Tri-weekly journal., 1847-12-23

al Wing, upon his vote and others in the or
ganization of the House. He attacked the
paper and its printers.
Mr.. Henley offered joint resolution to amend
the newspaper postage law.
Mr.. Gurley, Presbyterian, was on the third
ballot declared duly elected Chaplain of the
House.
The Speaker laid before the House sundry re-
ports from the Treasury Department, which
were referred to the appropriate committees,
and ordered to be printed.
The bill from the Senate for the relief of the
heirs ofJohn Paul Jones, was taken up.
Mr.. Bowln opposed it, and moved its refer
ence to the Committee on Claims, which mo-
ton was carried.
Mr.. yinton moved the following resolution,
in pursuance of previous notice; SD
RESOLVED, That the Committee on Commerce
shall hereafter be called "the Committee on
Commerce among the States" and shall have
charge of all questions touching the regulation
of trade among the several States of the Union.
There shall also be added to the standing COM
mittees of the House committee, to be COM
posed of nine members, which shall be called
"the Committee on Commerce with Foreign
Nations" Ii shall have charge of all questions
concerning the regulation of the trade OF the
u. States with foreign nations.
| Mr.. John w. Houston moved to amend the
resolution by adding the following proviso:
| Provided, That it shall be the duty and pow
er of the Committee on Commerce among the
States to take into consideration all such petit
tons and matters and things touching the ap-
preparation of the public money for the i'm
provement of the navigation of rivers, lakes,
harbors, bays, and inlets. both upon the sea-
board and in the interior, and not of the said
Committee on Foreign Commerce.
| Mr.. Houston, in a word of explanation OF
his amendment, was understood to say that, in
his judgment, the effect Of the resolution of the
gentleman from Ohio would be to separate the
Improvements on the seacoast from those on
the lakes and rivers, giving jurisdiction the
former to the Committee on Foreign Commerce,
and over the latter to the Committee on the
Commerce among the States. Such division
he thought, would lead to great confusion and
difficulty. The system of improvements had
always been regarded one and entire. The OBJ
Iject of his amendment was merely to preserve
its unity. Should it prevail, he would vote for
the resolution, otherwise he should feel con-
strained to vote against it.
Mr.Ninton supposed if a committee on com
i merce ''among the several States were created
thatit would take charge of all the subjects re-
ferred to by the gentleman from Delaware
The committees proposed to be raised. were
committees on the foreign trade of the country
and the home trade, pursuing that view which
was adopted in the constitution ITSELF TIL,
Iconstitution gave to Congress the power owe
the trade "with foreign nations" and ''amons
the several States" Now, the trade ''amon,
the States" was as we'll the trade between
!. North Carolina and New York along the sea
board as between Illinois and New York by tn
lakes. The one was as much trade between tn
States as the other.
. The committee proposedto be raised was, il
the language of the constitution, committee
which should have charge of the trade canon,
the several States" 1t would have full pow
er over that trade TO the extent it was conferr
, ed by that clause Of the constitution, whethe
that power was greater or less; and this Hous
could give them no more. If he supposed i
was necessary to adopt the amendment of tn
gentlemen from Delaware, he certainly shoult
not object lit; but he understood that it di,
not add to the proposition already made, bu
might be regarded as qualifying and restrict
ing it. h
: The resolutions and amendment were agai
read at the request of several gentleman.
And pending the question, on motion, tn
House adjourned. 90 t-..i 80 n..73