The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-03-01
THE UNION.


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ton from House Of Representatives for the relief of
pursers the navy to expenditures made IN pursu-
ance of orders during the war with Mexico.
Mr.. BERRIEN moved to amend the JOINT resolution by
adding thereto provision that hereafter, when pnrser
shall have expended moneys by order Of his commanding
officer his accounts shall be settled the Navy Department.
and the commander himself be held accountable Tor the
moneys so expended.
| In submitting the amendment,
Mr.. B. said that Congress had been repeatedly called
by enable them TO have their accounts SET
tied upon the principles of justice consequence of the
want of some regulation in the Navy Department
pnrser subordinate Officer acting under another OH
He ordered by that officer to make certain pay
ment which he objects The order is repeated, and he
is then under the necessity Of complying with that ORDER
of being put under When he here to set
tie his account which he has paid under the order of his
commanding officer, Notwithstanding he might declare mat
he acted under that command, his account not al
lowed him unless it case IN which there could
be doubt. The result of the present. system was
extreme oppression the purser The Interpretation
of this rule by the accounting officer this If the
purser thinks the order Of the commanding officer is not
legal he may make his objection, and make IN writing
If the order be reiterated he paysit When he TO
the department for the purpose settling his accounts and
the accounting officer himself believes that the objections
well founded then the purser will be credited with
the full amounts but if this purser ought have doubted
EN- he not credited The result Isl that the IN
der the necessity of acting his own judgment and Is
under the liability of being either arrested for sobedence
of having the amount charged him at the treasury Of
fee. The amendment proposed that when the order has
been given by the commanding officer the pnrser after
doubt has been expressed he shall still be commanded to
pay the that shall be charged the command
ling officer, and not to the purser.
The question: being taken upon the amendment, was
agreed to-
No further amendment having been offered the bill was
reported to the Senate the amendment was concurred IN
and the bill ordered to DC read third ume and was subse
queny read third time and passed.
PETER NJ. GRANT.
On motion by Mr.. UNDERWOOD, the Senate, as in
committee of the WHOLE proceeded to the consideration of
the bill from the House for the relief of Peter M Grant,
and no amendment being made, 1t was ordered to be
ensrossed for third reading, and subsequently fead
third lime and passed
LIGHTHOUSE APPROPRIATIONS.
Mr.. DAVIS of Massachusetts, from the Committee on
Commerce, reported bill making appropriations for light
houses, ghtboats buoys, &c. and providing for the
on and establishment of the same and for other purposes
which read.
On motion by Mr.. D., the Senate, in committee of the
whole, proceeded to the consideration of said bill.
Mr. ID. said that the bill had received the sanction of
both houses Of Congress IL contained appropriations for
certain new, and some of them very important objects
along the Atlantic and the lakes If the bill did not
pass to-day, could not become law at ALL and was
highly important that it should receive immediate action.
Mr. KING said that he had not heard the bill read and
knew nothing about except that it contained provisions
for lighthouses along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico lie
would like to know something Of its provisions before act
ASENAToR inquired if the bill provided for the whole
coast.
Mr. DAVIS of Massachusetts said that the bill contained
many provisions OF important places for instance, the
bar at Galveston and the south shoals of Nantucket which
every gentleman, who knew anything about the matter,
know be very important place in the great track
of commerce between this country and Europe. 1t
place of exceeding danger and there great public
demand for some approp aton of that description He
willing any question regard the bill that
might be propounded 10 him by the senator from Alabama.
Mr.. RUSK expressed the hope that the bill would pass
1t had been examined with great by the committees of
both houses 1t contained provisions of vast Importance to
commerce.
Mr.. DAVIS of Mississippi understood to inquire
whether any appropriation had been made for light on
Ship island.
Mr.. DAVIS of Massachusetts, replied that provision
had been made for that place last year.
Nm Imam hpvi hGan the
to the Senate ordered to be engrosscd for third reading
and vas subsequently read a third time and passed
JAMES MoREHEAD.
On motion by Mr.. CAMERON the Senate proceeded to
consider, committee of the WHOLE the bill for the
lief of James Morehcad
Mr. c. said that this bill for the relief of very poor
man. and unless passed the Senate to-day would proba
bly, not become u law.
! The reading Of the report called for.
MIR. FITZPATRICK supposed that it hardly neces
sary to read the report In the 1t had been fully
examined by the committee. He would state for the
Information Of the Senate, that the bill proposed to
munerate an individual who had contracted with the gov
eminent dam at the mouth of the Ohio river.
This individual had collected large quantity Of and
other material for that purpose when the gave
him notice that he should prosecute the work further
All these facts had been fully set forth The work be-
gum under the appropriation to improve the navigation of
the Ohio river some two or three years ago The bill now
proposed limited the amount originally proposed and
quired the Secretary of the Treasury to take test
mony the part of the government well as on the
part of the individual, and award to him the damages
he had sustained the work he had commenced All the
facts of the fully his mind, the committee
had given them thorough investigation.
Mr.. BRIGHT said that the bill involved principle
the government should recognise the right of every nd
vdua who has made with claim and
damages where the government had stopped the work. or
had changed the character of the work There many
individuals who would be much entitled relief
the claimant then before them He would, therefore,
prefer to thu matter for the present. IN order that
he might have opportunity to look into it,
Mr.. STURGEON said If should pass the bill it
would he late for it up again. He did not pre-
tend himself to be acquainted with the merits of the BILL
had undergone the investigation of the committees Of both
houses who had scrutinzed it, and had recommended s
adoption He believed this had been employed, the
part of the government make improvement in the
Ohio but the prosecution of the work suspended
by the government before he had time complete All that
they wanted for the Secretary of the Treasury take
testimony the case and give what under the circum
Stances due to the individual. 1t small amount
to the government, but matter of great importance to
not be laid
Mr. BRIGHT said that the fact that the bill had under
gone investigation by the committee, should authorize
conclusion regard the of the claim The fact
this the object of the bill! to individual
who had contracted with the government of the United States
improve portion of the Ohio river There many
individuals who had been less injured by the refusal
the part of the government carry forward the work
it had been contracted, and this entitled to
compensation for loss there would be many other ndvdu
ais equally entitled to up their claim and receive damages
from the government Before they passed upon this claim
they ought to understand its general bearing He did not
know that he should object TO il but If it pay for
individuals in the Mississippi valley would be
justified in asking Them His for desiring that it
should be laid that he might look further into it,
Mr.. CAMERON thought that ii the gentleman from In