marengo
county Alabama, against postponemenl amend
ment, or a repeal OF the Bankrupt law.
Mr.. WOODBRIDGE presented petition from
Michigan adverse to posponement or repeal OF
the Bankrupt law.
Mr.. BENTON presented the memorial Of mercan'
tile firms in the city of Yew York, proposing certain
amendments TO the Bankrupt law; among whch Is
one making the act applicable to banking and trading
Mr.. MANGUM presented the petition of Thomas
L. Ragsdae, asking compensation Tor extra services
rendered by him in the Navy Department
Mr.. BUCHANAN presented memorial from
Huntington county Pennsylvania, asking Congress
TO restore and fix the duty iron at what 1t was IN
1929 and stating that, without this protection, the
iron MANI facturers OF that State cannot prosper
Mr. s STURGEON presented memorial OF SIM
liar character.
Mr.. BUCHANAN presented memorial from
Ptsburg signed by farmers, laboring men, mer
chants, mechanics, and manufacturers stating that
the country has endured many evils from the
operation of the COMPROMISE act, and asking
that discriminating tariff of duties may be LAID with
a view 10 tho proleclion of home industry also the
memorial of professional men of Pennsylvania, le-
ouestng that the western judicial district of that State
NAV have the services of Judge Baldwin a, least once
in the course of a year; and the memorial OF David
Wilkins proposing fiscal project for the adoption OF
Congress.
THE PILOT LAW.
Mr. WRIGHT, from the Committee on Com
merce reported bill to repeal the act concerning pr
lots, approved on the Goth of March, 1887, and he
stated that it was matter OF deep interest, especially
to the plots of New York In 1889, the first Con-
gress under the Constitution passed law referring
the regulation of pilots to State legislation and u
had been question with some, and also WITT himself
whether this matter properly belonged to the General
the State Governments; he cared not however, whe-
ther it eonged to the or the other but when the bill
should come up for consideration he would endeavor
to satisfy the Senate that or the other ought to
have cognizance of the subject and that should not
be left partly to the States and partly to the General
Government Congress never took the matter under
its charge until 1885, and then only to apply to two
of the ports of the Union and in manner, in effect,
palpably unjust for while the pilots OF New York
were held to responsibility under the law, and were
subject TO all its penalties, the pilots Of the adjoining
States, coming to New York to pilot vessels, were
not responsible for a violation OF its provisions,
Mr. SMITH, of Indiana, from the Committee
Public Lands reported the bill to establish an addi-
tional land district in the State of Alabama with a
recomme daton that the Senate concur in the amend
ment OF the House; which was agreed to.
THE NEW YORK CUSTOM HOUSE INVESTIGATION
The following resolution heretofore submitted by
Mr.. PIERCE, was taken up for consideration viz
Resolved, That the Secretary OF the Treasury be
directed to communicate to the Senate copy OF any
commission other authority issued for the purpose
of investigating the affairs of the New York custom
house, and the law under which the ssu9d.@
Also copies of all letters other documents accom-
panying the said commissions that he furnish the
names of the commissioners, the times when they
pecvely entered upon their duties, and where said
duties were performed and how long they continued
or are expected to continue and also state the fact
whether the commissioners first appointed made re-
port, either verbally or in writing, and if so, why it
has not been made and the set forth by said
commissioners, or any and which of them, for the
appointment OF new commissions that he also re-
port detail the expenses with copies of the vouch
ers) that have directly indirectly, arisen in the
ecution of said commission, the names Of all parties
employed, and how employed, and the allowance
made to each, including all items OF incidental expen-
ses, and from what fund such expenses were paid
Also the number and names of witnesses examined
by the commissioners, Wnelner the commission sui
continues, and which OF the commissioners still
acting hereunder, and who now employed by
them. And also to report copies Of all letters or
communications made to or from the Treasury De-
parmen or on file there, in regard to or in any man
ner affecting the of proceeding by said COM
mssioners the acts alleged to have been done by
them or any Of the persons in their employ.
MIR. PIERCE remarked that before the present
Administration came into power it was said by the
Wings that they could make developments of
cticaa Of tha 1min fra tiOp
which would astonish the world, and that they would
not only shed light the darkness of the land but
would show where the frauds existed. So far as any
corruption existed in the New York Custom-H House,
he desired to it exposed, whether it pertained to
this or the last Administration His resolution
merely one of inquiry, and he hoped that they would
have all the information upon the subject that could
be obtained.
Mi CLAY was happy to hear the Senator from
New Hampshire express himself with regard to The
frauds which had been practised at The custom-huuse
in New York. He however, objected to the power
under which the Executive had felt himself justified
in appointing the Commissioners, VIZ the clause In
the Constitution which provides that the President
shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed
and he denied that the implied power of the
could he derived from hat injunction, and that he
could fix salaries well create new Offices 1t this
practice should be persisted in, hosts of officers might
be Amounted for any other purpose and the powers of
Congress thereby be in great degree superseded by
the act Of the Executive They had had too much of
Ibis kind of construction of the Constitution; and,
among other instances the late Secretary of War had
sent vounu men to France to learn TO ride horse
back. AS to the charges against the late Admnstra-
ion alluded to by the Senator from New Hampshire he
would advise him and his party not to halloo until
they were out of the woods What had been 4, the
condition of the Whigs2 They had Chief Ma
pisrate in power who retained in office almost all Of
he friends Of the Senator, and the public transac
lions were covered with veil which, to the Wings,
was impenctrable. The Senator, knowing their con-
NJ al m 10 mi tn hp abt