The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-08-13
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

HOUSE OF REPRESF.N IA NV 70.
THE NEW FEE
The House took up the bill rceui ''i"g tn co- .
and fees of attorneys, marshals. an |" y ',"f the
circuit and district courts OF tn" Uni:i STATE.
and, alter some preliminary proce"''ln2- ?'"s '' It,
the WHEELING BRIDGES
The House tooi up the bill dtc.ar'u. -. rr"i g'-
across the Ohio river at Wheeling. 4" >t,t" q!
Virginia. and ut Bridgeport III the Sat" ! Obi"
abutting on Zane's Island in said i've = :" Il" "
ful structures in their pTe-tt position and ."Vr
ton, aud shall be held and ttken e. "r. any
thing in any law or laws of the Un''i states ~
the contrary notwiths anding, and d.! 'ih= th .i'
to be established post roads or the pt cage OF
the mails vi the United Stacs, aud thai lau heel
ing aud Belmont Bridge Company use autn"iIzei
to have and maintain their said bridge ut then
pres. ut site and elevation; and tie officers anu
rev OF all vessels and boats navigating said riv,
are required " regulate the OF then said
sel4 md boats. and Of any pipes OF r'.!s"E Us be
longing hereto, SO as not to interfere with the ei.
walton nd construction Of sa id bfidgca.
MIR. WOODWARD said that the qur-t ton before
| the House was broad one; and he was statistic Il
tina, il it was in his power under any circun!
! stances, il was not in his power under the hour
rule to do any thing like Justice to this important
subject However, he would commence at the be
! ginning OF the argument and leave the House 10
decide as to the rghts involved. In the course Il!
the remarks which follow ed, he said it was pre-
| postcruus to think that any State can block up u
river, thus putting the citizens on its banks in Il
worse condition than they would be under the la "
Of Ialuns. He held, therefore, notwithstanding
the Oho RIVER passes through the territory Of VIr
GINA, that it ID under the jurisdiction, 81 tar rs u
risdiction exists, OF the Constitution and laws OF
the United States. The qucst II does not lie be.
tween the Judiciary and the legislature, as GO ord-
nate branches, but belongs to the General Govern
! meat. The rights Of Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
and Ohio not alone involv. d, bat those If all
the States. AS in the FEDERAL Governil ut ali are
represented, to the Legislature an not to the SUI
prclnc Court, belongs the control over tins ques
tinn hpln tn he Il N cd
States under the power t" regulate commerce
among the several States.
He held that the intrrcours which was designed
to be established under the Eunst utuu hy land is
sacr cd as the intercourse by rivers and that the
right 10 the land ID equiv alent 10 the at to
navigate. Ho said that representatives are sent
to Congress to determine tue rights not to t~ o
parties but as to the people Of the States gencr-
ally; and was proceeding to make further rcnar ks
to show that, as The Supreme Court had dec lnred
those bridges to be Il nuisance, the Legislature
alone could abate it. when the morning hour
pired.
Mr.. McLANAHAN-the subject of the Wheel
ing bridges having been referred 10 the Colnlni toe
on the Judiciary-asked the unanimous consent Of
the House to make report from the majority, ani
that it be printed.
Mr.. MEADE said be had been requested By the
majority Of that committee to state to The HVus'
that they, by very large maj oIity. Lave adopted
the report OF the COMMITTEES on the Post Office and
Post Roads, aud desire the hill to be passed.
Mr. MCLANAHAN Ohere being "bjec,ion)
submitted minority report, which was ordered To
be printed.
RsLIET OF THoMAs RlTCHiE-THE.PuBLlC PRINTING
Mr. STANTON, Of Kentucky, called up he BILL
retolore reported from the Committee on Print
ing, for the relief of Thomas Richie
Mr.. HOUSTON appealed to the gentleman to
consent to "a further postPonement Of the subject,
in order that tho public appropriation bills might
he considered.
Mr. STANTON did not acquiesce, saying that a
bill for the relief of Mr.. Richie was passed lat
session by the House, and lost in the Senate for the
want Of time The bill proposes to give to Mr.
Richie for the printing OF the last Congress. al
ready xecued, prices the rate Of fifty per cent
belDH those established by the joint resolution Of
1919. He had examined this subject, and come 70
the conclusion that il that gentleman shall be PAID
those prices, he would not receive more than lie
reasonably deserves under the circumstances. He
satisfied Mr.. Richie sustained great ssts IN
order to discharge his duties properly. Col Nc
Willie, who was chairman OF the Commit, e. on
actual lo4-cs Of Mr.. Richie the first g. ssio,
were S65 400; and for the second session in the
same proportion. If the contract with him hAd
been carried out. he would have rcr.iv. very lit
tie less than he will under this bill. In reply to n
question by MIR. HEARD. he (Mr. - said that
this would give Mr.. Richie $97, 800 in addition to
the 1855 900 which he has already received.
Mr.. STEVENS, OF Pennsylvania sai id that when
the bill was reported he underst Oh the geu
tlenan to say it would give Mr.. R,rhie sixty
thousand dollars.
Mr. STANTON, OF Kentucky, repi, Il that. &C.
cordng to his recollection, he had sla',d, III re-
sponse to question, that he thought tie SUN due
would be sixty eighty thousand dollars.
Mr. STEVENS said he did not hear the gentle
man on that occasion make use Of the word
Mr. STANTON replied he could not help that
Mr. STANLY asked the gentleman to yield him
the floor, he wished to offer amendment to
the bill.
ti,,,x ofTar n
Mr. STANLf remarked, this mater aas of i'm
portance, and he wished to limit the amount pro
posed to be appropriated to $6O,OOO
Mr.. STANTON was willing to yield the floor
MIR. SrANLY did not wish to explain, but to
demonstrate that this b II would give to Nh.
Richie $500 900.
MIR. STANTON dema nded the provi,u. o. ).
ton.
Mr.. HOUSTON moved that the iur,he, rn.srd.
GRAFTON of the sutject be postponed for 'Su
weeks; and
The question having been taken, it was drcld,
MIR HOUSTON moved that the li,u.c reeoi.
tself into Committee OF the Whole on tn" stl,c
OF the Union.
Mr.. STANLY. Ia that motion in ord.,?
The SPEAKER Iis.
Mr.. STANLY. Who has tn 1000 on the Richie
bill?
The SPEAKER No ge",, man has
Mr.. STANLY. Then wish to be rcc",r,,, !.
Mr.. ORR. SO do |; and will contest bat POINT.
The SPEAKER. That point cannot II nc ""r
sidcrcd.
The House then resolved itsc II into Committee
of the Whole on the state Of the Uniou--Mr Bu-
COCK in the chair-and proceeded to the consdcra
ton OF the
ARMY APPROPRIATIONS BILL.
Mr.. HOUSTON, in consideration Of the back
ward condition OF the public business, sad he would
not occupy the time of the committee by making
any remarks on the present occasion, but wished
merely to suggest that the bill be considered ecc
ton Ivy section, without fret being read through.
Mr.. MEADE briefly spoke in favor Of an unpaid
claim of the Petersburg. (Va) Canada voiun
tcers"
Mr.. SCUDDER, OF Massachusetts. addressed the
committee upon the question of the fisheries on the
British coast Of North America. explaining the ex
tent of the rights belonging to our countrymen.
Mr.. CAMPBELL, Of Ohio, replied to remarks
heretofore delivered by Mr.. OLDs, and defended
Mr.. Curwin from the aspcrsions OF his colleague;
and az much had been said about "Galphinism,'
he proceeded to expose the dishonesty Of public
officers under Democratic admlnistr atoms when
| Mr.. Woodbury. Secretary of the Treasury;
and, in conclusion. defended General Scott as n
candidate for the Presidency.
The committee, at half past three, took recess
| until seven.
| EVENING SESSION.
The Army Appropriation bill being under con-
| sidcration-