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Domestic News
December 31, 1822
Alexandria Gazette & Advertiser
Alexandria, Virginia
What is this article about?
Proceedings of the 17th U.S. Congress, 2nd Session, on December 27, 1822, in the Senate and House of Representatives. Petitions presented, bills reported and referred, resolutions on military pay, land districts, refugees, and road repairs debated and acted upon.
Merged-components note: Merged as continuation of the same congressional proceedings report across pages.
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Congress of the United States.
SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS—2D SESSION
FRIDAY, DEC. 27, 1822.
IN SENATE.
Amongst the petitions presented to-day, was one by Mr. Barbour, from a number of the citizens of the District of Columbia, praying an amendment to the laws of the District, so far as to give effect to the judgments rendered therein, in any state or territory: also by Mr. Barbour, a memorial of the President and Directors of the Fire Insurance Company of Alexandria, praying that the charter of the Mechanics Bank of Alexandria may not be renewed, except on certain conditions. These petitions were read and severally referred.
On motion of Mr. Lowrie, 1500 copies of the Annual Report of the Secretary of the Treasury were ordered to be printed for the use of the Senate.
Mr. Rodney laid on the table a proposition to amend the standing rules of the Senate so as to prohibit, after the present session, the introduction into the Senate, of any bill, except on the presentation of a petition from the person or persons interested therein, without the unanimous consent of the members present.
Mr. Van Dyke, from the committee on Public Lands, reported a bill for the relief of Daniel Seward: which was read.
Mr. Southard, from the committee on the Judiciary, reported without amendment, several bills, heretofore referred to that committee.
Mr. Johnson, of Louisiana, agreeable to notice, asked and obtained leave, and introduced a bill for the relief of John Buhler, which was read.
The engrossed bill for the relief of John Byers was read a third time, and then, on motion of Mr. Van Dyke, it was postponed to Monday next.
The resolution submitted on Tuesday by Mr. Holmes, of Maine, requesting of the President of the U. States certain information concerning the island of St. Domingo, was taken up and agreed to.
The bill allowing a drawback on the importation of cordage manufactured from foreign hemp was taken up, and after some discussion, of which some account hereafter will be given, was ordered to lie on the table.
The bills which passed the House of Representatives on Tuesday, and were brought up for concurrence, were severally read. The bill concerning the apportionment of representatives in Alabama, was read a second time by general consent.
The Senate then adjourned to Monday.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Mr. McLane, from the committee of Ways and Means, to whom was committed the bill from the Senate, for the relief of Walley & Foster, reported the same, without amendment: and it was referred to a committee of the whole.
Mr. McLane also reported, without amendment, the bill from the Senate for the relief of Jacob Babbit. On the proper mode of disposing of the latter bill, (which proposes to remit the interest on certain duties payable on goods destroyed by the violent storm at Providence, in the year 1815,) there arose some debate. Mr. Cocke and Mr. Walworth wished it referred to a committee of the whole. Mr. McLane wished it to go at once to a third reading; which course he supported by an argument shewing the equity of the bill. Mr. Durfee seconded the motion of Mr. McLane, by a number of remarks, shewing the reasonableness of the bill, and its conformity to the general principles of our revenue laws. Mr. Tomlinson wished it to go to a committee for discussion of the bill, which contained a new principle, never recognized as a general rule, and but once even as exception to the general rule, (in the case of the remission of duties on foreign goods destroyed by the fire at Savannah). In the end, the bill was, on motion of Mr. Cocke, referred to a Committee of the whole.
On motion of Mr. McLane, it was ordered that the Speaker do appoint a member on the committee of Ways and Means, in the place of Mr. Smith, who is elected to the Senate.
Mr. Cocke reported a bill "supplementary to the act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States, in the Revolutionary war " which bill was twice read and committed.
On motion of Mr. Williams, of N. C. it was
Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be instructed to inquire into the expediency of allowing to the officers of the army a salary, or stated sum of money per year, instead of pay and emoluments, as now allowed by law.
On motion of Mr. Sibley, it was
Resolved, That the Committee on Public Lands be instructed to inquire into the expediency of authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to locate in tracts, of not less than two entire sections each, in any part of the territory of Michigan where the public lands shall have been surveyed entire township of quantity six miles of square land which was reserved and granted to the territory of Michigan for the use of a seminary of learning by the act of Congress of 26th May 1804 also to inquire into the expediency of providing by law for the leasing of said reserved lands in each township when located in said territory as well as the for the use of schools and the protection of the same against waste and injury, by trespass or otherwise.
Resolved, That the Committee on Public Lands be instructed to inquire into the expediency of erecting a new Land District in territory of Michigan to embrace the lands lying in the Saginaw county of Lake Huron, to which the Indian title has been extinguished.
On Motion of Mr. M'Coy, it was
Resolved, That the Committee of Claims be instructed to report a bill, in addition to the act for the prompt settlement of public accounts, and for the punishment of the crime of perjury.
Mr. M'Coy stated his object to be, to get before the House again a bill which was before Congress at a former session, but was not acted upon for want of time.
On motion of Mr. Rogers, it was
Resolved, That the Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads be instructed to inquire into the expediency of establishing a post route from Milford, Wayne County, Pennsylvania, to Mount Pleasant, by Fitzsimons, Lackawaxen, and Bethany, in said county.
Revolutionary Canadian Refugees.
Mr. Walworth submitted for consideration the following resolution:
Resolved, That the Committee on Revisal and Unfinished Business, be instructed to inquire into the expediency of reviving and continuing in force, for a further time, the acts of the 7th of April, 1798, and of the 24th of February, 1810, which provide for the relief of the refugees from the British Provinces of Canada and Nova Scotia, agreeably to the resolutions of Congress, of the 23d of April, 1783, and the 13th of April, 1785.
Some opposition appearing to this resolution—
Mr. Walworth stated the object of it. In the year 1783, the Old Congress, by resolution, promised to make provision for those persons who were obliged to take refuge in the United States during the war of the Revolution. In 1785, this pledge was renewed in the same manner. Nothing was done towards the redemption of these pledges until the year 1798, when a law passed for their relief, the duration of which was limited to two years. In consequence of the shortness of the limitation a great many of those who were entitled to relief did not obtain it. In 1810 the law was revived for another short term of time, and then suffered to expire, before some of these persons had ascertained that such a law had ever passed. He wished this law to be now revived, that three or four of his constituents, who had no knowledge of the law whilst it was in force might now obtain the benefit of it. Mr. W. said, he could not see any just reason why the United States should establish a statute of limitations in bar of equitable claims against the government. He himself knew one person who was driven from his home during the Revolution, and sacrificed an immense property, who was now in his seventieth year pining in want. It was for the relief of such objects as this that he wanted the bill passed.
Mr. Bassett suggested that, if the cases were so few, it would be much better to act upon them individually, instead of passing any general law upon the subject. He was not an advocate for an act of limitation further than it was necessary to guard the government against impositions, but limitation to claims seemed in that point of view to be necessary.
Mr. Walworth said, he could not undertake to say how many cases there were in other parts of the United States. It was not on the individual case that he spoke of. Whether there were one, two, twenty or two hundred cases, it was the duty of the government to provide for them. This law would moreover, grant nothing to the claimants, but merely authorise them to bring forward their claims for Congress to pass upon.
Mr. Vance said the land set apart for the location of land warrants in the case of the Canadian refugees, was patented under the former law, the government had ordered the whole of the remainder of the land to be surveyed and sold. The titles to the lands thus sold and now highly improved, ought not to be disturbed, or in any manner affected by reviving the obsolete law which set apart that land for a particular purpose.
The question was then taken on agreeing to Mr. Walworth's resolution, and decided in the negative—59 to 45.
Mr. Nelson, of Md. presented the following resolutions of the Legislature of Maryland:
By the House of Delegates, Dec. 13th, 1822.
Whereas, the great National Road leading from Cumberland, in the state of Maryland, through Wheeling to the Ohio river... from Cumberland to Wheeling which is of such incalculable advantage in facilitating the intercourse between the Atlantic and Western expense, has already suffered from the want of that regular superintendence, and of those repairs, which are necessary to the preservation of such a work, Therefore,
Resolved, by the General Assembly of Maryland, of this State, in Congress, be requested to use their best exertions to procure the immediate passage of a law, by Congress, making a sufficient appropriation repair the great National Road leading from Cumberland to Wheeling.
Resolved, That the Governor be, and he is hereby requested cause copy this resolution to be transmitted to each of the Senators and Representatives of this state in Congress.
By order:
JOHN BREWER.
The resolutions were read and referred to the committee to whom the subject is referred.
The Speaker presented a letter addressed to him by Edwin Lewis, of the State of Alabama, making certain charges against the Hon Charles Tait, Judge of the United States for that District.
Mr. Moore, of Ala. moved to refer the letter and documents to the Judiciary committee.
On this motion, a desultory but not long debate ensued which ended in the papers being sent to the Judiciary committee, with instruction to examine them, and report their opinion on them,
The necessity of leaving room for new advertisements obliges us to defer to our next a report of that part of this day's proceedings.
The bill from the Senate for the relief of the legal representatives of Alexander Montgomery, deceased, was twice read and committed.
And the House adjourned to Monday.
SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS—2D SESSION
FRIDAY, DEC. 27, 1822.
IN SENATE.
Amongst the petitions presented to-day, was one by Mr. Barbour, from a number of the citizens of the District of Columbia, praying an amendment to the laws of the District, so far as to give effect to the judgments rendered therein, in any state or territory: also by Mr. Barbour, a memorial of the President and Directors of the Fire Insurance Company of Alexandria, praying that the charter of the Mechanics Bank of Alexandria may not be renewed, except on certain conditions. These petitions were read and severally referred.
On motion of Mr. Lowrie, 1500 copies of the Annual Report of the Secretary of the Treasury were ordered to be printed for the use of the Senate.
Mr. Rodney laid on the table a proposition to amend the standing rules of the Senate so as to prohibit, after the present session, the introduction into the Senate, of any bill, except on the presentation of a petition from the person or persons interested therein, without the unanimous consent of the members present.
Mr. Van Dyke, from the committee on Public Lands, reported a bill for the relief of Daniel Seward: which was read.
Mr. Southard, from the committee on the Judiciary, reported without amendment, several bills, heretofore referred to that committee.
Mr. Johnson, of Louisiana, agreeable to notice, asked and obtained leave, and introduced a bill for the relief of John Buhler, which was read.
The engrossed bill for the relief of John Byers was read a third time, and then, on motion of Mr. Van Dyke, it was postponed to Monday next.
The resolution submitted on Tuesday by Mr. Holmes, of Maine, requesting of the President of the U. States certain information concerning the island of St. Domingo, was taken up and agreed to.
The bill allowing a drawback on the importation of cordage manufactured from foreign hemp was taken up, and after some discussion, of which some account hereafter will be given, was ordered to lie on the table.
The bills which passed the House of Representatives on Tuesday, and were brought up for concurrence, were severally read. The bill concerning the apportionment of representatives in Alabama, was read a second time by general consent.
The Senate then adjourned to Monday.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Mr. McLane, from the committee of Ways and Means, to whom was committed the bill from the Senate, for the relief of Walley & Foster, reported the same, without amendment: and it was referred to a committee of the whole.
Mr. McLane also reported, without amendment, the bill from the Senate for the relief of Jacob Babbit. On the proper mode of disposing of the latter bill, (which proposes to remit the interest on certain duties payable on goods destroyed by the violent storm at Providence, in the year 1815,) there arose some debate. Mr. Cocke and Mr. Walworth wished it referred to a committee of the whole. Mr. McLane wished it to go at once to a third reading; which course he supported by an argument shewing the equity of the bill. Mr. Durfee seconded the motion of Mr. McLane, by a number of remarks, shewing the reasonableness of the bill, and its conformity to the general principles of our revenue laws. Mr. Tomlinson wished it to go to a committee for discussion of the bill, which contained a new principle, never recognized as a general rule, and but once even as exception to the general rule, (in the case of the remission of duties on foreign goods destroyed by the fire at Savannah). In the end, the bill was, on motion of Mr. Cocke, referred to a Committee of the whole.
On motion of Mr. McLane, it was ordered that the Speaker do appoint a member on the committee of Ways and Means, in the place of Mr. Smith, who is elected to the Senate.
Mr. Cocke reported a bill "supplementary to the act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States, in the Revolutionary war " which bill was twice read and committed.
On motion of Mr. Williams, of N. C. it was
Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be instructed to inquire into the expediency of allowing to the officers of the army a salary, or stated sum of money per year, instead of pay and emoluments, as now allowed by law.
On motion of Mr. Sibley, it was
Resolved, That the Committee on Public Lands be instructed to inquire into the expediency of authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to locate in tracts, of not less than two entire sections each, in any part of the territory of Michigan where the public lands shall have been surveyed entire township of quantity six miles of square land which was reserved and granted to the territory of Michigan for the use of a seminary of learning by the act of Congress of 26th May 1804 also to inquire into the expediency of providing by law for the leasing of said reserved lands in each township when located in said territory as well as the for the use of schools and the protection of the same against waste and injury, by trespass or otherwise.
Resolved, That the Committee on Public Lands be instructed to inquire into the expediency of erecting a new Land District in territory of Michigan to embrace the lands lying in the Saginaw county of Lake Huron, to which the Indian title has been extinguished.
On Motion of Mr. M'Coy, it was
Resolved, That the Committee of Claims be instructed to report a bill, in addition to the act for the prompt settlement of public accounts, and for the punishment of the crime of perjury.
Mr. M'Coy stated his object to be, to get before the House again a bill which was before Congress at a former session, but was not acted upon for want of time.
On motion of Mr. Rogers, it was
Resolved, That the Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads be instructed to inquire into the expediency of establishing a post route from Milford, Wayne County, Pennsylvania, to Mount Pleasant, by Fitzsimons, Lackawaxen, and Bethany, in said county.
Revolutionary Canadian Refugees.
Mr. Walworth submitted for consideration the following resolution:
Resolved, That the Committee on Revisal and Unfinished Business, be instructed to inquire into the expediency of reviving and continuing in force, for a further time, the acts of the 7th of April, 1798, and of the 24th of February, 1810, which provide for the relief of the refugees from the British Provinces of Canada and Nova Scotia, agreeably to the resolutions of Congress, of the 23d of April, 1783, and the 13th of April, 1785.
Some opposition appearing to this resolution—
Mr. Walworth stated the object of it. In the year 1783, the Old Congress, by resolution, promised to make provision for those persons who were obliged to take refuge in the United States during the war of the Revolution. In 1785, this pledge was renewed in the same manner. Nothing was done towards the redemption of these pledges until the year 1798, when a law passed for their relief, the duration of which was limited to two years. In consequence of the shortness of the limitation a great many of those who were entitled to relief did not obtain it. In 1810 the law was revived for another short term of time, and then suffered to expire, before some of these persons had ascertained that such a law had ever passed. He wished this law to be now revived, that three or four of his constituents, who had no knowledge of the law whilst it was in force might now obtain the benefit of it. Mr. W. said, he could not see any just reason why the United States should establish a statute of limitations in bar of equitable claims against the government. He himself knew one person who was driven from his home during the Revolution, and sacrificed an immense property, who was now in his seventieth year pining in want. It was for the relief of such objects as this that he wanted the bill passed.
Mr. Bassett suggested that, if the cases were so few, it would be much better to act upon them individually, instead of passing any general law upon the subject. He was not an advocate for an act of limitation further than it was necessary to guard the government against impositions, but limitation to claims seemed in that point of view to be necessary.
Mr. Walworth said, he could not undertake to say how many cases there were in other parts of the United States. It was not on the individual case that he spoke of. Whether there were one, two, twenty or two hundred cases, it was the duty of the government to provide for them. This law would moreover, grant nothing to the claimants, but merely authorise them to bring forward their claims for Congress to pass upon.
Mr. Vance said the land set apart for the location of land warrants in the case of the Canadian refugees, was patented under the former law, the government had ordered the whole of the remainder of the land to be surveyed and sold. The titles to the lands thus sold and now highly improved, ought not to be disturbed, or in any manner affected by reviving the obsolete law which set apart that land for a particular purpose.
The question was then taken on agreeing to Mr. Walworth's resolution, and decided in the negative—59 to 45.
Mr. Nelson, of Md. presented the following resolutions of the Legislature of Maryland:
By the House of Delegates, Dec. 13th, 1822.
Whereas, the great National Road leading from Cumberland, in the state of Maryland, through Wheeling to the Ohio river... from Cumberland to Wheeling which is of such incalculable advantage in facilitating the intercourse between the Atlantic and Western expense, has already suffered from the want of that regular superintendence, and of those repairs, which are necessary to the preservation of such a work, Therefore,
Resolved, by the General Assembly of Maryland, of this State, in Congress, be requested to use their best exertions to procure the immediate passage of a law, by Congress, making a sufficient appropriation repair the great National Road leading from Cumberland to Wheeling.
Resolved, That the Governor be, and he is hereby requested cause copy this resolution to be transmitted to each of the Senators and Representatives of this state in Congress.
By order:
JOHN BREWER.
The resolutions were read and referred to the committee to whom the subject is referred.
The Speaker presented a letter addressed to him by Edwin Lewis, of the State of Alabama, making certain charges against the Hon Charles Tait, Judge of the United States for that District.
Mr. Moore, of Ala. moved to refer the letter and documents to the Judiciary committee.
On this motion, a desultory but not long debate ensued which ended in the papers being sent to the Judiciary committee, with instruction to examine them, and report their opinion on them,
The necessity of leaving room for new advertisements obliges us to defer to our next a report of that part of this day's proceedings.
The bill from the Senate for the relief of the legal representatives of Alexander Montgomery, deceased, was twice read and committed.
And the House adjourned to Monday.
What sub-type of article is it?
Politics
What keywords are associated?
Congress Proceedings
Senate Bills
House Resolutions
Canadian Refugees
National Road
Michigan Lands
Judiciary Committee
What entities or persons were involved?
Mr. Barbour
Mr. Lowrie
Mr. Rodney
Mr. Van Dyke
Mr. Southard
Mr. Johnson Of Louisiana
Mr. Holmes Of Maine
Mr. Mclane
Mr. Cocke
Mr. Walworth
Mr. Durfee
Mr. Tomlinson
Mr. Williams Of N. C.
Mr. Sibley
Mr. M'coy
Mr. Rogers
Mr. Bassett
Mr. Vance
Mr. Nelson Of Md.
Edwin Lewis
Charles Tait
Where did it happen?
Washington
Domestic News Details
Primary Location
Washington
Event Date
Friday, Dec. 27, 1822
Key Persons
Mr. Barbour
Mr. Lowrie
Mr. Rodney
Mr. Van Dyke
Mr. Southard
Mr. Johnson Of Louisiana
Mr. Holmes Of Maine
Mr. Mclane
Mr. Cocke
Mr. Walworth
Mr. Durfee
Mr. Tomlinson
Mr. Williams Of N. C.
Mr. Sibley
Mr. M'coy
Mr. Rogers
Mr. Bassett
Mr. Vance
Mr. Nelson Of Md.
Edwin Lewis
Charles Tait
Outcome
various bills reported, referred, or postponed; resolutions agreed to or rejected, including defeat of refugee relief revival (59-45); maryland resolutions on national road repairs referred; charges against judge tait sent to judiciary committee.
Event Details
The Senate presented petitions from District of Columbia citizens and Alexandria Fire Insurance Company, ordered printing of Treasury report, proposed rule amendments, reported bills for relief of individuals, postponed a bill, agreed to resolution on St. Domingo information, tabled cordage drawback bill, and read House bills. The House reported Senate bills without amendment, debated referral of storm relief bill, appointed committee member, reported Revolutionary war supplementary bill, passed resolutions instructing committees on military salaries, Michigan land locations and districts, claims settlement, post route, and Canadian refugee relief (defeated), presented Maryland resolutions on National Road repairs, and referred charges against Alabama judge.