The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-08-24
CONGRESS.

section relative TO the public lands which has recent
ly been vetoed or some other similar measure He
begged leave to say that accompanying this memori-
al, there was lettss from committee, which sta
ted that not one of the subscribers approved of the
| exercise OF the veto power
The memorial was referred to the Committee
| Finance.
Several reports were made from Standing Commit
/ tees, and
Various bills of private character were passed.
The act directing warrants to issue for the bounty
land due on account of the services of Major Gene
raj Duportail, Brigadier General Armand, and Major
De la Combe, was taken up.
Mr.. BENTON said that this bill had been drawn
for the purpose of putting money into the pocket of
some busy agent who had purchased the claims, for
shilling from those who were justly entitled TO the
bounty land on account of the services of the militia
| ny officers mentioned The presentation of bill
under this view, was, in great degree unparliamen-
tary and II such an objection lay against it, he ho-
ped that gentlemen who knew the facts would de-
clare them, and thus place the true state of the
| in the possession of the Senate.
Mr.. PHELPS replied and defended the bill on the
ground that the individuals specified were officers du
ring the Revolution, appointed in the usual mode,
and in the same manner, for aught that was know
to the contrary, as the native citizens of the country
were; and at the conclusion of the war they
returned as entitled to bounty lands.
| Mr. BUCHANAN sail That there was general
to meet suchcases, and that the second section OF
| II was Gear and specific.
| Mr.. BENTON insisted that fraud was Intended
By the BIZ before them The Secretary of the
Treasury YVES authorized 10 issue scTip-to whom
10 nobody IN particular to any individual in France,
to the world at large
| Mr.. PHELPS explained that that part of the bill
| relating TO the scrip had been stricken out.
| Mr.. SMITH, of Indiana, having expressed an
opinion that there general law under which the
clam could be paid, if ascertained to be justly due.
| Mr.. PHELPS moved to lay the bill upon the ia
| at the suggestion OF
| Mr.. BUCHANAN, the further consideration of
the bill was indefinitely postponed
Mr.. CRIT rENDEN, agreeabIy to notice, moved
to postpone all the previous orders and take up the
bill from the House tiled "An act regulating the
| taking OF iestmoney In cases of Contested cleo
| tons and for other purposes"
| Mr. WALKER hoped that tle bill would ~, be
taken up. In his opinion, was one of the most i'm
por'ant measures that brought the consd
| Grafton OF the American Senate IL inexpedl
ent, Unjust, and unconstitutional 1t was, besides,
| Intended to distranchse several of the States which
had already elected their Representatives and several
which would yet elect the r Representatives under
| the general ticket system; and 1t would beyond all
doubt fcarred into effect dsira nchIse the State which
he had the honor IN part to represent But she would
| 20 to elect her Representatives IN the Usual
way without any advice on his part, as be had not
|
called for the yeas and nays promising that if the bill
be taken up, it will either prolong TO most unrea-
sonabe length the present session, preclude all ac
ton on the revenue bill and he assured gentlemen
that he would feel 1t to be his duty to contest the o
inch by inch, and endeavor, by all fair means, to de-
feat it. This he was determined TO do, as the bill
was calculated to dsfranchise the State OF Misss-
| sippi,
| MIR. CRITTENDEN remarked that he would not
now reply to the observations of the Senator from
| Assise han the all sba hav bee ia
| it would proper subject for consideration.
! The yeas and nays were ordered and, being taken,
resulted-feas 20, nays 20, as follows;
| YEAS.-Nessrs Archer, Barrow, Bates, Bayard,
Choate Clayton, Conrad Crafts, Crittenden, Dayton,
Evans, Graham, Huntington, Mangum, Merrick, Mil
Ter, Morehead, Phelps, Porter, Preston, Simmons,
Smith of Indiana, Tallmadge, Woodbridge, White
| Is
NAYS-Messrs. Allen, Bagby, Benton, Buchanan,
Calhoun, Cuthbert, Fulton Henderson, King, Linn
Riyes Sewer, Smith of Connecticut Sturgeon, Tap
pan, Walker, Williams, Woodbury., Wright, Young
So the bill was taken up and read.
Mr.. CRITTENDEN briefly recapitulated its pro-
Visions He replied to the Senator from Mississippi
contending that the objections of the gentlemen rest
ed.aganst former law the apporonment0 and
moi against this If there any disiranchisement
of a State it was the result of former law because
this merely made provision coinclden, and only pre-
scrbed the manner in which the effects OF the appor
tionment bill are to be authenticated. lie did not
apprehend long discussion on tins subject as the
Senator anticipated, and he trusted that, In very
short time the bill would be disposed Of by the Sc
nate.
Mr. WALKER said that if the bill should be-
come law, Mississippi would be precluded from
having a voice ia her own defence In the
House of Representatives. The Senate had no right
to prescribe hat shall be the form OF the returns under
which member shall be permitted to participate in
the organization and proceedings of that body. The
House alone was qualified, by the Constitution, 10
ju ige of the return OF lis members but, by this bill
the Senate and the President were required to inter
fere with that which the popular branch soeiy hau
the right to determine.
! Mr. ALLEN proposed to strike out the first and
second sections f the bill and insert, In lieu thereof
an amendment repeating the second section OF the
| Apportionment bill, which requires the several States
to elect Representatives by districts. ne submitted
few remarks in support OF the amendment, and
against the provisions of the bill. w 18th regard to
the act for the apporonment OF Representatives, he
considered it, first, unconstllutionalj and second
Iy its existence would embroil the House OF Repre-
sentatyes at the organization of the next Congress,
and set an example of dscord and dsunon in this
country, which might lead to consequences which
they would have serious reasons TO deplore lie cali
ed for the yeas and nays, which were ordered.
Nh WOODBURY. opposed the BILL and said that
il was unconstitutional and nexped eni, ilIadvis.d
fatal and dangerous to the fraterna feeling which
ought to be cultivated among the several States.
Mr. WRIGHT had no hope that the amendment
would prevail, notwithstanding ne should regret to
see # defeated He considered this bill undertake
ing TO force the Legislatures of the States to do that
which. under this act, several OF them had failed to
perform under the bill ioi the apporonment of Rep
resentatives among the several States.
Mr. BAGBY said if he could be the means OF de-
featnp this bill by remaining here until the 25h of
December next no matter what considerations, pub
lie or private such a course might involve, he would
consider his time better spent than any other portion
ofhs life 900
Mr.. CUTHBERT opposed the bill The Senate
were in pretty situation, indeed, to consider sub
ect of such great moment Look at the empty
chairs On the other Ohe Whig) side of the Cham
a