The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-02-14
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
FRIDAY, February 10, 1852.

FRIDAY, + eOruaTy 10, looA.
PRAYER was offered by Rev. Mr.. Butler, and the
journal Of yesterdays proceedings read
Mr. THADDEUs STEVENS, OF Pennsylvania, who
had for some weeks past been absent at his home.
on account Of serious sickness, appeared IN his
seat.
REGULAR ORDER BUSINESS.
Mr!DANIEL, of North Carolina, moved that
the House 20 into Committee of the Whole, and
take up the calendar of private bills He hoped
the present Congress would pursue the regular
order Of business on the days which are assigned
for that purpose, and not be guilty of that indfer
ence to the public business which characterized
the last Congress-
CHARGES PREFERRED AGAINST A JUDGE.
Mr.. VENABLE asked that Mr.. DANIEL would
suspend his motion, in order to permit him lMr
w to make report from the Judiciary Com
mittee. He would then renew the motion to 60
into Committee Of the Whole.
Mr. DANIEL assented.
Mr. VENABLE said that memorial from a
certain William Alexander, lawyer in Texas,
had been referred to the Judiciary Committee,
preferring charges against Hon. John C. Watrous,
Judge Of the United States Court in the District of
Texas setting forth, among other things, that
said Watrous was in the habit Of practising law,
receiving fees, and adudcating cases in which he
was personally interested. The committee had
instructed him to report a resolution authorizing
matter.
The resolution was read and agreed to.
PLANK ROADS POST ROADS.
Mr. OLDS moved that message be sent to the
Serate, requesting copy of bill passed by that
branch, which the Committee on Post Offices ard
Post Roads had instructed him to report, and
which he had mslaid, declaring plank roads to be
post roads.
The motion was agreed to.
MILITARY sToRE-KEEpER IN NEW MEXICO.
Mr.. WEIGHTMAN, of New Mexico, by
leave, introduced resolution, directing the Com
mttee on Military Affairs to inquire into the ex-
pediency of allowing the military storekeeper on
duty in that territory the same rate of compensa-
ton as is allowed military store-keepers at arse
nals, to be paid for such time he may be on
duty.
The resolution was agreed to.
PRIVATE CALENDAR.
Mr.. VENABLE moved that the House go into
Committee Of the Whole, and take up the calendar
of private bills, which was agreed to.
The SPEAKER called Mr. DISNEY, Of Ohio, to
the chair.
HEIR OF JOHN JACKSON.
The committee took up the bill for the relief of
an heir of John Jackson, an English pilot, en-
Moved during the war of the revolution in the
service of the United States, on board Of the "Bon
Homme Richard" under the command Of Capiai
John Paul Jones. The claim is made by the only
surviving heir. NOW residing at the Navy Yard in
Washington, for services rendered by the said
Jackson pilot, and for saving the lives OF the
officers and crew Of the "Bon Homme." Ga the
22d day Of September, 1873, Jackson came on
board Of Captain Jones' ship, mistaking it for
British ship-of-war. Captain Jones requiring the
assistance of pilot while near the banks on the
English coast, detained him on board his ship,
and he was there employed the pilot of said
Il. ~ uyhic MIA hefu he
same and the Scraps, in which action Jackson
lost an arm In consideration Of the services of
Jackson and his severe misfortune, Captain Jones
paid him one hundred ducats, and gave him a
written PROMISE in behalf of the United States,
that he should receive haf-pay pilot the re-
mainder of his life, to commence from the date Of
said writing, and payable every six months by
the American ambassador at the court of France,
upon proper proof of identity. II does not appear
that this engagement of Captain Jones, in behalf
of the United States, has ever been performed.
The attention of the old Congress was called to
this subject by letter from the Secretary for
Foreign Affairs, dated September 20, 1885, and 1t
underwent The examination Of a committee. This
committee made a report, stating further, that II
appeared, from letter of Captain Jones, that the
second lieutenant Of the "Bon Homme Richard =
was, with twenty others, at the time Of the battle
with the Scraps, board Jackson's pilot boat,
and that when Captain Jones found ii Impossible
TO prevent the " Bon Homme Richard" from
sinking, Jacks6ns pilot bout was of singular SER
vice in saving the men, particularly the wounded,
some Of whom, Captain Jones is persuaded, would
have been drowned had not he have been fur
niahed with the means Of saving them.
Congress, it seems, has never performed the
engagement made by Capt. Jones in relation to
the promised half-pay. The bill under considera-
ton proposes to pay the legal heir such sum as
will equal Il pension at the rate of S6 per month
from Nov. Is, 1873, to the day of Jackson
death, in the year 1915, amounting to about 80,
600.
After debate of over two hours, motion by
Mr. HUNTER, of Ohio, to report the bill to the
House with recommendation that 1t do not pass
was reiected-yeas SO, nays.7I
The bill was subsequently reported TO thu
Houss with a ECO mmendation that ii pass.