Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-01-09
FRIDAY, January 5, lS49.
SEN ATE

FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 1S49.
! SENATE
The Vice President LAID before the Senate TIRE
communications from the War Department. u
CURED, by act Of Congress. !,
Memorials and petitions were presented 0
/ Messls. AIchison, flanagan, Fetch, Dix; Dol
land, Dickinson, Sturgeon, Bright and Rusk
MIR. Atcnison Introduced his bill granting
donation o. land 10 the Slae OF Missouri, Tor ID
construction OF Railroad from some point o.
the Missouri river 10 the mouth OF The Onio.-
Read twice and referred.
Mr.. Dix introduced his bill making al afpra
pfiaiion 10 remove the rocks IN The East River
al durlsate Read twice and referred
Mr.. BenIon gave notice q! his intention 10 10
tro1ucc a bin 10 revive the act OF 1915 relative
TO ne Coast Survey.
Sundry unimpunanl reports from committee:
were M de by Messrs Johnston, OF Louisiana
Baldwin Underwood, Jefferson Davis, Bradbury
ami B.cese
Several bills from The House were read twice
and referred.
Tn" resolution submitted some weeks since, o'
Mr.. Miller D. New Jersey, calling On the Presi
dent, II not Incompatible with he public interest
10 inform the Senate whether any nesollafion,
are or have beer pending between tic United
-taies AM Spain for the purchase OF Cnba by
This government, and II so, 10 communicate any
CORES ponGence which may have taken place
came up in order, The question being on is atoP-
ton
Mr. Rusk moved 10 lay the resolution on The
table, but withdrew the resolution, temporarily, u
allow Mr.. NJ. 10 make an explanation, though he
(Mr. r. said he considered is adoption ehliEely
useless and unnecessary.
Mr.. Miller stated that, since the resolution
was up before he had found abundant evidence
10 SATISFY mis- mind that such call was no! un-
usual and thai the information could oe ctminu-
nca,cd wi;hon, delIiment 10 the pubic INTERESTS
Such calls had been made and replied u, n re-
ference 10 both nrgo ia ions with Mexico AMI WIN
Great Britain. Ihi, matter Of purchasing 70.
recn couLtrie. was moi an ordinary nesolia.ion,
and the country, therefore, ought II Know washer
any such was going forward.
Mr.. Rusk inquired whether there was even IN
The mind OF the Senator from New jersey, sus-
picion that any such negotiation was 10 progress.
Mr. Miller replied that, Tor himself, he vas
prepared 10 say, ina, b. had such suspicious; and
such impressions Too, were abroad on the pubic
mind
MIR. Foote inquired whether the Senator from
New Jersey would oppose or be in favor of the
annexation of Cuba could such purchase as had
been referred 10 be effected
Mr. Miller replied that he would oppose it at
all times and under all circumstances.
MIR. Foote: Then the Hon. Senator will find
himself in an awkward fix within four months;
for there is information of a reliable character,
that the President elect is in favor of such an
nexation, ard that he will promote il with all
the influence which he can exert
The question then being taken on the motion
to Law on The table il was decided in the affirma
tive-24 TO 49,
Mr.. Johnson, OF La, moved TO take up The
private calendar.
MIR King moved TO go into Executive session
The latter motion prevailed. Executive ses
sion. Adjourned.
The Senate we're engaged, in Executive scs-
sion from o'clock until nearly Al, on the nomi
nation Of Lewis Cass, Jr., as Charge TO Rome
which nomination was then confirmed, ne1n con.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Immediate after the reading of the journal,
the House, on motion, went into committee Of
the whole, Mr.. Burt in the chair, and resumed
the consideration of the bill "to provide for the
settlement Of claims against the United States,
BY constituting board of three commissioners,
to be appointed by the President, with tho ad-
vice and consent OF the Senate, al q salary to
each Of $500 per annum.
Mr.. SIong, OF Pennsylvania, addressed lhe
cummile al length, in favor OF the bill, with
some notifications. II would terminate many
claims which are reported upon adversely, bu;
nevertheless presented again, from year 10 year.
II would provide an obstacle TO the presentation
Of unlounded claims. II provides for tie taking
OF testimony in behalf Of the Unllet States where.
a, all the testimony is now furnished by lhe ciai-
mant, and is CT parte. II would secure Tor each
Claim more thorough examination Than can
now be bestowed upon ii. il would accelerate
The business o! Congress, bring up The claims IN
order, and remove causes OF complaint.
He was opposed 10 allowing claimants TO sue
in the United States courts, doubling lis consilu-
. onaliiy ami policy. he was in favor OF limit.
ing the term OF office OF each commissioner 10
six years, one 10 go oul every two years; Of pro-
hibiting oral engagements, and OF making The
rules oil law and equity and the rules Of legal ev-
idencc the rules OF decision by The board. dc con-
tended further that the time within which claims
nav be presented, should &c limicd.
Mr.. Meade, OF Virginia. also supported the
bill. with certain notifications which n srasI,-
ted All claims founded in law I'D equity should
% before this tribunal and be decided upon. Bat
there was anoher class not resting upon law aud
equity. equally entitled 10 consderaiun-aod up
on which the facts shoat be reported 10 Con-
gress.
Mr.. Clarke, OF Kentucky, inquired how there
couId be any lust claim which would not come
within the principles OF law or equity, when
applied
Mr.. Meade stated The cases TO which his re.
mark hal applied. There were many % his
character now On The private calendar, which
could no, be recovered by any process Of law, and
Sc should be paid IllEe award oil the Board was
made final, he though, il would De rncors'lii-
iionsl The judgment Of any agent Of the go
yefnmeni could not prevent claimants from COM
INC here Tor tedfess The Board shouli be an-
ib9r!zcd 10 take testimony and report tacls, bul
no. 10 decide finally The pcImanrncy Of The
commission, rs p divided Ly the bill, Wa dc.eni-
81; Tor il was possible even that the judges 81 re
Supreme Cour nigh, he curupiet. A'ler re-
pog, were madc, with all The facts, adversely, by
me Board, claimants would be likely 10 remain
Qn't thereafter.
Mr.. Bowlir Of Missouri opposed the ill, IN al
is details, IS one Of The mos, important, and
most aneerous 10 The lax-pajing population
which had ever seen presented 10 Congress more
81 even than The taiid Of 1912. lie looked upon
as base abandonment OF the treasury OF the
United S ares into the hands 81 lew indiVi mails
las proposing a sys'em OF juIisdici ion upon
what are mlscalied claims" al variance with
every principle Of public and private lus'Ice
MIR. schenck replied briefly TO Mr.. Bowlin.-
When the ground was taken, he said, that al
claims are fraudulent AMI every claimant {
scoundrel, he thought it time that some band o
honest men should be appointed 10 sit upot
them. He had had no experience as Judge, and
therefore could not Judge 50 well as The honora
bic gentleman from Missouri how far The lnsIn
nation ia wel-founred that at Judges are cor
rupt, but as larger in which capacity the no
norabe gentleman had also some experience III
would like to know why the allegation a'tache
10 the whole legal profession
Tie proceeded at length 10 give his views II
support OF the bill, and proposed finally Il
amend By striking out the second and third sec
tons aud substituting therefor others, providin,
ina, The board should have jurisdiction OF al
cases Of The contracts with the government, un
der the existing laws Of the United States, al
cases Of damages committed by officers actin
as agents of the governm nj, in which their de
cision shall be final-in others the facts 10 b.