willing to bow down their servile necks, and elevate the Mr. Speaker, the whole of a short session is not suffi. chosen servant of their imperial master. Has it come cient to investigate Reuben's concerns alone; the whole to this: that, in the lapse of little more than half a cen. of a long session, the whole time for which a Congress tury, they who resisted oppression and corruption, and is elected, would not be time enough to call up all the their descendants, have sunk into a degradation too vile witnesses from the extreme borders of this immense refor slaves! Are gentlemen willing to allow this high public to testify against your Government--witnesses coloring to remain upon our national character? Is not that I know can be brought up to testify against you— something due to the people themselves, to the cause of witnesses who can change inquiries into specifications, liberal principles? I will not believe that they for and can change your notes of triumph and your strains of shom this Government was formed, and by whom it is eulogy into humble notes of shame and looks of confusustained, are withdrawing their guardianship. I will sion. not believe them. He who has been intrusted with the Sir, I will say, for one, to the gentleman from New chief management of their public affairs will not be de. York, (Mr. VANDERPOEL,] that it is too late to grant the serted by them so long as he relies with confidepçe on investigation proposed by this resolution. It is now the their intelligence, and makes the cynosure of his public 17th day of January, and more than one half of the sesconduct the welfare of the whole confederacy. In this sion is gone, necessarily terminating on the 4th of March. will be found a rule which cannot but lead to success. It is too late for any investigation. If any good can be In this a position perfectly impregnable to any assault. done by it, if any clews can be afforded to the corrup

Mr. JENIFER spoke at great length in favor of the tions of the Government, they must be afforded by the original resolution, and in reply to the remarks here indulgence of the freedom of debate on this floor. Will tofore made by Mr. HAMER.

you refuse that indulgence? Will you require that all Mr. VANDERPOEL said he took it for granted that our lips should be hermetically sealed, now that this those gentlemen who had made speeches in favor of the farce of an investigation bas been gotten up! You have appointment of this committee, and those who proposed given us one committee that has no power to investigate it, were in earnest, and were desirous to have it done abuses. All questions of corruption or no corruption are immediately, in order that the work of investigation limited and bound down to facis that were already notomight go on, and something effectual might be done be- rious. Yet that investigation alone will take all our time. fore the termination of the session.

How can I or my friend from Tennessee (Mr. Peyton] We shall talk (said Mr. V.) to the end of the session, attend to boh these committees? We are held up as and then, what would those who originated the resolu: persecutors; we are no persecutors, but we are placed tion say. They would say, you made your long speech- in this odious light in relation to these charges against es to the end of the session, and we had no time allowed the Government. If gentlemen intend to hold us reus. For the purpose of obviating these objections, and sponsible for a failure, give us time, means, and opporin order to give io the friends of this investigation the tunity, and do not drive us into the space of a moment, broadest power that they could wish, and also for the and contract us into the compass of a nut-shell. Bind a purpose of doing justice to the administration party, and man hand and foot, and then tell him to arise and walk! of saving them from the imputation that would rest upon Tie bim fast with your power, and then tell him to war them if this inquiry were not allowed, he would move against a giant! is this your justice? It is your justice! the previous question.

Heaven defend me from such justice! Heaven defend After some little conversation between Mr. WISE the country from such guardians as these! Sir, I have and Mr. VANDERPOEL, the latter gentleman withdrew witnessed enough within the last twenty-four hours to his motion, on the pledge of the former that he would make me feel that the country has no guardians. renew it.

I now renew the me made by the gentleman from Mr. WISE then said that the parliamentary practice had New York for the previous question. been that the gentleman who had offered a resolution, And the House seconded the call: Yeas 94, nays 51. and opened a debate, should be indulged in replying to Mr. MORGAN calle:) for the yeas and nays on the Dembers who had opposed it, and in concluding the de question of taking the main question; which were orderbate. He had intended to avail himself of this indul.ed, and, being taken, were: Yeas 121, nays 52. gence, but now the previous question was forced upon So the House determined that the main question the House. Now, it appeared, gentlemen seemed dis- should now he put. posed to pass the resolution; to pass it, in order to save Mr. HUNTSMAN asked for the yeas and nays on the the administration party from the imputation of delaying main question; which were ordered. action on the resolution by debate. He would ask, how- And the main question, being on concurring with the erer, and he would thank gentlemen to answer him, Committee of the whole on the state of the Union, on whether they could now relieve themselves from this the original resolution of Mr. Wise, reported therefrom, olious imputation-an imputation which they deserve. I was taken, and decided in the affirmative: Yeas 165, tell you and the country (said Mr. W.) that I have been nays 9, as follows: asking for this investigation for nearly two years. And YEAS-Messrs. Adams, Chilton Allan, Heman Allen, bor far are we now from the end of the session? Within Anthony, Ashley, Bailey, Bean, Black, Bond, Bouldin, six reeks of the end, with all our other duties to attend Bovee, Boyd, Briggs, Brown, Buchanan, Bunch, Burns, e, and we are told that this is a sufficient space of time to Bynum, John Calhoon, William B. Calhoun, Cambrel. . investigate the huge, the mammoth operations of this cor- eng, Carr, Carter, Casey, John Chambers, Chaney, rupt and profiigate administration. Six weeks, sir. I have Chapman, Nathaniel H. Claiborne, Jobn F. H. Claibeen detained two weeks at home, detained by the state borne, Clark, Connor, Corwin, Craig, Crane, Cushing, af the weather, and I find, on my return, that the ad- Darlinglon, Davis, Dawson, Deberry, Denny, Doubleministration has already carried out their own work for day, Dunlap, Elmore, Evans, Farlin, Fvrester, Fowler, The, by which I am detained from ten until nearly mid- French, Fry, James Garland, Gholson, Glascock, Gra. Light in wading through one branch of this investigation. ham, Granger, Granıland, Graves, Grayson, Grennell,

Gentlemen now propose to give me this Herculean Griffin, Haley, Joseph Hall, Hamer, Hannegan, Hardin, sk. Gentlemen, it is like all your candor, all your Samuel S. Harrison, Hawkins, Daynes, Hazelline, plans, and all your honesty. Make the most of it. Go, Hjester, lloar, Holsey, Holt, Hopkins, Howard, Howwith a blush on your checks, without shame or confu- ell, Hubley, lluntington, Huntsman, Ingersoll, Ingham, on, before the people, and tell them this!

Janes, Jarvis, Jenifer, J. Johnson, R. M. Johnson, C. VOL. XIII.-89

等

H. OF R.)

Abolition of Slavery--Crimes in the District of Columbia, &c.

(Jan. 18, 1837.

1

Johnson, H. Johnson, J. W. Jones, Benjamin Jones, l just taken, he was desirous of having the yeas and nays
Klingensmith, Lane, Laporte, Lawler, Lawrence, Lay, on the main question. He therefore asked for them,
Joshua Lee, Luke Lea, Leonard, Lewis, Lincoln, and they were ordered by the House; and the main
Logan, Loyall, Lucas, Lyon, Abijah Mann, Job Mann, question, being on the adoption of the resolution, was
Martin, Samson Mason, Maury, McCarty, McComas taken, and decided in the affirmative: Yeas 129,
McKay, McKennan, McKim, McLene, Mercer, Milo nays 69.
ligan, Montgomery, Moore, Morgan, Owens, Page, So the resolution was adopted.
Parker, Patterson, Patton, Pearson, Pettigrew, Peyton,
Phillips, Pickens, Pinckney, Potts, Reed, Rencher, John

CRIMES IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. Reynolds, Richardson, Robertson, Rogers, Russell, Au

The following message, in writing, was received from gustine H. Shepperd, Shields, Shinn, Sickles, Slade,

the President of the United States, by the hands of his Spangler, Standefer, Storer, Taliaferro, Thomas, John private secretary, ANDREW JACKSON, Esq. Thomson, Toucey, Turner, Underwood, Vanderpoel, To the Speaker of the House of Representatives: Vinton, Ward, Washington, Webster, Weeks, Elisba Sir: I hereby transmit to the House of RepresentaWhittlesey, Thomas T. Whittlesey, Lewis Williams, tives tertain communications from the Secretary of the Wise, Yell, Young-165.

Treasury and the Attorney of the United States for the Nays --Messrs. Ash, Cushman, Fuller, Lansing, Parks, District of Columbia. Schenck, Taylor, Turrill, Wardwell-9.

They relate to the difficulties which bave been inler. So the resolution was adopted.

posed, under the existing laws, in bringing to conviction The House then adjourned.

and punishment the supposed incendiaries of the Treas.

ury buildings in the year 1833. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18.

The peculiar circumstances of this case, so long con

cealed, and of the flagrant frauds by persons disconnect. ABOLITION OF SLAVERY.

ed with the Government, which were still longer conMr. HAWES submitted the following resolution:

cealed, and to screen some of which forever was prob. Resolved, That all petitions, memorials, resolutions, ably a principal inducement to the burning of the buildpropositions, or papers, relating in any way, or to any lings, lead me earnestly to recommend a revision of the extent whatever, to the subject of slavery, or the abo. Jaws on this subject. I do this with a wish not only to lition of slavery, shall, without being either printed or render the punishment hereafter more severe for the referred, be laid upon the table, and that no action wanton destruction of the public property, but to repeal wbatever shall be had thereon.

entirely the statute of limitation in all criminal cases exMr. H. said he thought it was time that the House cept small misdemeanors, and in no event 10 allow a should adopt a resolution of this character, with a view parly to avail himself of its benefits during the period the to put an end to discussions which had occupied so much

commission of the crime was kept concealed, or the of its time on the subject of abolition of slavery. He persons on trial were not suspected of having perpetrated wished to have no debate; he thought there had already the offence. been enough. To test the sense of the House, he called It must be manifest to Congress that the exposed state for the previous question on the resolution.

of the public records here, without fire-proof buildings, Mr. E. WHITĪLESEY objected to the reception of imperatively requires the most ample remedies for their the resolution.

protection, and the greatest vigilance and fidelity in all The SPEAKER said the State of Kentucky had been officers, whether executive or judicial, in bringing to called in its regular order for resolutions, and the mo. condign punishment the real offenders. tion of the gentleman from Ouio could not therefore be Without these, the public property is in that deploentertained.

rable situation which depends quite as much on accident Mr. ADAMS objected to the consideration of the reso

and good fortune as the laws for safety. lution at this time.

ANDREW JACKSON. Some desultory conversation ensued on the point of

JANUARY 17, 1837. order, in which Messrs. ADAMS and MERCER partici.

Letter to the Secretary of the Treasury. pated, when the Speaker decided that the question " Shall the resolution be now considered.?" should be

WAShington, December 27, 1836. first entertained.

Sir: According to the request in your letter of this Mr: PHILLIPS called for the yeas and nays on the day, I enclose a copy of the instructions given by the question of consideralion; which were ordered, and

court to the jury, on the act of 1790, on the trial of

Richard H. White. were: Yeas 115, nays 57. So the House determined that the resolution should be

I understand that the only juror who held out for ac. now considered.

quitting the prisoner was satisfied of his guilt, but reMr. HAWEs inquired if his motion for the previous fused to find him guilty on the ground of this instruction question was now in order.

as to the limitations. It is certainly highly necessary

that the law should be so amended as to prevent the bar The SPEAKER said he supposed that motion stood first in order, but the gentleman could renew it.

of the statute from operating in cases where the proper Mr. HAWES thereupon renewed his call for the pre- due diligence have known, by whom the offences were

officers of Government did not know, and could not by vious question. And the House seconded the call: Yeas 104, nays 42.

committed. One or two cases similar to the present Mr. EVANS called for the yeas and nays on the ques

have occurred heretofore in the circuit couri, in which

this defence has been sustained. tion of taking the main question; which were ordered. Mr. ROBERTSON moved a call of the House; which

Very respectfully, your obedient servant, motion was lost.

F. S. KEY, U. S. Atl'y D. C. And the question on faking the main question was

The message, having been read, was, on motion of Mr. then put, and decided in the affirmative: Yeas 127, THOMAS, referred, with the accompanying documents,

to the Committee on the Judiciary, and ordered to be So the House determined that the main question should pririted. now be taken.

PAY AND MILEAGE. Mr. GRENNELL said that, notwithstanding the vote The "bill to establish a more uniform rule of compu

3

Days 66.

Jax. 18, 1837.)

Admission of Michigan.

(H. OF R.

nays 192.

ting the mileage and per diem compensation of members than any they had ever acted on. He moved that the of Congress" coming up in its order

House adjourn; which motion was rejected. Mr. VANDERPOEL said that he would move its And the bill was ordered to a third reading now. postponement until to-morrow, with a view, if possible, of reaching the bill to provide for the admission of Michi

ADMISSION OF MICHIGAN. gan into the Union.

The House took up the bill from the Senate, entitled Mr. CAMBRELENG inquired if it would be in order " An act to admit the State of Michigan into the Union to call for the previous question.

upon an equal footing with the original States;" the The SPEAKER said it would be in order.

question being on its commitment to ihe Committee of Mr. CAMBRELENG called for the previous question. the Whole on the state of ihe Union.

Mr. WARDWELL moved to lay the bill on the table, Mr. THOMAS said that much injustice had been done for the purpose of affording members an opportunity at to the inhabitants of Michigan, by keeping them out of a future day of proposing amendments. (This motion the Union, and by denying them the right to participate was entitled to priority.)

in the legislation of the country. After the great delay Ble. CRAIG asked for the yeas and nays on the last. which had taken place in the action of Congress on the named motion; which were ordered, and were: Yeas 11, subject, he hoped that the House would adopt that

mode of action now which would expedite a decision; So the House refused to lay the bill on the table. that was, to keep the bill within the control of a majori

The question recurred on the call for the previous ty of the House. In the House the previous question question; which was s:conded by the House: Yeas 78, could be called; in Committee of the Whole that privinays 63.

lege was taken away: In the present instance the House Mr. HANNEGAN called for the yeas and nays on the ought to be reasonably indulgent in debate; and Mr. question of taking the main question; but they were not T. had no doubt that, so long as gentlemen confined ordered.

themselves strictly to the merits of the bill, every latiAnd the question on taking the main question was de- tude would be extended to them. But if a disposition cided in the affirmative: Yeas 112, nays not counted. should be manifested to diverge from the true question

So the House determined that the main question should before the House, and to take up time on mere party now be put.

considerations, the debate ought to be closed, and he Mr. Hiester called for the yeas and nays on the hoped, in justice to the people of Michigan, would be main question; which were ordered.

closed. The main question was on the engrossment of the bill Mr. HARDIN said he had been a member of the com. in the following form:

mittee to which this subject had been referred at the

present and last session of Congress, and he had been A bill to establish a more uniform rule of computing the

constrained to differ from the majority of both these commileage and per diem compensation of members of mittees on this subject. He had never explained the Congress.

reasons which induced him to differ from them. He did Be it enacted, &c., That there shall be appointed, at not care whether the bill were referred to the Commit. the commencement of each session of Congress, a joint tee of the Whole on the state of the Union or not, proselect committee of three members from each House, vided a fair opportunity was given to gentlemen wishing whose duty it shall be, within the first thirty days of the to express their views. He would inquire who was to session, to ascertain, by information from each member be the judge whether a member was confining himself to op delegate, the exact distance, by the nearest principal the subject or not? He hoped that, if the bill was not tail route by land, from the seat of the Federal Govern. committed, the few remarks he had to make on one subment to the residence of the said member or delegate;ject would be heard with patience; and that was, the and the said committee shall immediately make a report spirit of mobocracy and the revolutionary movements thereof to their respective Houses, upon which report which bad characterized the proceedings in relation to the mileage of each member or delegate shall be com. the admission of Michigan, to which he wished to call puted.

the attention of the House, and against which he intendSec, 2. And be it further enacted, That no member ored to enter his protest. delegate shall receive any per diem compensation for Mr. JENIFER raised the question whether the bill any days during which he may be absent from the seat of must not necessarily be committed; and, after a few the Federal Government while the House to which he remarks thereon by Mr. BRIGGS, helongs shall be in session, except such absence be by The SPEAKER expressed his adherence to his de. leave or authority of the House, or on business of the cision made the other day, that the bill, inasmuch as it llouse of which he is a member, or occasioned by sick. contained no appropriation, need not be committed. FIESS; and upon the final settlement of his account, it Mr. REED called for the yeas and nays on the ques. shall be the duty of each member or delegate !o certisy tion of commitment; which were ordered. the number of days he may be thus absent; which ac. Mr. PATTON urged the propriety of commitment. count, so certified, shall be published at the commence. There was not an instance of a State having been admit. ment of the next session of Congress, under the direction ted into the Union without the bill which provided for of the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the its admission having been referred to the Committee of Hoase of Representatives.

the Whole on tlie state of the Union. And, if the bill The question on the engrossment of the bill was taken, were committed, the majority could at any time disInd carried: Yeas 187, nays 16.

charge the Committee of the Whole from the consideraSo the bill was ordered to be engrossed for a third tion of it. reading; and the question being when the bill should be Mr. SUTHERLAND said that if this were a new read,

question, which had not been discussed, and the merits Mr. HAWES moved it have its third reading now. of which were no thoroughly understood, it would be

Mr. HANNEGAN said he hoped not. He thought well to go into committee; but every member of the the House had done injury enough for one day; for they House was master of the subject. He i bought that comhad ordered to a third reading one of the most crude and mitment was unnecessary, and that the House ought not ilfigested bills ever brought before that House; a bill to delay the admission of Michigan into the Union un. containing more imperfections and doing more injustice | necessarily. He believed that action on the bill had

a

II. OF R.]

Post Office Building- Mileage of Members, f-c.

[Jan. 19, 1837.

a

been already delayed too long. He reminded the gen. had, on his own motion, referred the subject of investiteman from Virginia [Mr. Patron] that the received gation into the causes of the destruction of the Post notion in the House was, that a majority could not dis- Office building to his own committee. As the gentlecharge a Committee of the whole from the considera- man bad taken charge of that subject, Mr. II. was distion of a bill, so long as an amendment was pending. posed to give bim this also; and he might ascertain of

Mr. PATTON inquired if the Committee of the whole the Secretary of the Treasury the real character of the could not be instructed to report the bill forth with to lease, and lay it before the House. the House, without amendment.

Mr. CONNOR said, in relation to offering the resoluMr. SUTUERLAND said that a bill could not be ta. tion alluded 10 by the gentleman, he had only to say ken out of committee in the midst of a gentleman's that, after a consultation in the committee room, it was speech; and suppose a gentleman had the floor, and concluded that the Committee on the Post Office and chose to speak two or three days, there was no power Post Roads was the most appropriate committee to to interfere with himn.

which to refer the subject of the investigation into the Mr. STORER insisted that, under a fair construction causes of the destruction of the Post Office building; of the rule of the House, the bill required commitment. and he was instructed to introduce the resolution, and

And the question on the commitment was taken, and introduced it under those instructions. Had it not been decided in the negative: Yeas 86, nays 110.

for this, certainly be should not have been desirous of So the House delermined that the bill should not be bringing upon himself the arduous duty connected with committed.

this investigation. Mr. THOMAS said that, if it was the sense of the The resolution was then adopted: Yeas 77, nays not House, he was prepared now to submit his remarks; but counted. if the House preferred an adjournment, he was perfectly

MILEAGE OF MEMBERS. willing: With a view to test that question, he moved that the House adjourn; which motion prevailed; and Mr. UNDERWOOD offered the following resolution: The House adjourned.

Resolved, That ibe Sergeant-at-arms be directed to

lay before this House a statement showing the mileage THCRSDAY, JANUARY 19.

claimed and sums paid therefor to members of this

House and delegates from the Territories, respectively, POST OFFICE BUILDING.

during the last and present session of Congress; and Mr. HARLAN submitted the following resolution: also a similar statement in relation to the Senators in ConResolved, That the Committee on the Post Office and

gress. Post Roads be instructed to inquire into the expediency Mr. BOON moved to amend the resolution, by siriof providing by law for the insurance and protection king out all that portion which relaled to the Senate. from accidents, by fire or otherwise, the building lately Some debate followed, in which Messrs. BOON, UNleased by the Postmaster General from B. 0. Tayloe, for DERWOOD), HARDIN, W. THOMPSON, and CRAIG, the use of the Post Office Department; and that said participated, committee ascertain and report to this House the terms When Mr. BOON moved to lay the whole subject on and conditions of the lease entered into by the Secretary the table. of the Treasury for the buildings rented by him, refer- Mr. CRAIG called for the yeas and nays on that mored to, and made a part of the agreement between the tion; which were ordered. Postmaster General and said Tayloe.

And, pending this question, the House, on motion of Mr. HARLAN said that, by referring to the contract Mr. A. MANN, proceeded to the orders of the day. made by the Postmaster General for the building alluded to, it seemed to him, and he submitted it to the consid.

ADMISSION OF MICHIGAN. eration of other gentlemen, whether, if this contract was The House proceeded to the consideration of the bill binding on the Government, it would not become the to provide for the admission of Michigan into the Union insurer of the buildings. By the stipulations of that on an equal footing with the original States; the pendcontract, the head of the Post Office Department bound ing question being on ordering the bill to be engrossed himself to return the building in good condition; and he for a third reading. took it, if the building was destroyed by fire, the Gov. Mr. THOMAS addressed the House at great length ernment would be bound to rebuild it. He thought, in favor of the bill, contending that Michigan bad com. then, that Congress ought to make some provision for plied with all the conditions which, by the act of last having this building insured, so as to exonerate the Gov- session, were made indispensable prerequisites to her ernment from the risk incurred by the terms of this admission into the Union; and that the proceedings of contract. He did not pretend to say whether the con- the second convention were the clearly expressed views tract was binding on the Government or not; it was very of the majority of the . certain there was no authority given to make the contract; but he supposed, from the emergency of the case, The movements in the second convention were revoluthat the Government would recognise it, and fulfil its tionary in their character and tendency; that, under the stipulations. He was also desirous of ascertaining from proceedings of that convention, Michigan could not, conthe Postmaster General the terms and conditions of the stitutionally, be admitted into the Union, and that she contract entered into by the Secretary of the Treasury should not be admitted until a convention, held by State for a part of this building; because it appeared that the authority, had acceded to the terms which Congress had Secretary had contracted for all the back buildings, sta- presented. bles, &c. And, for the purpose of procuring this in- Mr. VANDERPOEL obtained the floor, and moved formation, he proposed to refer the subject to ihe Com- that the House adjourn; but withdrew the motion, and, mittee on the Post Office and Post Roads.

on the suggestion of Mr. THOMAS, moved that the Mr. CONNOR suggested that the gentleman might bill be made the special order of the day for 10-mmorrow. obtain bis object more directly by making calls on the Mr. E. WAITTLESEY asked for the yeas and nays Secretary of the Treasury and Postmaster General. on that motion.

Mr. HARLAN observed that he was induced to refer Mr. MERCER moved that the House adjourn; which the subject to the Committee on the Post Office and motion prevailed; and Post Roads, because the chairman of that committee The House adjourncd.

10 MC. HÄRDÎN replied at great length, insisting that