The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1845-02-26

Nothing In the act shall be construed 10 repeal III
laws heretofore enacted grating the frankng priy-
lego 10 the widows Of the ex-Presidents Madison and
Harrison.
The remaining sections provide for carrying the
The title Of the ball having been read, viz: A bill
TO reduce ,ae OF postage TO limit the and cor
rect the abuse Of the ranking privilege and for the
prevention Of IaudI on the revenues Of the Post Of
| nee Deparment"- ..
Mr.. THOMPSON of Mississippi, objected to il,
and proposed to amend by substituting the words,
A bill to make the Post Office Department public
nuisance, and TO guarantee the tariff law of 1897
A voice; That's il.
Mr.. ELMER rose to question of order-whether
the gentleman could submit, ia proposition TO amend
a reflection on the House. A voice There ought
to be reflection" and another, Yes they deserve
an
The SPEAKER expressed his opinion that the
gentlemsns amendment in order
Mr. THOMPSON said that this was the most i'm
portant bill which bad been passed this session and
he apprehended It would not meet with the general
appreciation OF the people. He therefore, desired to
give his views upon the subject The greater portion
Of our citizens were agriculturaliss, and they esps.
clally would feel the effects OF this measure. What
ever might be said the subject of the tariff laws
they regarded them To extent foreign but this
came Immediately home o them. The consequence
would be that throughOu tho vast interior of our
county, the Post Office Department would be-
come -
Mr.. RATHBUN rose to question of order. IA
voice fIom the opposite side "YOu had better Keep
yourself in order over there."l He denied, on pro
position to amend the title of the bill the right of the
gentleman To discuss the merits of il. And this was
his point of order.
The SPEAKER remarked that tho gentleman was
assigning his reasons for proposing the amendment,
| and thPretore he considered him to DO order.
Mr.. THOMPSON resumed. II had not been as
serted on this floor that the bill would yield suf
hcency OF revenue 10 support the Department, and
none ever pretended that il would. Then II follow
ed, az matter OF course that, the being in
sufficient, many post would have to be discon-
tinued, or thrown, for their maintenance, upon the
public Treasury. Should the former be the result
what would ensue? There but few members
who represented cities. The large sjority in the
States were agrcultuTallsts and they would be de-
prVed OF the facilities which they now possessed I'M
less money should be dawn out of the Treasury to
support the Post Office Department, and he consider
ed that, IN this particular, the bill would prove pub
| lie nuisance. The members of Congress, notwith-
standing their repeated efforts TO abolish the Thanking
privilege, have have retained IL for themselves And
they could not only frank their letters, but those
| MIR. DAVIS, of Kentucky, raised point OF order
that the gentleman, in proposing to amend the title
OF the bill, could discuss the merits Of the bill
itself
| The SPEAKER said he did not consider the re-
/
| BILE 10 the amendment.
| Mr.. DAVIS, of Kentucky appealed from the de-
cision of the Chair; and thereupon moved the pre-
vlous question, which was seconded.
| And the question, Shall the decision of the Chair
stand the judgment of the House, being taken, II
was sustained-ayes "A, noes 40.
After several other questions were raised and dis
posed of,
Mr. THOMPSON again resumed. This bill gave
to members of Congress the Thanking privilege, and
required postmasrers TO keep account of the matter
ranked. While a few-the members of Congress
enjoyed this privilege, the great mass of the people
bad TO sustain the expense. This was certainly q
great nuisance; and another was that individuals
liable to prosecution and fine for violation of
the law, but members Of Congress could not be
reached. This, in his opinion, was most odious.-
| He then withdrew his amendment
And there being objection from any other gem
tleman TO the original title of the bill it was agreed TO
| Mr. PRATT presented petition from large mum,
bei of the inhabitants Of Catskll for the removal OF
distractions in the navigation of their creek and its
junction with the Hudson river.
| Mr.. HOUSTON moved that the vote by which,
several weeks ago. the bill to reduce and graduate the
pnce of public lands laid upon the table, be
sidered but the motion did not preval-ayes 81
nays 81.
The House then resolved itself into Committee
of the Whole on the state of the Union (Mr. BOYD
OF Kentucky in the Chair, and took up the bill ma
king appropriation for certain rivers and harbors.