Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-08-31

snia my old MOTHER whom much honor, in the posi-
ton OF beggar, or in the attitude OF PauPer NO. al all
She can live without this money Her asslgnees perhaps
can get along without But she has thought proper for
the purpose Of aiding great public mPovementone which
will rebound advantage well as to hers one con-
Meeting Alexandria near the seat OF government Win ner
western ertory-to transfer her claims the railroad
pany TO be expended for these useful purposes II had
been gift in every of the word, originally would not
hold on under such circumstances. My disposition is,
that we are able to return It,
think the Government ought to have located the pema
nent seat of the National Government without any temptation
to be derived from money think it should have done il
upon prncpen reference to the general interests OF the
nation considering population, cenraity and FORTH Sir
the seat of have been very properly
located where is whether the Government influenced
by the donations made by Virginia aud Mayandor not For,
sir the tables of population show that although in point OF
centrally the proper location has been travelling West yet
in reference Northern and Southern line, is within
twenty thirty miles Of the proper centre and at the time
was located, according to population and territory 1t was
very proper location Though think that money ought not
have been received nducemen to the Government to
locate the seat Of government here yet think we may pass
this bill.
Mr.. MASON. One word more. If this had been gift
the part of Virginia, grant by which they parted with
their right trust the character of Virginia In this conedea-
cy would show that she would not either claim herself or
suffer her assgnees do it. But, advance or
oan by which the right parted with, but to
reclamation, there certainly improperly in Virginia dis
posing Of the fund in any she deem proper
the money only and upon its passage the title was altered
and confomed with the text The title which was to make
" grant, of money, altered can advance, and the
enactng clause showed that il advance.
But will further to the Senate, what escaped my at
tenon at the moment that prior that in 1885, the Cen
eral Assembly of Virginia made proposition to Congress 10
locate the of government Williamsburg then the seat
of of the State where the public business was
transacted At that time the of the country lack
ed fiscal ability command the amount necessary to erect Its
public buildings, and in order to induce the Government 70
locate the seat Of government at Williamsburg the state OF
Virginia offered give up the Government all its public
buildings in Williamsburg, provided they would locate the
seat there The the proposition were
these
That if the honorable Congress should esteem the city of
Williamsburg in this State fit place for their session, the
Assembly will present them, their removal thereto and
during their continuance therein with the palace the capitol
and all public buildings and 500 of land adjoining the
dred hSasasd bounds leoo this States currency
subsequently, order induce them to locate the seat of
government within the limits of Virginia, but on the Po-
tomac river the proposition that they would advance to
the General Government the OF $40, 0O0 Now, ap-
pears the report made by the COMMITTEES that that
all advanced. 1t was paid to the treasury in
of 900 year and it appears that Gen. Washington,
who only citizen Of Virginia. and conversant with this
subject but had the superintendent Of the business asks in
letter the commissioners of the federal district dated
August 29h l793 elm what would be proper to
state the account with the States Of Virginia and Maryland,
they having advanced money which has not been all expend
ed for the objects for which it appropriated " And it
does appear that the Of S4O $685. part Of this Sl20 geo,
all that used by the Commissioners of Public Build
ngs submit the Senate, therefore, that subsan
TALLY loan, and that the claim Of Virginia, which she has
assigned to this railroad company, is just one.
After further debate, the question taken
deng the bill to be engrossed and read third time, and
suited thus
YEAs-Messrs. Atchison Banweli Bell Berrien, Butler
Glass; Clay Dawson Dodge ofIowa Douglas Downs Fooe,
Houston Hunter Jones' King Mason Morton Pratt Rusk
Caha Grnsth Cn..a Indar wnnd
Wales and Walker-2s.
NAYS-Messrs Badger, Baldwin, Bradbury Bright Chase,
spp Dayton Dickinson, Dodge Of Wisconsin, Feeh Greene
Hamln, Poarce, Shields, Sturgeon, Upham, Whtcomb.
Winthrop, and Yulee-22.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST %, 1850.
The following resolution, submitted by Mr.. DAVIS, Of
Massachusetts, the 18th instant taken up for consd
1 Grafton
Resolved That the Postmaster General be instructed
the Senate such information he
regard the lines of in the mail
vice Of the United States in the following particulars:
First Has each line fulfilled the contract entered into with
the United States not what does the delinquency con-
| sist
Second How many ships the in each line, and
how many does each contract require
Third How much has been paid to each line under
what laws and what times and how much remains be
paid
Fourth What the aggregate of postage which has been
derived the Government each line and what the
nual amount realized from each J
Fifth Have the mails been regularly and safely transported
and delivered according to the requirements Of the law and
| the instructions of the department
Mr.. DAVIS, OF Massachusetts,. think the information
which asked for in this resolution is very desirable to the
Senate and indeed is necessary enable them to act with
intelligence subjects which must necessarily be presented
to them when the appropriation bill up. The Sena
tor from New York. believe does object 10 this the
subject. He with in it, but be thinks that this
information will be furnished to the Senate from other
If that be so shall be satisfied, if it only in
form enable and clarly understand it. The
Senator from New York. believe expects that this inorma-
ton will come n through the Post Office Com
mttee IT, however, the information is prepared for other
purposes it will be very little trouble furnish it directly to
the Senate and inclined think that is should
come before that form. The information adverted by
the Senator from New York does embrace one Of the
lines My desire is embrace all the nes and that the Sem
ate may know whether the have executed how
many ships have been put upon each ne the annual
pendre and the amount Of money which has been paid up
to this time. obtain that Information it all care for.
Mr.. DICKINSON. know of no earthly objection to
the information being obtained, unless have already,
suppose have and therefore called the attention Of the
Senator from Massachusetts TO it. The only suggestion
made in regard this resolution when it offered
the usual one, that lie day under the rule in the belief
that had substantially all that asked for before us and
before committee under examination. The resolution hav-
ing, however, up in regular order shall by
means object its adoption, if the desires it, The
information the Postmaster General communicated to the
House, in to resolution in March last think,
the whole subject far regards the Chagres Pa
cifc, and other lines in that direction. is document go
up with considerable labor and embodes much Of detailed
information; and, that officer informs as contains all the
II 49, NJ - A.