Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-01-31
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
| CALIFORNIA.
| Mr. GILMER submitted the following resolution
| which was adopted, viz:
p,soJr,d That The President Of the u S. be request
| ed 10 communicate to the House, if not incompatible
with the public interests whether any information IS u
POSSESSION Of the Government of the S as TO The ne
ootiaon of treaty ofovertures to treat tor the ces
sion Of California By yo MsTso L % hss''no'
Mr.. UNDERWOOD, after brief explanation the
for bounty lands could not be obtaned accord
ing 10 the decision of the Departments unless the ap
plcants could prove the names Oh az we nes,
entitled TO bounty lands submitted aresouton Tor TN
purpose of avoiding future expense, trouble and din
Guilty in relation to the subject.
The resolution was referred 10 the Committee on tht
Public Lands. -, o-.,y,, ,,cysov
! The resolution instructing the COMMITTEE on the
judiciary to bring in a bill to refund the fine imposed
on Gen. Jackson in 1915, was taken up, and
| Mr. PAYNE addressed the House curing the morn
inc hour He said that the only question which would
be asked by the American people, s was Gen Jackson
right in proclaming martial law in New Orleans; and
If he was right then they would declare that the fine
ought to be RENTED. If wrong, no individual under
heaven would desire that it should be DONE Although
il was expressly declared in the several Constitutions
of the States, and the Constitution of the U. States,
that the military shall be subordinate TO the civil power
vet the preservation of army ITSELF and the country
from an invading force, may furnish circumstances
which would justify commander IN declaring martial
law. The ground upon which General Jackson $1,000
exonerated was that Of self Defence which para
mount 10 all constitutional or written law The justii.
cation depended the exgencies of the
The gentleman from Massachusetts, Mr.. Adams) had
defended the invasion of Florida by General Jackson
in letter TO G. W. Ewing, our then Minister to Spain,
and said that the President would neither inhic pun
;ohn O as hi mt
tives were founded in the most enlarged patriotism,
and that he was justified by the laws Of nations and
the laws of self defence But the gentleman, after a
lapse Of thirty years became almost his revler this
floor. He (Mr P) would not say that This had ITS orr
gin in the political contest of 1923. However, the
people would not only think that this the fact but
they would not be backward in making the assertion
Mr. Payne adverted to historical facts, to demonstrate
the necessity for the proclamation Of martial law in New
Orleans in 1885, for, treason at the time existed, and
it was the only of saving The city, and defending
it against the ncursons Of powerful invading army,
as we'll protecting "the beauty and booty from an
incestuous soldiery.
Mr. DAWSON obtained the floor, and will address
the House when the consideration of the subject is again
resumed.
GOVERNMENT STEAMER.
The SPEAKER laid before the House i commun.
cation from the Navy Department in answer 10
luton adopted the Goth instant, by which it appears
that the building of the steamer by r. l.. Stevens is
not now going on, but plans, and a model for her,
are understood 10 have been prepared, and small
steamboat actually constructed, with which vari
ETY. OF experiments have been made to test and illustrate
the plan and design.
THE PETERSBURG RAILROAD COMPANY.
The bill for the relief Of the Petersburg Railroad
Company was taken up, the question being on its
passage,
Mr.. RANDOLPH called for the yeas and nays,
which were ordered and, being taken the bill
jected-yeas SIS, nays92.
PRIVATE CALENDAR.
The House resolved itself into Committee Of the
Whole, (Mr. McKennaD in the Chair,) and proceeded
TO the consideration Of the private calendar.
When the Committee rose, several bills were reported,
and read third time and passed
SETTLEMENT OF ACCOUNTS.
On motion of MIR. BURNELL it was Resolred, That
the Secretary Of the Treasury be- and he is hereby
quired to report TO this House, annually, all cases
wherein any officer Of the Government has failed to
settle his accounts for the current year. the of
the same and that proceedings have been directed in
each Of such cases. also, all the defalcatons and how
many have taken place during the current year, and
the proceedings in relation thereto
MIR. BURNELL submitted resolution, calling upon
the Secretary OF the Navy to communicate to the
House the of the several vessels composing the
squadron of the u S. for the last six years. the names
OF officers, and the number OF foreign ports they have
entered during the said time, etc. He remarked, that
Of the vessels had gone far thirty degrees
from their appropriate station, and lay in port until the
canvass rotled their yards. The North Carolina,
under The command of Captain Ballard, remained for
ten months in Callao.
MIR. MALLORY said that the Department would not
have time the resolution, and That if the gen.
teman would modify it, as to require response at
the next session, instead Of hs he would have OBJ
lection to it,
Mr.. BURNELL remarked, that the facts, when laid
before gentlemen, would astound them.
MIR. G. j. INGERSOLL said that if the resolution
was predcaied statement concerning mer,orous |
officer of the Navy, who sick, he would OBJ.
ject TO its consideration
Without taking the question,
On motion of Mr.. ANDREWS of Kentucky, the
House adjourned.