Kentucky Gazette

CONGRESS.

Col. R. M. Johnson and George Robertson Esq. have returned home from Washington City since the close of the 16th Congress—We learn from those who conversed with the latter gentleman, who passed through this place on Tuesday last, that MISSOURI HAS BEEN ADMITTED into the union upon the conditions contained in the report of the joint Committee published in this day's paper. A Law granting relief to purchasers of public Lands has passed Congress. The Army is to be reduced to about 6,000. The President is authorised to take possession of the Floridas, and to form a temporary Government—The treaty with Spain stipulates for the transportation of the Spanish troops from Florida in American vessels, arrangements for this duty and the occupation of the country, may take up our time until July or August. The Missouri question prevented the passage of the Bankrupt and many other important laws. We do not mean to include the industrious faithful representative in our remarks, but we are compelled to believe no people were ever worse served than we are by those we have nicknamed our representatives. Mr. Niles says in his Weekly Register, that he has warned the people a thousand times to attend to those they have appointed to manage the affairs of the nation. If Congress continues to waste public money in useless debates, and the people are patient as usual, the national representation may be considered worthy of such a people. In all countries the people are to blame in the first instance for the abuse of power by those in office. If, by one fell sweep in 1812, congress could take millions from the pockets of the people, and bestow it on a few importing merchants, without exciting universal indignation, there is little hope that such a people will feel the annual wrongs inflicted by the same body in the waste of time and neglect of the real interests of the nation.

FEBRUARY 26.

Mr. Smith, of Md. from the committee of ways and means, reported a bill to authorize the president, of the United States to borrow a sum not exceeding 4,500,000 dollars; which was twice read and committed.

Mr. Clay, from the joint committee appointed on the Missouri subject, reported the following resolution:

Resolved by the Senate and House, Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That Missouri shall be admitted into the Union on an equal footing with the original states in all respects whatever, upon the fundamental condition, that the fourth clause of the twenty sixth section of the third article of the constitution submitted on the part of said state to congress shall never be construed to authorize the passage of any law, and that no law shall be passed in conformity thereto, by which any citizen of either of the states in this Union, shall be excluded from the enjoyment of any of the privileges and immunities to which such citizen is entitled under the constitution of the United States: Provided, That the legislature of the said state, by a solemn public act shall declare the assent of the said state to the said fundamental condition, and shall transmit to the president of the United States, on or before the fourth Monday in November next, an authenticated copy of the said act; upon the receipt whereof the president, by proclamation shall announce the fact: whereupon, and without any further proceeding on the part of congress, the admission of the said state into this Union shall be considered as complete.

The said resolution was twice read. and ordered to lie on the table, on motion of Mr. Clay, with the avowed intention of calling for its consideration in the course of this day.

The house then took up the resolution as above reported by the joint committee on the Missouri subject,

Mr. Clay briefly explained the views of the committee, and the consideration which induced them to report the resolution. He considered this resolution as being the same in effect as that which had been previously reported by the former committee of thirteen members: and stated that the committee on the part of the senate was unanimous, and that on the part of this house nearly so, in favor of this resolution.

Mr. Adams, of Massachusetts, delivered his objections to the resolution, on the ground of the defect of power in the congress of the United States to authorize or require the Legislature of a state, once admitted into the Union, to do the act proposed by this resolution to be demanded of the Legislature of Missouri.

Mr. Brown, of Kentucky, replied to the arguments of Mr. Adams, and defended the resolution from the objections set up against it. He earnestly invited the house to support the resolution, and thus to end the distracting and painful controversy respecting Missouri.

Mr. Adams spoke in explanation.

Mr. Allen, of Massachusetts, next obtained the floor, and delivered his sentiments with much earnestness, and pretty much at large, in opposition to the resolution, on the ground as well of its terms, as of hostility to the toleration of slavery in any shape, or under pretence, by the legislation of Congress.

During the progress of this speech,

Mr. Allen was called to order by Mr. Trimble, because discussing not the question before the House but a question decided at the last session. The speaker, however, overruled this objection.

Mr. Allen concluded by moving to amend the resolution by striking out the word citizen, wherever it occurs in the resolution, as above printed, and to insert in lieu thereof "free negro or mulatto"

Mr. R. Moore, of Penn. then required the Previous Question, believing that this subject had been so long debated, as to require that it be decided, in one way or another, without further consumption of the time of the House.

Ninety five members having risen to second this motion, and the yeas and nays having been required thereon by Mr. Randolph—

The question was stated in the following form: "Shall the main question now be put?" and was decided as follows.

For previous question 109, against it 50.

The main question was then accordingly put, viz: "Shall the resolution be engrossed and read a third time?" and decided as follows: ayes 86, nays 82.

The resolution was then ordered to lie over to be read a third time this day, but not without considerable opposition.

The resolution was accordingly read third time, and put on its passage

The final question was then taken on the resolution, and decided in the affirmative, as follows:

YEAS—Messrs. Abbot, Alexander, Allen, Tenn. Anderson, Archer, Md. Archer, Va. Baldwin, Ball, Barbour, Bateman, Bayly. Blackledge, Bloomfield, Brevard, Brown, Bryan, Butler, Lou. Cannon, Clark, Clay, Cobb. Cocke, Crawford, Crowell, Culbreth, Culpeper, Culhbert, Davidson, Baldwin, Edwards, C. Fisher, Floyd, Ford, Gray, Guyon, Hack. ley, Hall, N. C. Hardin, Mills, Hooks, Jackson, Jones, Va. Jones, Tenn. Little, McCoy, Mc Creary, McLean, of Ken. Meigs, Mercer, Metcalf, Montgomery, S. Moore, I. L. Moore, Neale, Nelson, Va. Newton, Overstreet, Pinckney, Rankin, Reid, Rhea, Ringgold, Robertson, Rogers, Sawyer, Settle, Shaw, Simkins, Smith, N. J. Smith, Md. A. Smyth, Va. Smith, N. C. Southard, Stevens, Storrs, Weartingen, Terril, Trimble, Tucker, Va. Tucker, S. C. Tyler, Udree, Walker, Warfield, Williams, Va. Williams, N. C.—87

NAYS—Messrs. Adams, Allen, Mass. Allen, N. Y. Baker, Beecher, Borden, Brush, Buffum, Butler, N. H. Campbell, Case, Claggett, Cook. Cushman, Dane, Darlington, Dennison, Dewitt, Dickinson, Edwards, Conn. Edwards, Pa. Eustis, Fay, Folger, Foot, Forrest, Fuller, Gorham, Gross, N. Y. Gross, Pa. Hall, N. Y. Hemphill, Hendricks, Herrick, Hibshman, Hoar, Hostetter, Kendall, Kingsley, Lathrop, Lincoln, Lisemore, Maclay, McCullough, H. Mallary, Marchand, Meech, Moore, R. Moore, Norton, Mosely, Murray, Nelson, Mass. Parker, Mass. Patterson, Phelps, Philson, Pitcher, Plumer, Randolph, Rich, Richards, Richmond, Ross, Rus sell, Sergeant, Silsbee, Sloan, Street, Strong, Vt. Strong, N. Y. Tallmadge, Tomlinson, Tracy, Upham, Van Rensselaer, Wallace, Wendover, Whitman, Wood—81.

So the resolution was passed, and ordered to be sent to the senate for concurrence. And the house adjourned.