The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-12-19

Wtrt uOb busItnue1.
Mr.. Wentworth asked the unanimous consent
Of the House to introduce resolution MAKING the
River and IIarbor bill and the POSTAGE bilI the
special order Of the day in the order in which
they are named, for the tn instant Objection
being made il was not received lie then moved
10 go into Committee Of the Whole on the state
of the Union, with q view to take IN the River
and IIarbor bill. The motion prevailed and MIR
Strong Of Pennsylvania, being in the chair. said
that the first business in order was the bill 10
grant the right Of way TO the Tennessee Missis.
sippi, and Alabama railroad.
Mr.. Wentworth said that the River and Hsr-
Dor bill, as general appropriation bill was enti-
tied TO precedence of any other bill on the calen-
OAR, except other general appropriation bills, and
he moved to take it up. The vote stood-77 yeas,
II nays, the Chairman voting nay.
MIR Jones moved that the Committee rise. Lost
Mr. Potter moved to take mp the Postage bill !;
but the Chair decided that the preceding bills on
the calendar must be disposed Of first, separately,
before it could he reached and acted upon. On
sn appeal, he was sustained.
Mr. Potter then moved to lay aside the first
bill on the calendar, the bill granting the right
of way, &c Carried.
Twelve bills were successfully laid aside on his
notion and the Committee then rose.
Mr. Potter asked leave to offer resolution
making the Cheap Postage bill the special order
for the 10th, but it was not granted lie moved
a suspension of the rules, TO enable him to offer
his resolution, but the Speaker decided that it
was not in order to-day
Motions to adjourn alternating with motions to
go into Committee of the Whole on the state Of
the Union, consumed the rest Of the day until the
House adjourned.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER II, 1850
The death of Mr. Wood was announced by
Mr.. Potter; the usual resolutions were passed,
and the House adjourned.
THURspAy, DECEMBER 70, 1850.
Mr. FeatherstOn of Mississippi asked to be ex-
cused from serving on the Committee on the Dis
trict of Columbia and Mr. Brown Of the same
State was appointed in his place.
Committees were called upon to report. Seve-
raj bills were reported, some of no general i'm
portance were passed, others were referred to
the Committee Of the Whole on the state Of the
Union, and tde House adjourned.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1850.
The House was occupied in Committee of the
Whole on the Private Calendar, Mr.. Ashmun in
the chair A bill for the relief of the heirs of
General Sumter o. South Carolina, gave rise to
much debate
The claim is for the reimbursement of moneys
leaned "a the government hy Sen Sumter during
the war of the Revolution. Thtrty.twO loan
office certificates for thousand dollars each
equal to eight hundred dollars.) were issued, bat
LIZ = III a., - IL, - i. 9. e tt3 &c
ceased applies to Congress that the money may he
paid to him, with the interest from January /,
l7SS
MIR Thomas contended that this claim WAS not
of much consequence in itself, but il was one of
batch Of cases which might establish precedent
for paying thousands of dollars. The certificates
were issued to General Sumter seventy years ago
and the only evidence that the money was not
paid was the statement Of the Register of the
Treasury, appointed seventy years afterwards
that it does not appear the books that the loan
certificates were ever paid The burden of proof
was sought to he put on the United States that
they have been paid There was no evidence to
show that they were ever in the hands of General
Sumter, or that he ever said the Government
owed him copper.
MIR. Woodward Of South Carolina supported
the claim, and there were two or three sharp pas
sages between him and Mr.. Durham Of Indiana
who opposed it. the former questioning the bring
ing up of the latter
The Committee at length rose and the bill was
disposed Of by laying it upon the table.
Mr. Marshall called up motion, made at the
last session by Mr.. johnson Of Tennessee, to
reconsider the vote discharging the Committee of
the Whole House from the further consideration
of the bill for the relief of Charlotte Lynch.
An Intellectual motion to adjourn was here
made.
The Speaker announced that MIR. Johnson's
motion 10 reconsider was in order.
| MIR Johnson of Tennessee remarked that his
desire was only to have this bill referred to the
| Committee on Revolutionary Claims for the
tomary examination Ii the gentleman from Ken
lucky would agree to this disposition of the sub
hc tl,n ,,u;ta
motion.
Mr.. Marshall could not. Ills desire was to pass
the bill today
Mr. johnson of Tennessee then moved that
the House do now adjourn.
! MIR Jones demanded the yeas and nays on that
motion; which being ordered, it was not agreed
to-yeas 90, nays 1903.
Mr.. Johnson spoke in opposition to the bill,
and Mr.. Marshall Of Kentucky sustained il, and
moved to lay the motion to reconsider on the table
The yeas and nays having been ordered on the
motion, the House adjourned till Monday.
MONDAY, DECEMBER l6 1850
| Mr. Strong from the Committee on Elections
| reported on the contested case in New HAMPSHIRE
| in favor Of the sitting member, Mr. Morrison,
and gave notice that he would call il up next
Tuesday week.
On motion of Mr. Briggs, the rules were sus
peuucu, auu 'nt bllS loT tHc tSdNbllsHfHcUt oi u
Branch Mint in New York and San Francisco
were made the special order for the 9Th Janu-
airy next.
A message from the President, communicating
the settlement Of the Texas Boundary Question,
was, on motion of Mr.. Ashmun referred to the
Committee Of tho Whole on the state of the
Union but subsequently, the motion was recon.
sdered, and the message WAS laid upon the table,
and ordered to be printed. This was to avoid
discussion
On motion of Mr.. Otis of Maine, the rules were
suspended and n motion carried making the |
Cheap Postage bill the order Of the day for |
wednesday next Good The rules were also
suspended and resolution adopted setting apart
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday: Of February
next for the transaction of Territorial business
The House went into Committee of the Whole |
on the state Of the Union, and took up the bill |
enabling certain persons owning bounty lands, to
dispose Of them by testament debate arose,
no action took plncc the Committee rose, and
the House adjourned.
TUESDAY, DrcEMHER II, 1880.