Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1852-04-01
CoNGREss.
THURSDAY. March "a.
SENATE.

Mr.. Badger offered resolution, which |
was ,dopted. continuing the employment
,,e lie Clerk Of the President Of the Sen
. e during the present session.
Mr.. Mangum offered resolution direct
ing an inquiry into the number of messen
gers and others employed IN the Senate
and their compensation. Adopted.
Mr.. Soule introduced joint resolution
appropriaiing 81 900 TO enable the Agri-
cultural Department of the Patent Office
topurchase seeds.
Mr.. Mason objected to the consiJera-
ton Of the joint resolution. and it was re-
ferred to the Committee on Agriculture.
Mr. Hale offered resolution, which
was laid over. directing an enquiry by the
Committee on Public Buildings. to pur-
chase the picture Of Washington crossing
the Delaware.
A bill to provide for the unpaid claims
Of the officers and soldiers of the Virginia
State and Continental lines Of the Revolu-
tionary army, was taken up. and was or.
.dered to be engrossed.
The private calendar was then taken up.
and the bill for the relief ofthe Carmelite
Nunnery. of Baltimore. was first taken up
Mr. Mallory said the bill was one to re-
init the duties upon some clerical vest
ments imported for the use Of the clergy
men officiating i'll the chapel attached to
the Nunnery. The amount was small.
and he referred to numerous precedents
of like cases; where the duties were re-
mitied.
Mr. Hunter said the finance committee
had reported adversely to the bill. The
parties Interested presented case as me-
ritorious as any that could possibly be
made out But the committee desired the
Senate should determine the principle in
vol,ed, as there were several other cases
pending. 1.-THE Senate should pass the bill
the committee would understand how to
act upon all such cases.
Mr.. Pratt moved an amendment declar
Ing that hereafter all articles imported for
church purposes, &C., shall be admitted
tree of duty.
Mr. Hale opposed the bill. 1.-THE duty
on vestments was 10 he RENTED because
they were necessary for the clergy to ad
minister the rites of their church, why not
rcmi, the duty on the food which the cler
gy ate. and which was necessary to their
existence.
Mr.. Pratt saw nothing in this matter to
call forth any levity. This was a society
of ladies whose time was assiduousIy de-
voted to education. Their labors were
given gratuitously. They had no money;
they amasse1 none. One of their VOWS
was perpetual poverty. Attached to their
institution is "A small chapel, in which they
are to have their devotional exercises, free
from the public gaze. These articles were
admitted from abroad. and were Vest
ments to be won by the clergy in that
chapel while officiating in their devotions.
He earnestly advocated the passage Of
the bill. and referred to various other ca
ses where the duty had been RENTED on
bibles imported for the Bible Society, aud
other religious societies. Congress had
never vet refused an application of this
sort. and he hoped would not refuse thic.
Mr.. Badger was in favor of the bill,
bnt hoped the amendment would be with
drawn.
Mr.. Pratt Withdrew his amendment.
WI Sdid HC " ID III idN vi VI tiio
Till. renting the duties on the vestments
OF the clergymcn who were to oficiaIe in
the chapel attached to this institution
The ladies' engaged in this noble and most
charitable association. to afford gratuitous
education, deserved the highest commen-
dation. They had no money, because their
VOWS compelled them to poverty.
Tho I,h,,., ,,.,s cnn,;,n,,l III III -,
clock. in which Messrs. Borland, Mason.
Hale. Bayard and Bradbury opposed the
hill, and Messrs. Pratt, Soule. Seward.
Dawson and Mangum supported ii; and
on the question of ordering it TO he en-
crossed. it was decided in the negative bv
the following vote:
YEAs.-Nlessrs. Badger Brooke. Cass.
Chase, Dawson. Dodge of Wis.,. Dodge
Of Iowa. Douglas. Downs. Fish, Foote.
Geycr. Jones. of Tenn. Mallory. Man
gum. Pratt. Seward. Shields, Soule, Sum
ner. Wade..-2l.
Nays--M essrs. Adams. Baya,d, Bor-
land. Bradbury. Brodhead. Clarke. Coop
err. Davis. Gwin. Hale, Hamn, Hunter,
King. Mason, Morton. Norris, Sebastian.
Smi,h. Spruance, Underwood, Upham.
Wrller.-22.
The chair laid before the Senate a com
municaiion from the President. stating
that certain papers had been distracted
from the files of the State Department, and
that no law existed for the punishment of
The offender, and asking that Congress
would make such an offence penal one.
Referred TO the Judiciary committee.
The Senate then adjourned till Monday
HOUSE.
The House again went into committee.
and again took up the deficiency bill.
Mr. Johnson of Arkansas moved to
mend the clause voting $4,000, to cover
arrearages Of the contingencies of the In
dian Department. by substitution s22.-
500. which was opposed by Messis. Hous-
ton and Durham, and ultimately carried.
Mr.. McCorckle. of California, moved
to appropriate $4,000 to meet drafts of
the Indian Commissioners in that State,
for supplies furnished and expenses in
Cured. incident to negotiations with the
Indians.
Mr.. Johnson. chairman OF the commit
Tee on Indian affairs. stated that no evil
.dence was before that committee IN the
subject. He stated that demand had
been formerly made for S75.000-S25, 900
of which only was allowed by Congress
when notice of the latter appropriation
went out, and commissioners were instruc.
ted not to exceed that sum.
Mr.. Walsh, of Nd. considered the Gov