The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-02-21
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Fanny. Feb 90. 1852


DEFICIENCY BILL REPORTED.
Mr.. HOUSTON, from the Committee on Ways
and Means, asked and obtained leave to report n
bill making an appropriation for deficiencies in
the service Of the fiscal year ending June 80, 1859
which, on his motion, was referred to the Com
mittee of the Whole on the state of the Union.
PRIVATE BILLS PASSED.
The House then took up the following private
bills, which were considered in Committee of the
Whole on Friday last, and then reported favorably
upon, which were severally read a third time and
passed : a bill for the relief Of the heir Of John
Jackson a bill for the relief of Gustavus A. De
Russey late an acting purser in the navy, with an
amendment deducting the interest from the
amount claimed, as to reduce it from S5l4 to
1862.
CONSIDERATION OF THE PRIVATE CALENDAR.
On motion Of Mr. EDGERTON, OF Ohio, the
House went into Committee Of the Whole and
took mp the calendar of private bills, that being
the special assignment for Fridays, under the rule.
The following bills were taken up, and, after
explanation, severally passed over to be reported
to the House, with recommendation that they
do pass
A bill for the relief of Cornelius Hughes, of
Tennessee I; bill for the relief Of Francis Tribou
bill for the relief James Wright, r. bill for the
relief Of John Kerbaugh bill for the relief OF
Ichabod Weymouth; bill for the relief of John
Mcintosh.
CLAIM FOR WORK ON THE NEW YORK CUSTOM HOUSE.
Tie committee took up bill for the relief Of
Charles S. Matthews, Charles Wood and James
Hill, for marble and other materials furnished in
the construction of the New York custom house.
Mr.. DANIEL, of North Carolina, from. the
Committee on Claims, which reported the bill,
said that the original amount claimed was about
AT 500, which, by consent of the claimants, had
been reduced to SI2,l The materials were not
delivered in the time specified in the contract, on
account of there being no place ptovided in Wall
street to leave them. The committee were salts
hed Of the Justice Of the claim
The bill was passed over to be reported with a
recommendation that it pass
CLAIM FOR SLAVES CAPTURED BY THE CREEK INDI-
ANS FROM THE sEMlNoLEs, DURING THE FLO
R,DA WAR.
The Committee of the Whole took up for con-
sderaton bill for the relief Of the legal represen
tatives Of General james G.. Watson, late of the
State of Georgia.
This bill appropriates Sl4,600, and bearing
per cent interest from May s, 1893, until payment
is made, being the amount paid out by General
Watson, under the sanction of the Indian agent,
ID certain Creek warriors, for slaves captured by
said warriors while they were in the service of the
United States, against the Seminole Indians in
Florida. About S19, 900 will be due on the claim,
if allowed, on the first Of May next, under the
provisions of the present bill
From report Of the Committee on Indian At
fairs made in lSl2, the following principle facts
in the case appear. In 1896, Gen. Jesup, then
in command Of the troops of the u States in Flori-
da. agreed with certain Creek warriors, whose SER
vices he thus engaged against the hostile Semi
noles, that they should be entitled to all the slaves
and other property Of the anemy they might cap
ture. The said warriors, in pursuance Of this
engagement entered into the service Of the United
States. and among other things, captured a large
number Of negroes, about l03 of whom were
slaves of the Seminoles, and became, under said
contract, the property Of the Creek warriors.
Gen. Jesup recognized their right, but sent the
slaves to Fort Pike, near New Orleans, to be kept
safely, subject to future orders. He proposed to
pay the Creeks $4,000, and make some other dis :
postion of the negroes and, under the conviction
that they would accept it, directed the payment of
the money, and advised the War Department that
the arrangement was made. But the warriors re-
fused to receive that amount and insisted on their
claim to the negroes. For the purpose of assert
= ing their rights, they sent on delegation to