The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-02-21
CWentp= 4eoenth gomgrgss.
THIRD SESSION.
MONDAY, February 20, ls43.
SENATE.

Philadelphia, asking Congress to allow drawback
| on domestic spirits.
Mr.. CHOATE presented q memorial asking Con-
gress to allow the purchase of land in Oregon Ter
| rtory
Mr.. YOUNG, of Illinois, presented the petition of
Gilbert Buckingham and two hundred and twenty
five others, citizens of Henry and Whiteside coun-
ties, in that State, praying the establishment of tri-
| weekly post route from Peoria, by way Of Mount
IIawlcy, in Peoria county, Wyoming and Touon, in
Stark county, Wethcrsfeld and Genesee, in Henry
county Sharon and Crandalrs Ferry, on Rock river,
| to Albany, in Whteside county, so to intersect
the Galena and Rock Island mail route at Albany,
and the Dixon and Rock Island mail route at Gran
dals Ferry, which, on his motion, was referred to
the Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads.
| MIR. WALKER offered resolution, the conside-
ration of which objected to at this time calling
upon the Secretary Of War TO report at the next
sion of Congress as to the expediency of improving
the navigation of the Ohio river by some river i'm
provements, either in the Portland and Louisville ca
nal in the removal of the Instructions in the river
or by new canal.
The design of the resolution to have a report
upon the whole subject at the next session Of Con-
gress
! ASSUMPTION OF STATE DEBTS.
Mr.. CRITTENDEN, Of KY, wished to proceed
| to the consideration of some private bills while
others insisted upon continuing the regular morning
business being the consideration Of the following re-
solutions Of Mr.. McDufhe, viz:
Resolved, That the Government OF the United States
has constitutional power to the debts
racted by the States for their proper purposes
by the of stock, whatever fund may be pledged
for the payment of the interest principal.
| Resolred, That it is nexpedient for this Govern.
ment thus to assume the aforesaid debts.
| The resolutions having been read
Mr.. McDUFFlE addressed the Senate at length
upon the subject arguing throughout to show the
constitutionality OF the project to assume the
debts Of the States, and as strongly TO show
the utter fruitlessness Of the measure, if
there should be attempt to execute it.
There was, it was said, not only no power in the
Constitution to pay TIE debts Of the States but the
Constitution prohibited the measure and if adopted
by this or any Congress, nobody would be bound by
the act He should consider that stock thus issued
Of no more value than forged paper. He made war
upon the issue of such paper, and would oppose its
payment;
position TO the assumption of State debts, and con-
cuded by offering resolutions expressing his views
as TO the enormlty of the proposition.
MIR. MERRlCk replied to the Senators from
South Cal ona and Mississippi He argued that no.
body had proposed the assumption Of State debts.
He held the proposition to be unequal and unjust
Mr.. WALKER asked if there we're not memorials
for that object before the Committee Of Finance.
| Mr.. EVANS (the Chairman of the Committee
Finance) said there proposition to the
debts of the States before the committee, that he
had SEEN There were memorials stating that States
and individuals are greatly embarrassed, and asking
for the issue Of two hundred millions Of stock for
| the Improvement of the currency.
Mr.. MERRICk continued, and argued that the
States asked nothing more than for the distribution
Of the proceeds Of the sales Of the public domain.
They had a right to this, and the General Govern
ment had warrant to keep IT from them. He
concluded with the remark that he had enlisted for
the in the resistance of this effort made by
certain gentlemen to contest the will and discretion
Of the people. He then submitted series Of reso-
lutions, mbodying in principle, the opinions before
expressed in his resolutions Of last week.
Mr.. ALLEN made some remarks in reply to Mr..
Merrick, when
Mr.. TALLMADGE moved to lay the whole sub
ject on the table.
Mr.. WALKER called for the yeas and nays, which
ordered and the motion prevailed by a vote Of
} "a to 23, as follows;
YEAS-Messrs Barrow, Bates, Bayard, Berrien,
Choa,e, Clayton Conrad, Crittenden, Crafts Dayton,
Evans, Graham, Henderson, Huntington, Mangum,
Miller, Merrick, Merehead, Phelps Smith, Of Ia,
Sp,ague, Tamadgc, White Woodbridge-4.
NAYS-Messrs. Allen, Archer, Bagby, Benton,
Buchanan. Calhoun, Cuthbert, Fulton, King, Linn,
McDufie, McRoberts, Rives Sturgeon Smith, of
Connecticut, Tappan, Walker, Williams, Wilcox,
Woodbury., Wright, foung-23.
Mr.. WALKER then renewed his resolution. as an
independent proposition.
These resolutions will be taken up tomorrow
Several bills from the House Of Representatives
and which upon the table, read and appro-
priately referred.
ARMY BILL.
On motion Of Mr. EVANS, the Senate took up
the Army BILL and insisted the amendment mon
concurred in by the House, allowing the Cadets to
be appointed without gard to congressional or ter
ritoriaI districts and asked committee Of confer
ence.
THE BANKRUPT LAW
, Mr.. LINN moved that the Senate proceed
to the consideration Of the unfinished business OF
Saturday, being the bill for the payment Of General
Jacksons fine.
{ Mr.. BERRIEN said that this was the day SET
apart for the consideration Of the Bankrupt law
And he therefore moved TO postpone the previous
ders, and take up the bill.
D The yeas and nays ordered, and the motion
Of Mr. Berrien was lost-yess 20, nays 90, as fol.
, lows
i YEAS-Messrs. Archer Barrow, Bayard, Berri-
en-, Clayton, Crafts, Crittenden DAYTON Graham
, Huntington, Mcrrick, Miller Mor,bead Phelps
Smith, Of Indiana, Sprague, White, Wilcox, viii
r lams, Young-20
v NAYS-Messrs Allen, Bagby, Benton, Buchanan
Calhoun, Choate, Conrad, Cuthbert Evans, Fulton
Henderson, KING, Linn, Rivcs, Sewer, Smith, of CT
: Sturgeon, Tallmadge, Tappan, Walker, Woodbridge
b Woodbury-22.
THE FINE IMPOSED ON GENERAL JACKSON
The Senate then proceeded to the unfinished bust
ness.
Mr.. SMITH, Of Connecticut, addressed the Sen.
ate at length with reference TO the DILL