The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-01-09
CON CIR ESSI0N AL.
Thirty-Firth Congress--second sessi,
HOUSE OF REPRESENTA-,
SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, Il
The Senate was not In session to-day.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
The SPEAKER laid before the House the following
message from the President of the United States
70 The House Of Representatives.
herewith reports Secretary Treasury
Postmaster General with The accompanying papers IN compliance
que United States report 'ha IL
any under the sixth section Of the Post ONCE
aamagos due Crmak Ramsey and il said section
yet uncxecud tina, the President report the reasons there
WASHINGTON, January 7, 1859.
Mr. NICHOLS, of Ohio, stated that, at the request of
Mr. BIISGnuRsr he to make motion in reference
to this message II had been usual to lay such
on the table, aud simply order them to be printed but
from the in this he thought it should take
other direction 1t provided by law that the First
Comptroller of the Treasury should adjust the claim Of
Carmck and Ramsey for damages account OF the abro
CATION of their contract but this had been defeated in
the executive departments of the government He did
not know the merits involved in the case but he did
know that upon the papers presented the executive o
cers had refused carry it out and he thought that
the reasons presented for that refusal utterly indie
fensble From the facts presented to him by Mr. Bill
xGHuns regarded the acts of the accounting officers
Of the treasury high usnrpaton Of power. and he
would have the message referred to the Committee
the Judiciary know whether clerks in the department
cabinet officers any party behind the law-making
power had right to make law for themselves and refuse
carry out the Judgment of Congress- or execute the
laws passed by the proper awmakipg power Of the gov
crnment Without wishing to say anything further
about the matter and regarding it for invesd
CATION by the Committee on the Judiciary to know If
further legislation be necessary to carry out the law of
Congress- and vindicute its dignity he moved the refer
of the whole subject to the Committee ON the Judi
cary.
Mr. HOUSTON, of Alabama, remarked that il it had
been the gentlemans object to refer these papers to any
committee he could have accomplished this object by
his own motion He had the decision OF the First
Comptroller of the Treasury but if he had made
that all Congress- under any state OF facts could ask
This question had been submitted to the Committee
h.
the propositions of that committee there from
which he dssented but the action of the committee of
last session simply an expression OF opinion, and
there nothing for Congress to do He was quite
sure the Attorney General had decided that the original
contract had been violated, therefore that dam
ages were due and there need for reference of
the papers to the Committee on the Judiciary
After further debate between Messrs JONES, of Ten
nessee and HOUSTON of Alabama, in opposition to its
reference and Messs NICHOLS, of Ohio, PHILLIPS and
RITCHIE, of Pennsylvania, and GRoESBECK, of Ohio,
in favor thereof the question aken and the message
and accompanying papers were referred to the Commit
tee on the Judiciary, and ordered to be printed
Mr.. VAIIANDlGHAM, of Ohio, remarking that this
was national holiday, moved that the House adjourn
which motion was not agreed to---yeas Sc, nays 81.
The SPEAKER also laid before the House n commu-
nicaton from the Secretary of War, transmitting two
hundred and fifty copies Of the official Army Register for
the year 1859 for the of the House of Representa-
tves in accordance with resolution adopted in 1920
which was laid the table and ordered to be printed
Also communication from the Secretary of War;
transmitting statement of the expenses of the national
armores for the year 1858 which laid the table
and ordered to be printed.
Also letter from the Secretary of the Treasury
transmitting report from the superintendent of the
Coast Survey showing the progress of the work for tho
year 1858 which laid the table and ordered to
be printed
Mr. DAVIS, of Mississippi, then moved that the
House adjourn /; pending which,
Mr. TAYLOR of louisiana on leave, introduced bill
protect the rights Of persons entitled to presumption
rights under the laws Of the United States In certain
cases which read twice and referred to the Commit
tee on Public Lands
Mr. FARNSWoRlII, of Illinois, also, ON leave, intro
duced the following resolution which was adopted
soircd Tat Secretary directed
this House present situation q the military reservation
the Mississippi whcther the has been
transferred Interior Department
n so when has
ans claiming rights whether decision has
made Department OF the Interior favor Of such
cmors purchase the said reservations the minimum price
dollar and a quarter per acre
The question was then taken the motion to adjourn
and IL was not agreed to yeas 81, nays SS,
ON motion of Mr.. oLlN, of New York, IL was
Rsso5 That be Secretary furnish this House COPY
military Typographical report and OF tho military
department Of the Pacific by Capt J. Cram Of The corps OF topo
gnrhiciI engineers.
on motion Of Mr.. FAULKNER, Of Virginia, il was
Rsoly That secretary be requested 20 transmit