Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-12-24

President, and heads of deparimens) snail re-
tain their Offices, with all authority and power ap
pertaining thereto; and the courts OF justice There
established shall, for the present. remain as no"
, organized.
SEC. A. and be 1t further reso'red, That all Ii.
lies and claims to real estate, valid under the ex
isting laws Of Texas shall be deemed and held
so by the Government Of the U. States
SEC. S. And be ii further resOlrrd, That the pub
lie lands in the said Territory be, and the same
are hereby pledged for the payment OF the dept
however created, anterior 10 the passage OF these
resolutions, for which the faith OF the Govern
ment Of Texas has been given amounting, as IS
supposed, TO ten millions OF dollars.
SEC. 6. AndM IL further resoircd, That commits
soners shall hereafter be appointed under such
restrictions as Congress may impose, TO examine
and report the claims which may be presented
against the Government OF Texas, in order that
the proceeds of the public lands, as aforesaid,
may be applied to the exlinguishment thereof
SEC. T. And ben further resOived, That COM
misSioners shall hereafter be appointed, who shall
establish the boundaries, and divide said territory
in such manner and form as Congress may direct.
SEC. 8. And be IL fn,iacr rcsolrea, That as soon
as the supreme authorities of Texas shall signify
their approval ofthese resolutions the same shall
be deemed and held TO be the fundamental law oil
the land.
The resolutions were read first and second
time, when
Mr.. WELLER moved 10 refer Them TO the
Committee of the Whole on The stale OF the
Union.
Mr.. E. S. HAMLlN moved 10 refer the resolu-
tions to a select committee OF one from each
Stale in the Union, with instructions TO port 10
| the House
First. Whether Congress has any consii,u-
tional power 10 annex foreign independent ma
lion 10 this government and II SO; BY what arti-
Gle and section of the Constitution It is conferred;
whether il is among the powers expressly grant
ed, or among those which are implied whether it's
necessary TO carry into effect any expressly grant
! ed power and il So which one.
Secondly. Whether The annexation of Texas
would not extend and perpeluate slavery in the
slave Slales and also the internal slave trade;
and whether the United States Government has
| any Constitutional power over slavery in The
States, either TO perpetuatc it there, or TO DO II
away.
| Thirdly. Whether. the United States having
acknowledged The independence OF Texas, Mexi-
co is thereby deprived Of her right 10 reconquer
that province.
Four,hly. That they report whether Texas is
owing any debts or not, and if she is, what is The
! amount, and 10 whom payable; and whether, il
she should be annexed 10 the United States, The
united Government would be bound 10 pay
them all.
Filthy. That hey report what treaties are in
| existence between Texas and foreign Govern
menis; and, iishe should be annexed to the Uni
| Ted States, whether the united Government would
be bound b. the law OF nations 10 fulfil these
1 treaties.
The SPEAKER said that the question would
be first put on referring the resolution to the
| Committee Of the Whole on the state OF The
Union.
| Mr.. HAMLIN called for the yeas and nays;
which being ordered, the question was taken,
and decided in the affrnativc-yeas l09; nays
| 60, as follows:
YEAs.-Mcssr.. Arlington, Benton, Edward j.
| Black, James Black, James A. Black, Bower
| Bowlin, Boyd Aaron V. Brown, William J..
Brown Burke, Caldwell Carpenter, Jeremiah
Z. Cary, Reuben Chapman, Chappell, Clinton,
Cobb, Coles, Cross Cullom, Dana, Daniel,
Richard D. Davis, John w. Davis, Dean Del
| lei, Douglass, Dromgoole. Duncan Dunlap,
Parlee, Ficklin, French, Fuller Gogsin BY
| ram Green Hale Hannibal Hamlin, Hammett
HARRISON, Hays, Henley, Herrick, Hopkins
| Houston, Hubbe Hughes Hungerford James
B. Hunt, Charles J. lnsersoll, Jameson, Cave
Johnson, Andrew Johnson, Andrew Remedy,
Lumpkin, Lyon, McCanslen, Maclay, McCel-
land, McClernand, Mcconnell, Mcdowell, Nc
KAY Joseph Morris, Isaac <. Morse, Murphy,
/! Newton, Norris, Owen, Parmenter Payne, Enc
~ D. Potter, Pratt, Purdy, David S. Reid,
! Reains, Relfe Robinson, Russell, Thomas Fl.
| Seymour, David L. Seymour, Simons, Simp-
son, Slidell, John T. Smith, Thomas Smith,
Robert Smith, Steenrod Stephens, Stiles, James
w Stone, Alfred P. Stone, Summers, Sykes
Taylor, Thompson, Tbbalis Weller Went
worth, Benjamin White, Williams, Woodward,
Joseph a Wright and Yancey-l09.
| NAYs-Messrs Abbot, Adams Baker, Barrin-
| ger, Barnard, Brengle, Jeremiah Brown, Bufing-
/ ION, Calm, Causn, Clingman, Colamer Grams
Ton, Gariet Davis, Debcrry Dickey, Fish, Flo
! renee, Giddings, Grinnell, Order, Edward s.
Hamlin, Harper, Hudson, Washington Hunt 10
seph r. Ingersoli, jerks, Perley 2. Johnson, Jno
P. Kennedy McIlvane, Marsh, Edward J. Nor
ris, freeman H. Morse, Moseley, Mes, Paterson,
| Pey,on, Phoenix, Pollock Elisha r. Potter, Ram
sey, Charles NJ. Reed, Rockwell, Rodney, Ro-
gers, Sample, Schenk, Severance, Albert Smith,
| Caleb B. Smith, Andrew Stewart Thomasson,
I Tilden, Tyler Vance, Vanmeler, Vinton, Weih-
| cred, Wheaton, John White, and Winthrop-GO.
/ Mr. BRINKERHOFF rose and stated that he
/ was not within the bar when his name was called;
! bu, had he been SO, he wouldhave voted in the al
\ iirrnaiive.
The resolution having been thus referred 10
the Committee of the Whole on The stale OF the
| Union,
The question was put on printing it. and de-
/ cided in the affirmative.
Mr. POLLOCK desired to give notice OF his
intention hereafter to ask leave TO Introduce bill
on Joint resolution.
Mr.. CAVE JOHNSON said he should object
to everything ont of the regular order OF business;
and at the same time he suggested that the busi-
ness which each gentleman was DESTROYS 10 ex-
pedite would be facilitated by regularity and or
der in their proceedings. he however, withdrew
his objection in this particular case.
Mr.. POLLOCK then gave notice, that, at
some future occasion, he should ask leave 10 in
troducc a bill, or Joint resolution, providing for
the submission Of the question of the anncxa-
ton OF Texas to The people, through the ballot
box.
Mr.. WENTWORTH Observed, that the peo-
pie had already decided lha, question at the polls
in terms TOO decided 10 he Inexperienced; and
lie was now Tor carrying out that decision
The notice was received and recorded.
MIR. HOUSTON then rose and said, he was
clad that his friend from Tennessee (Mr. g. John
Son) had animated that he should oWecl 10 any
business that did not come up in its regular order
This was short session, and there were import
an, bills before the Committee Of the Whole on
Inc state of the Union; and therefore, he hoped
no time would be lost, but that the House would
III once resolve itself into Committee OF the Whole
i,r Inc consideration of those bills. There was
ono hill in which he had some interest, and he
was DESTROYS that 1t should be taken up ana dis
posed Of; first, because he was DESTROYS that il
should be passed, and next, because he wished
the House 10 reach The other bills on The calendar
He hoped the gentlemen who were opposed &c
the measure 10 which he had alluded would con.
sent 10 take ii up and dispose Of it; and ne would
now move thai the House resolve itself into Com.
mittee of the Whole on the state OF the Union
his object being, of course, 10 take up the bill al
luded 10.
THE psEslpsxr's MESSAGE IN RELATION TO MEXICO
Captain Wagsaman, private Secretary to The
President appeared below the bar, with mes
sage from the President Of the United States
which was delivered 10 The Speaker.
Mr.. DROMGOOLE rose, and intima,cd &c
the House, that if the motion Of the gentleman
from Alabama Mr.. Housionl should prevail. he
should move The committee TO take up bill NO
DIG which had been ON The calendar since The