Weekly national intelligencer., 1850-04-06
CLAIM OF THE STATE OF y1Rers1A.

CLAIM OF THE STATE OF VIRGINIA.
M MASON. present the memorial Of the presiien,
and directors of the Orange and Alexandra Railroad Com
pany asking The payment Of the Of 600, advanced
by the State Of Virgins the Government of the United
States BY resolution Of 29h December 1890, and transferred
10 The petitioners, asking its with interest," aid in
the construction OF this railroad.
This claim being in fact the property Of the State of Yg
nls although now transferred Of the railroad companies
or he purpose Of internal improvement requires that Lshou
make very brief statement of the facts of the case in do
ing So will occupy the attention of the Senate but for
moment
appears that, early tie year 1884, before the adop
uon OF our present constitution The States then confederaei
thcneht necessary establish what called that day
federal city" federal town !" and resolution
adopted by the old Congress the 23d of December 1884,
declaring that the location of this federal town should be made
near the lower falls Of the river Delaware AProposon
introduced into the old Congress for the purpose Of approp
unng sum OF money for erecting public buildings the
ME designated. But required, know, under the ar
es Of the confederation that nine States should in
rer TO make this appropriation and they did obtain the
concurrence Of these nine States The records Of that day
show that the difficulty the inability of that Congress 10
oosan money for pressing emergencies for federal pur
SO that the thing not done After the adoption
OF the present constitution the Legislature Of Virginia. by
resolution passed in the year 1885, rendered Congress
mics square Of the territory of Virginia. be selected within
hems OF that State for the purpose Of putting up the
cesary buildings to accommodate the Federal Government,
andln the same year resolution passed, proposing
the part Of Virginia that if Congress should locate these
mile square within the limits Of tha. State, the Government
Of Virginia would advance Of money for the purpose of
adi in the erection Of the necessary public buildings That
resolution of the State Of Virginia, appears did not meet
the APPRECIATION of the Congress Of the United States for the
first az locating the len miles square for purposes OF federal
government was an act passed the 10th of july 1880, by
whchhe location Of the of government fixed the
easer side Of the Potomac river, in the State of Maryland
and commissioners appointed to locate any where on
the eaiern side Of the river between the mouths Of the
Eastm Branch and the "Connegocheque rivers. That
act wa passed the 10th Of July, 1870 and the fourth
section the act gave authority the President Of the Uni
ted Sides accept grants Of money deay the expense Of
purchasing and erecting public buildings In the year,
1870, Nn the 27h Of December resolution passed BY
the Getea Assembly Of Virginia authorizing the adraIce Of
S20 to the General Government to aid in the erection Of
public dngs within the miles square, the seat of gov
ernmen| to be located on the Maryland side.
The blowing year, 1871, on the third Of March, an act
passed by the Congress Of the United States requiring
the part Of the Federal Government that the seat of
ernme should be located the Virginia side Of the river
embrace the Of Alexandria. Thus it that
under he two acts the Dsc, Of Columbia was eventually
located to embrace portion of the territory OF beth
States The resolution Of Virginia passed in 1890 was
compiled with, and Sl20, 900 advanced to the General
Government to aid in the erection OF the public buildings
It proper TO refer here part OF the history OF the trans
action When thsresoluon its passage 10 the Gene
raj Assembly, the journals of that day show, was re-.
ported a bill for granting the President Of the United
States the Of S20000 for the purpose Of erecting pub
lie buildings ageeaby to the resolution Of the last Assem-
bly, "and those journals also show how while that resolution
progress before the General Assembly, effort was
made change the proposed advance OF oney to
gran TO the United STATES for the purpose OF aiding IN
erecting the public buildings Il will be found that that pro-
position was refused they refused make grant, and
the resolution passed. It remained authorizing only the ad
OF much money Eventually, VIXEN the resolution
was passed. the title was changed and was called by its
title, an act concerning the advance of money TO the Gov
Of the United States for the purpose Of erecting
public buildings" think rgh. state this, because is
claim due to the State Of Frgna, although transferred to
the Orange and Alexandra railroad company. feel thus
thoGv
raj Government the State of Virginia The prayer Of the
petition that be refunded with proper interest under the
assignment made by the General Assembly to this Railroad
Company ask that the petition be referred to the Com
mittee Of Claims. The motion was agreed to-
AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION.
Mr.. UNDERWOOD. I rise to present the joint resou-
ton Of which gave notice few mornings since IN order
thar may lie the table and be printed Hereafter, when
shall its reference shall beg leave Of the Senate state
the object have in view in presenting it.
The resolution is as follows:
Resolved By the Senate and House Of Representatives Of
se United States of .7merca in Congress Gssem5d, That
the following amendments the constitution be proposed and
recommended to the Legislatures of the several States for
Amend the seventh section the article by striking
the words twohirds of that House, wherever they
and insert the words majority of all the members to which
that House may be entitled"
Amend the first section of the second article by inserting
Staes following words shall the elected be
eligible that Office for the succeeding four years after the ex-
piration Of the term for which he elected.
Amend the first section of The third article by adding there
to the following whenever majority of all the members to
which Senate entitled BY law aud like 'rity OF the
members the House of Representatives shall in an
address to the President for the removal Judge his Office
shall be vacant the day of the delivery OF such address,
and the Peden, shall proceed to fill the same IN the manner
prescribed by law
Amend the constitution by the two additional articles fol-
lowing -
from Office shall! be regulated by law, those excepted
which are provided for in the constitution
Art Senator'S and Representatives shall not be eiSlle
to any Office the nomination o the Predeat during the
time tor which they respectively elected TO serve 10 the
Congress OF the United Sates for years ensuing
the expiration thereof Provfed vevr, The President
may select the heads Of the Departments from the members OF
Congress
the States shall at the foregoing proposed amend
mens or any one them, the same when ratified,
shall be valid all nen and purposes part OF the
stitutioa.
The resolution was ordered to be printed.
DEcoRUM IN DEBATE.
The VICE PRESIDENT. There being no further morr-
ing business the Chair claims the indulgence Of the Senate
submit few remarks in relation to his powers and
duties to preserve order.
On assuming the responsible duty presiding officer Of this
body, trusted that occasion would arise when would be-
necessary for the Chair inerpose to preserve order in
debate could disguise the fact ,hat by possibility such
necessity might arise Therefore imputed Of some OF tie Sena
know what had been tee usage this subec and was
informed that the general practice since Mr. Calhoun
acted Vice President interfere unless question OF Or
der made by Senator Twas informed that that din
gusej and anened person had declined exercise the
power of calling to order for words spoken IN debate on the
ground that be had authority TO do Some thought the
rule had been since chsngej and others not but then there
still seemed TO be difference Of opinion ID the power.
Under these circumstance though my opinion was strongly