Harpers-Ferry free press. [volume], February 12, 1823, Image 2

About Harpers-Ferry free press. [volume] (Harper's Ferry, Va. [i.e. Harpers Ferry, W. Va.]) 1821-1824

Image provided by: West Virginia University

                
vcai’s information of the resignation of
Mr. Rodney.
The President laid before the Senate a
letter from the Secretary of the Treasury,
transmitting the annual statement of
payments made during the year 1822 in
discharge of miscellaneous claims; of
contracts relative to light houses, Sec.;
of purchases and contracts by collectors
of the revenue during 1821; and the ex
penditures on account of sick and disa
bled seamen.
The Senate took up the report of the
Committee on Mill it ary Affairs on the
subject of the claims of the State of
Georgia for militia services, rendered
under orders of the President of the U.
States during the years 1792, 3 and 4,
which report concludes with a resolution
io instruct the military committee to re
port a bill appropriating jg 129,375 66 in
full discharge of the militia claims of
Georgia.
Alter debate, the question being taken
on the resolution, it was agreed to with
out a count.
THURSDAY, JAN. 30.
On motion of Mr. Dickerson, the Se
nate took up (for the purpose of allowing
Mr D. to offer an amendment thereto,)
the resolution introduced by Mr. Taylor,
of Virginia, proposing an amendment to
the Constitution of the U. S. as regards
the election of President of the U. States.
Mr. Dickerson then submitted the fol
lowing, as a substitute for the resolution
of Mr. Taylor; which was read and or
dered to be printed.
Resolved, by the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States of
America in Congress assembled, two thirds
of both Houses concurring, That the fol
lowing amendment to the Constitution of
the United States be proposed to the Le
gislatures of the several States, which,
when ratified by the Legislatures of three
fourths of the States, shall be valid to all
intents and purposes, as part of the said
Constitution.
“That, for the purpose of choosing
Representatives in the Congress of the
United States, each State shall, by its
Legislature, be divided into a number
of districts, equal to the number of Re
presentatives to which such State may
be entitled. The districts shall be form
ed of contiguous territory, and contain,
as nearly as may be, an equal number of
persons entitled by the constitution to be
represented, or of persons qualified to
vote for members of the most numerous
branch of the State Legislature, In each
district, the persons qualified to vote
shall choose one representative.
“That, for the purpose of choosing
Electors of President and Vice President
of the United States, the persons qualified
to vote for Representatives in each dis
trict shall choose one elector; and at the
same time the two additional Electors,
to which each State is entitled, shall be
chosen by the persons so qualified to vote,
in such manner as the Legislature of the
State shall direct. The Electors, when
convened at the time and place prescrib
ed by law, for the purpose of voting for
President and Vice President of the Uni
ted States, shall have power, in case any
of them shall fail to attend, to choose an
Elector or Electors, in place of him or
them so failing to attend. The division
of states into districts, as hereby provid
ed for, shall take place immediately after
this amendment shall be adopted, and
immediately after every future census
and apportionment of Representatives
t-mder the same; and such districts shall
not be altered until a subsequent census
shall have been taken, and an apportion
ment of Representatives under it, shall
have been made.
-Auai wut-n me lists 01 an persons
voted for as President, Vice President,
and the number of votes for each, shall
have been transmitted to the Seat of Go
vernment,j^j^quired by the constitution,
the Senate and House of Representatives
sb^Tform a joint meeting, in which the
p>--5,Tesident of the Senate shall preside, who
shall then open all the certificates, and
the votes shall be counted. The person
having the greatest number of votes for
President, shall be the President, if such
number be a majority of the whole num
ber of electors appointed ; and if no per
son have such a majority, then from the
highest numbers, not exceeding three, on
the list of those voted for as President,
the joint meeting shall immediately, by
ballot, choose the President. A majority
of the votes of all the members present,
shall be necessary to a choice on the first
ballot, after which a plurality of votes on
ly shall be necessary to a choice. The
person having the greatest number of
votes as Vice President, shall be the
President, if such number be a majority
of the whole number of electors appoint
ed ; if no person have such majority , then
he shall be chosen by the Senate as di
rected by the constitution.
“That no person who has been twice
elected President of the United States,
shall again be eligible to that office.”
FRIDAY, JAN; 31.
Mr. Williams, of Tenn. from the Com
mittee on Military Affairs, reported a'
bill to establish a National Armory on
the western waters.
Mr. W. from the same Committee, re
parted, agreeably to instructions, a bill,
directing- the payment of the Georgia
militia claims for services rendered dur
ing the years 1792, ’3, and ’4. These
bills were severally read the first time.
Mr. Smith, of Maryland, agreeably to
notice, asked and obtained leave, and in
troduced a bill making an appropriation
(of $100,000 a year, for ten years) for the
gradual armament of the new fortresses
of the United States; which bill was
twice read and referred.
Mr. Chandler submitted the following
resolution for consideration:
Resolved, That the President of the
United States be requested to <^ause to
be laid before the Senate a .statement of
the number and size of cannon, mortars,
and howitzers, necessary for the arma
ment of the fortresses of the U. States,
which have been erected since the firs;
day of June, 1815, as well as those which
have been directed to be built and not
yet completed, with an estimate of the
sum necessary to defray the expense of
purchasing’ such armament; also, an es
timate of the sum necessary for purchas
ing such a quantity of shot and shells, of
every description, as may be thought ne
cessary for the fortresses before mention
ed, designating the necessary armament
for each fortress.
Several petitions of a private nature
were presented and referred; and,
At an early hour, the Senate went into
the consideration of Executive business,
and continued with closed doors until 3
o’clock; when
The Senate adjourned to Monday.
MONDAY, FEB. 3.
Mr. Southard gave notice that he
should to-morrow ask leave to introduce
a bill to punish frauds committed on the
Departments of the Government of the
United States.
Mr. Smith, of Md. submitted the fol
lowing resolution:
Resolved, That the Committee on
Finance he instructed to inquire into the
expediency of admitting the silver coins
of Mexico as a currency in the United
States at their true value.
THURSDAY, FEB. 6.
Mr. Brown, of Ohio, from the Com
mittee on Roads and Canals, reported a
bill supplemental to the act to authorise
the appointment of Commissioners to lay
out a road (a continuation of the Cum
berland Road) from the Ohio to the Mis
sissippi river. [This bill provides that
the road shall be laid out so as to pass
through Columbus, Indianapolis, and
Vandalia, the Seats of government of the
states of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois ; that
it shall be laid out in one year; that but
one Commissioner instead of three shall
be appointed to perform the duty; and
that a further sum of 6000 dollars shall
be appropriated for the object.] The
bill was read twice by general consent.
FRIDAY, FEB. 7.
Mr. Ruggles presented a petition simi
lar to that presented in the other House,
praying an outfit for an exploring party
to the Polar Regions.
The Senate took up the amendment of
fered to the Constitution by Mr. Taylor
of Va. and Mr. Dickerson’s substitute ;
when
Mr. Taylor delivered his views in sup
port of his own proposition, and in op
position to the substitute.
The subject was then postponed to
Tuesday.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
TUESDAY, JAN. 28.
The Speaker also laid before the
House a letter from the Governor of the
State of Maryland, enclosing, in obedi
ence to a resolution of the General As
sembly of the State of Maryland, a copy
of the report of the Commissioners ap
pointed by the Executives of Maryland
and Virginia, to survey the river Poto
mac ;which letter was read and commit
ted.
Mr. Cocke moved that the House re
solve itself into a committee of the whole
on the bill concerning Revolutionary
Pensions.
Mr, i rimble wisnea to know what
was the pressing necessity for taking up
this particular bill in preference to other
bills on the table.
Mr. Cocke explained that this bill
contemplates providing for those persons
whose applications to the War Depart
ment for Revolutionary Pensions were
rejected in consequence of the largeness
of their property, and who have since be
come poor indeed. The bill proposes to
authorize an examination into their
claims agreeably to the rules laid down
by law, and to do away the effect of an
opinion of the Attorney General (which
Mr. C. contended was contrary to the
actual laws) which determines that, when
a claim for a pension is once rejected, no
circumstance will justifya re-examination
of it. He added, that a bill on the sub
ject, precisely similar to this, passed this
House at the last session, by a large ma
jority. The 4th of March is the day of
semi-annual payment of pensions, and, if
the bill be not soon acted on, its effect
will be postponed for six months longer.
Mr. Trimble waived his objection to
taking up this bill; observing, however,
that, after giving way to so many other
subjects, the House would not be surpriz
ed if the friends.to the bill for the repair
of the Cumberland Road* should to -mo v
row press its consideration on the House,
The House then resolved itself into a
committee of the whole, Mr. Edwards,
of N. C. in the chair, on Mr. Cocke’s bill.
Several amendments werh proposed and
debated, and the House adjourned at half
past 4 o’clock.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 29.
Mr. Tod then again moved that the
House do go into a Committee of the
Whole House on the State of the Union,
with a vjew to take up the bill for the
more effectual protection of manufac
tures. The motion to go into Committee
of the Whole was agreed to; Mr. Tom
linson was called to the chair.
Mr. Stewart moved then to take up
the Cumberland EMfel Bill, which had
been referred to the sWf^e committee ; but,
upon suggestion of some persons feeling
an interest in that bill, Mr. S. withdrew
his motion.
On the question to take up the manu
factures' bilhj^se vote was 82 to 54.
So the biir^vas taken up; and the first
section having been read—
Mr. Cambreleng and.Mr. Cuthbert op
posed the bill, and Mr. Tod supported it.
A statement presented by Mr. Cambre
leng, to show that the bill was founded
upon erroneous principles, was ordered
to be printed ; and
The House adjourned.
THURSDAY, JAN.’ 30.
The engrossed “ bill supplementary to
the acts to provide for certain persons
engaged in the land and naval service of
the United States in the Revolutionary
War,” being now before the House for
its third reading—
The House then again resumed, in
Committee of the Whole, on the state of
the Union, the consideration of the unfin
ished business of yesterday, Mr. Tomlin
son in the Chair, being the bill for the
more effectual protection and encourage
ment of Domestic Manufactures.
The debate was continued.
FRIDAY,. JAN. 31.
A bill, from the Senate, for the erec
tion of a monument over the tomb of the
late El bridge Gerry, was twice read and
committed.
The House then again resolved itself
into a Committee of the Whole on the
State of the Union, Mr. Tomlinson in
the chair, on the bill providing for the
more effectual protection of domestic
manufactures, being the unfinished busi
ness of yesterday.
The debate was continued, but no deci
sion had upon the question, when
The House adjourned to Monday.,
MONDAY, FEB. 3.
A memorial was presented by Mr. Con
dict, of New Jersey, signed by many
respectable citizens of that state, shew
ing the injurious consequences resulting
from the importation of so great an
amount of foreign goods, by paralysing
the industry of the nation, and draining
the country of its precious metals, and
praying for an increase of duties upon
such articles as they believe can be fur
nished upon reasonable terms by our own
manufactures.
After some other remarks, Mr. C. ob
served “ whilst you tax the tea, the coffee,
the molasses, the sugar, and the salt, used
by every member of every jioor family,
you suffer the whiskey, the gin, and the
brandy of the country, in their desolating
progress, to blight its fairest prospects,
“ as with blasting and mildew.”—He
submitted the following motion :
u That so much of the New Jersey
Memorials, as relate to an additional du
ty upon imported liquors, and an excise
upon domestic spirits, be referred to the
Committee of Ways*' and Means, with
instructions to inquire and report on the
expediency of the measure.' And that
the residue of the said Memorial be re
ferred to a committee of the whole house
on the state of the Union.”
! Messrs. Floyd, Williams of N. C. and
Nelson of Maryland, made some observa
tions on the proper committee to refer it
to.
After a few remarks from Mr. Conclict,
against the reference now proposed, the
part of the memorial relating to duties
on domestic distilled spirits,was referred
to the Committee of the Whole House
on the State of the Union, 69 votes to 51.
The House by unanimous consent,
agreed to resume the bill to regulate the
collection of duties on imports and ton
nage, with the amendments proposed
thereto in committee of the whole.
The question was taken separately on
all the amendments; and one or two ad
ditional amendments were proposed and
discussed.
Finally, at a little before 3 o5clock, the
bill was ordered to be engrossed and
read a third time on Wednesday;, and
The House adjourned
TUESDAY, 1 ES5. 4.
Western Armory Proposed.
Mr. Brectenridge, of Kentucky, sub
mitted for consideration the following re
solution :
Resolved, That the committee on mi
litary affairs be instructed to report a bill
to establish a National Armory on the
Western waters.
The resolution having been read—
Mr. Breckenridge delivered his view's
on the subject, urging with much earnest
sess the-p^oprlec-v ■&*»<$• necessity of the
proposed measure.
Mr. Stewart, of Pa. also spoke in favor JjL
of the resolution. JK
The further discussion was dispensed^®
with, and the House proceeded to the or-^L
ders of the day. »
Mr. Stewart moved to take up the bill ;j>
for the repair of 'the Cumberland Road, >
in preference to the Manufactures Bill; ,
which the Blouse refused. The debate
was then resumed on the last mentioned
bill, which occupied the remainder of the 1
sitting. s
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 5.
The resolution yesterday moved by Mr, ]
Breckenridge,for Instructing the military ,
committee to report a bill to establish avr
Armory on the Western Waters, being
the subject in order—
Mr. Breckenridge rose and said that he 1
understood, since he moved this re s.o lu
tion yesterday, that a, bill had been re"
ported in the other branch of the Legis
lature, proposing the establishment of a
National Armory on the western waters.
For the present, therefore, he moved to I
lay the resolution on the table.
This motion was agreed to.
On motion of Mr. Tomlinson, it was
Kesolvea, L nat uie coiimiiufc uu nuu*
tary affairs be instructed to inquire into
the expediency of increasing the annual
appropriation for the purpose of provid
ing arms and military equipments for the
whole body of the militia of the United
States, either by purchaseor manufacture.
Mr. Campbell, of Ohio, offered the fol
lowing resolution :
Resolved,That a committee be appoint
ed to ascertain by whom the suppression
of the paragraph, in the letter of William
R. Dickinson, Cashier of the Bank of
Steubenville, to the Secretary of the Trea
sury, dated the 3d day of April, 1819, and
by him communicated to this House at
the last session, was caused, with h ve
to sit during the sessions, and with power
to send for persons and papers.
Mr. Campbell stated the reasons which
induced him to submit this proposition.
Mr. Ceok, in vindicating himself from
supposed imputations, did not oppose the
resolution, but concluded by moving the
following amendment to it :
“And that the said committee be in
structed to prepare and report to this
House a digest of the evidence, if any
such there be, shewing' whether uncur
rent or depreciated bank notes were taken
in lieu of cash, from any of the banks in
which the public moneys were deposited.
Whether the public moneys have not been
discontinued to be deposited in branches
of the United States’ Bank, and placed in
certain local banks, situated in the same
towns or neighborhood, without comply
ing with the directions of the law on that
subject; and whether such transfers have
not resulted in loss to the government;
whether the public money has not been
loaned to those banks in which standing
deposites were made, under.the name of
deposites ; and whether such loans or de
posites have not resulted in loss to the
government; whether security was not
neglected to be taken in some one or more
instances for the punctuality of one or
more banks, which proposed to give such
security, and whether such failure has
not resulted in loss to the government.”
Mr. Campbell accepted as a part of his
motion the amendment proposed by Mr,
Cook.
Mr. Gilmer delivered his sentiments at
considerable length, concluding by mov
ing the following amendment:
“ And to ascertain, if possible, whether
any member of this House, or confedera
cy of members, have made use of the pa
pers of this House, for the purpose of
making charges against any Department
of this Government, which that member,
or those members, know to be false.”
The debate on these propositions, was
animated, and continued till the hour of
adjournment.
1EUKSDAY, FEB. O.
The debate on the propositions not de
cided yesterday, was resumed
Mr. Gilmer withdrew his amendment
at the commencement of the debate, and
Mr. CamfibelVs j’esolution, as amended,
by Mr. Cook, was agreed to.
FRIDAY, FEB. 7.
On motion of Mr. Fuller, it was
Resolved, That the Committee on Na
val Affairs be instructed to inquire into
the expediency of reviving, for a limited1
time, the acts allowing pensions to the
widows, and orphan children of the offi
cers, seamen, and marines, in the public
and private armed ships of the United
States during the late war with Great.
Britain.
Mr. Fuller gave notice that he should,
on Monday next, ask to take up the bill
to fix the Naval Peace Establishment.
Mr. M'-Lane gave notice that he would
call up the General Appropriation Bill
on the same day.
The House then again, in committee of
the whole on the state of the Union, re
sumed the consideration of the bill for
the more effectual protection of domestiq
manufactures, Mr. Tomlinson, in the chair,
the pending motion being to strike from
the bill the enacting clause.
Mr. Fustis and Mr. Buchanan opposed
the motion to strike out the enacting
clauseand the House then adjpurned, •>