Imagens das páginas
PDF
ePub

FEB. 23, 1832.]

Surveys of Public Lands.

[H. OF R.

Purchasers, who had paid their money to the Government Perhaps, on a particular inquiry, the chairman of the Comfor lands, were knocking at your doors for the evidence mittee of Ways and Means might have obtained more inof their title. Will the gentleman [Mr. WICKLIFFE] un- formation on the subject. But there was quite evidence dertake to say that these evidences might be had, had enough, prima facie, that the expenditures of this branch the clerks in the Land Office been diligent and faithful? of the public service have greatly increased. As he had It was too obvious to require discussion, that further force no doubt but the estimate upon which the chairman of the was necessary. The head of the department gives this Committee of Ways and Means had founded his motion information to the committee in the usual course of busi- was correct, he should support it, until some shade of ness. He hoped the House would act upon this informa- probability was raised that the appropriation was not netion, that the number of clerks in that office may be cessary. He had intended to have risen upon the other immediately increased, to enable the commissioner to item, to express his belief of the necessity of the additional attend promptly and faithfully to the rights of the pur-force in the Land Office stated by the commissioner. chasers of the public domain. He would not now say | When we consider the arrearages that have gradually that $20,000 was necessary; it would be time to consider grown out of the increased sale of lands, together with that question when the bill suggested by the chairman of the current business arising from an annual sale of five or the Committee of Ways and Means comes before the six millions of dollars, contrasted with the former sales of House. The gentleman from Ohio [Mr, IRVIN] had very two or three millions, he did not think the estimate at all pertinently alluded to the increase of business in the office. extravagant. Nearly double the quantity of public land was sold last year, compared with the sale of any former year.

Mr. WICKLIFFE disclaimed having made any charge upon the clerks. He would do them the justice to say that he believed none were more industrious. At the same time he hoped the gentleman from Alabama would do him the justice to confess that his views respecting the head of the bureau and the state of business there coin-lation, but had introduced derangement into the adminiscided very much with his own.

Mr. CLAY, in reply, admitted that great difficulty and delay occurred in getting answers to inquiries from the land commissioner.

The question being at length put, the blank was filled with $4,000.

SURVEYS OF PUBLIC LANDS. When the following paragraph was read: "For surveying public lands dollars," Mr. McDUFFIE moved that the blank be filled with 160,000.

Mr. VINTON inquired the reason of moving this large and unprecedented sum.

Mr. McDUFFIE said that 80,000 were to be appropriated to the ordinary surveys of the public land, and that the additional 80,000 were required to survey the lands recently relinquished to the United States by the Choctaw treaty.

Mr. VINTON, of Ohio, took the ground he had done in former years, in opposing so large an appropriation for this object. He thought one-half the amount was quite sufficient. He insisted warmly on the injurious consequences of going on to survey large amounts of new lands, while so small a proportion of that already in the market was annually sold. This made land a drug, depreciated the value of real estate in States more thickly settled, and led to the selection of the best land and the finest millseats by speculators and squatters.

Mr. ADAMS said he hoped the sum moved by the chairman of the Committee of Ways and Means would be allowed to pass. He had regretted that the motion of the gentleman from Ohio, [Mr. IRVIN,] relative to increasing the appropriation for the Land Office, had not been sustained. It must be obvious to any gentleman that, under a sale of three millions of acres per annum instead of one million, all the labors of every kind, from surveying up to recording patents, cannot be performed at the same expense. He had hoped the cry of "retrenchment" was now past. He had found, in the course of his recent experience, that many gentlemen believed there was less necessity for it in fact than he did. He thought it was very desirable when it was applied to the proper objects. There could be no man in this House who believed that it did not require more labor to bring the proceeds from the sale of public lands to the amount of three millions of acres into the treasury, than to bring in the proceeds of one million.

Mr. VINTON said he had not intended to go into any debate on this subject. He entirely agreed that sufficient appropriations ought to be made to enable Government to go on efficiently in the accomplishment of proper measures. On the subject of additional surveys of public lands, he had an opinion long since formed. Those surveys had not only outstripped the necessities of the poputration of public lands. Surveys, to the excessive amount that has taken place, have deeply affected the value of all the landed property in the West. The present system has been in operation about thirty years. During that period about twenty-three or twenty-four millions of acres have been sold. We have surveyed between two and three hundred millions of acres. Last year between one and two hundred millions were surveyed, of which twenty-five or thirty millions have never been brought to market an amount greater than our whole sales. What is the effect? Land is like every thing else: if the supply and demand preserve a proper relation, every thing goes on regularly; but throw an immense amount into market beyond the demand, it will become a mere drug, like all other commodities treated in the same manner. The public lands were sold in the place where he resided forty years ago. Thirty years ago unimproved lands, in the hands of individuals, were more valuable than now. Unimproved lands in Ohio are not generally worth so much as they were twenty or thirty years ago. The reason was, the throwing such excessive quantities into the market beyond the demand. At the rates usually paid for surveying, one hundred and sixty thousand dollars ought to survey ten or twelve millions of acres. The annual sales have been about two millions. We have now from one hundred to one hundred and fifty millions in the market. A private individual, by this course, on a small scale, would soon ruin himself. It is certainly enough to survey as fast as we sell, keeping up the stock on hand for sale. By the course pursued, of putting large tracts at once into the market, all the finest lands and best millseats are taken up by speculators at very little if any more than the minimum price. There is a constant anxiety among the frontier settlers to press forward. None are willing to be on the border of population. The settlements are kept in a scattered state. He was willing that the lands be surveyed as fast as they could be sold. With the enormous quantity now on hand, he could see no occasion for it at present. If any surveys were required by the Choctaw treaty, eighty thousand dollars was a sum amply sufficient to make them.

Mr. V. concluded his remarks by moving to fill the blank with eighty thousand dollars.

Mr. CLAY rose, he said, to make a very brief reply to some of the remarks of the gentleman from Ohio, [Mr. VINTON.] As he had frequently heard them before, they had nothing of novelty about them. He would barely suggest, that of the immense amount of surveyed lands now

H. OF R.]

Surveys of Public Lands.

[FEB. 23, 1832.

in the market, according to the statement of the gentle- large quantity of land already surveyed and in the market man, not one-tenth part can ever be sold at any price. In for sale. Under these circumstances, he should have supAlabama not one-twentieth part of the residue would be posed that the committee would have hesitated, and gone sold. Shall we wait for new surveys, till all the land into minute and scrutinizing inquiries before they would which is unfit for cultivation is disposed of at Government consent to an appropriation far exceeding any former one. prices? He hoped the committee would consider our vast He should have thought the policy of curtailing the sur accessions of territory within a year or two past. Many veys, and keeping a vast surplus out of market, should other tracts have been acquired, besides the immense ter- have been the true one. The excess of any article ineviritory of the Choctaws. Shall the value of these lands, the tably reduces its price below its proper relative value, and very best in the State of Mississippi, be lessened by mea- is directly injurious to the seller. By bringing vast quansures countenancing intruders? That is the effect of neg- tities of land into the market at prices continually growing lecting to survey desirable lands. Is this true policy? Is less, we have made land the cheapest article in the mar it not rather our interest to survey the lands, and add to ket. The consequence is, the strongest possible inducethe receipts of our treasury by its sale, and accommodate ments for emigration to the West. Instead of attending thousands who would prefer being freeholders to being to the duties of civilization, we find many persons strolling intruders without title? Though the private interests of about a new country to pick out the best parcels of land. individuals who own large tracts of land which they are The population which has emigrated from some more dense. anxious to dispose of, may be effected, public policy re- ly settled country, revert from the regular habits in which quires that the surveys be made. Does the gentleman they were educated, not even to the rudest agricultural really suppose that the United States will keep all the mill- state, but to the state of hunters. Such a course, which seats and finest soil by deferring the survey? If he does, has become but too common, prevents all cultivation of he is less acquainted with those matters than he had given the arts. Where the population is sparsely scattered over him credit for. the country, and land is made the cheapest article in the market, the people who emigrate, deprived of all the institutions of civilized life, soon become semi-barbarians. Our system has universally reduced the price of lands. People will not give a high price for a farm, when, by the vast facilities of transportation, they can speedily find a bet. ter one for almost nothing. This policy is the greatest obstacle in the way of the progress of manufactures and the mechanic arts. In no country can the arts of civilization flourish till it has become densely settled. To countervail the universal propensity for emigration, which this mistaken policy has excited, we are obliged to impose heavy duties on foreign manufactures, in order to induce our people to stay at home. Had not the price of land been thus cheapened, we should not have seen such a universal inclination among our enterprising sons to revert to the hunting state, almost to the degree of sheltering themselves nightly in portable tents, instead of the durable and magnificent structure produced by the arts. If our policy had not invited them to this roving life, we should never have needed the hotbed of the tariff, in which to grow our originally tender manufactures. The system of public lands and the tariff policy, operating together, present the most stupendous monument of folly that ever was exhibited to the world. We are administering tonics of the strongest character, at the same time that we follow depletion to the greatest possible extent. He hoped some means might be adopted better to reconcile our practice to the dictates of common sense.

Mr. WILDE said it had been represented, he did not know with how much truth, that the money appropriated for surveys in the Southern country had been badly expended. Large tracts had been surveyed that were not susceptible of settlement. He had understood the rule among surveyors to be to carry on their work where it could be done most easily--where the most money could be made by running their lines at a stipulated price per mile. For the sake of encouraging such surveyors, he was unwilling to support a very large appropriation.

Mr. CLAY said, if the committee refused the appropriation moved by the chairman of the Committee of Ways and Means, it would change the whole policy of the Government. The tracts of good land were discovered by the surveys. It was true that mountains and pine barrens had been surveyed, but tracts of land of excellent quality had been discovered by this means that would more than defray the expense. The practice adopted of surveying the public lands by range and town lines, was demonstrably correct. When the survey was once made, it was perpetual.

Mr. DUNCAN said it was the settled policy of the Government to survey the public lands as fast as possible. The enterprising emigrants alluded to by the gentleman from New York, [Mr. RooT,] were continually making farms beyond the surveys. It was good policy to enable them to become freeholders of the soil, and enable them

Mr. WICKLIFFE said the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. VINTON] had raised the same question last year. The principles of surveying the public lands had been too long settled to be now given up. The land is thus open for purchase. It relieves the House from multifarious applications to grant pre-emption rights. He rose to make a single remark upon the Choctaw treaty. A document showing the several reservations under the treaty had been some weeks before the Committee on Public Lands. The reservation amounts to about six hundred and fifty thousand acres. The Indians, in whose favor they are granted, cannot avail themselves of them, either for sale or settlement, till the United States survey the whole tract, because the treaty expressly stipulates that the re-to commence improvements. servations shall be bounded by sectional lines. It was, therefore, due to the Indians who could not avail themselves of their rights until the survey was completed, as well as to the State of Mississippi, the fairest portion of whose soil would be kept from settlement by delay, that these surveys be accomplished in the most speedy manner. He hoped the appropriation would be made. As to the remarks of the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. ADAMS] respecting the Land Office, he was ready to vote for an appropriation sufficient to ensure prompt and efficacious action on all subjects within the scope of the departments, and held them to strict accountability for the faithful disbursement of the money.

Mr. ROOT said he understood the sum now moved to be greater than any former appropriation. We had a

Mr. POLK said he would barely call the attention of the House to the terms of the Choctaw treaty. [Mr. P. read the provision that all reservations should adjoin sectional and range lines.] The reservations could not be laid off till the survey takes place. The motion of the chairman of the Committee of Ways and Means keeps up the former appropriation, and adds $80,000 for this special object. When these lands are once surveyed, it is done forever. The only question before the committee is, shall it be done faster, or slower?

Mr. WHITE, of Florida, said if the estimate did not pass, and the whole sum voted should be appropriated to the survey of the Choctaw lands, it would operate with great hardship upon the territory he had the honor to represent. If the gross sum of the estimate was larger

FEB. 23, 1832.]

Minister to Colombia.

[H. OF R.

than had been heretofore voted, no greater sum will be one, inasmuch as the Government asked for no additional, expended on the ordinary surveys. There is in this bill, expenditure.

as had been usual, no express appropriation for the sur- Mr. BELL thought it would be more respectful to the Fey of private land claims. After their improvement and Government that the sum which had been asked for settlement had been delayed year after year, shall all should be appropriated. If it should afterwards be disthese surveys now cease? He would inform the gentle- covered by Congress that they had applied for a useless man from Georgia, [Mr. WILDE,] that the standing in-waste of money, and Congress should deem it their duty structions to the surveyors are to survey no lands that will to control the Executive Department in the conduct of not bring the Government price. If other and inferior this part of our diplomacy, the sum might be reduced. lands were surveyed, it was an abuse of their instructions. There was, besides, another idea of great interest to the The gentleman from New York [Mr. Roor] was unwilling American people, and, indeed, to every people, which to vote for these surveys, for fear this country would fill showed the propriety of the appropriation. If the friends up with people, instead of their being stopped around the of the progress of liberty in South America thought it great manufacturing establishments. He would make no important to that cause that the dismembered fragments of comment on that argument: the House could appreciate the Republic of Colombia should be reunited, then this its force without any comment. Government ought not suddenly to withdraw its minister from Bogota.

Mr. VINTON said, that reference having been made to Ohio, it was due to himself to say that the surveys in that State begun in 1785, and ended in 1820. Thirty-five years had been occupied in bringing twenty-three or four millions of acres to market. Formerly some regard was had to the comparison between the survey and the demand. A population of a million had become inhabitants of Ohio, under that system. Its success will settle its

correctness.

The question was then taken on filling the blank with 160,000, and was carried-yeas 72, nays 48.

MINISTER TO COLOMBIA.

On reading the following paragraph: "For the salaries of the ministers of the United States to Great Britain, France, Spain, Russia, and Colombia, — dollars,"

Mr. McDUFFIE said that when the committee had proposed to fill this blank with $42,750, it had been on an estimate made on the supposition that the salary of the minister to Colombia was to continue but nine months. The Secretary of State had since then informed the committee that the President, for good and sufficient reasons, has determined to retain our minister at that court, and he now, therefore, proposed to fill the blank with $45,000.

If the hope of reunion was to be fostered, it might prove a strong argument to that end, that the Governments of the United States and of Great Britain still continued their ministers there. He desired to give the friends of the late Government all the benefit of such an argument.

Mr. WILDE, in reply to Mr. BELL, said that he was not conscious of having failed in the respect due either to the Secretary of State or to the President of the United States. It had never been his habit to treat any of our executive officers disrespectfully, but the gentleman from Tennessee must excuse him when he said that he could not make any other consideration his guide, when voting to appropriate the money of the people, than the public good. In deciding on such a question, he must be permitted to make up his mind for himself; and when a proposed expenditure appeared to him improper, it was not any respect for the Executive, however great, that should induce him to vote for it. The gentleman had endeavored to show that many reasons existed why our minister should be continued at the court of Colombia. If such reasons did exist, they had not been communicated to the Committee of Ways and Means, or to the House. As to the economy of the measure, there might possibly be Mr. WILDE said he was unwilling to oppose the ap- a little saving, so far as the present year was conpropriation, but he could not suffer it to pass without a cerned, in continuing our minister, rather than sending a remark. The gentleman at the head of the Committee chargé; but the arrangement looked to future years as of Ways and Means had informed them that it had been well as the present. As to the idea that we ought to the avowed purpose of the Government to discontinue keep our minister there, in order to support and give the appointment of a minister at the court of Colombia, countenance to the Government, and strengthen the hope and to supply his place with a chargé d'affaires. He con- of reunion, by the continuance of two such important sidered that resolution as in conformity with the best ministers as those of Great Britain and the United States, interests of the country. He recollected that a certain Mr. W. was not apprised of the fact that the Government Committee on Retrenchment, once of much note in that of Great Britain did retain its minister at Bogota. If such House, had recommended, among other reforms, the dis- was the fact, he should have been happy had it been offi. continuance of our minister at that court, and the House cially communicated. But not having the same acquainthad had from a late President of the United States the ance with the state of our diplomacy as the gentleman avowal of a similar sentiment. In a discussion which had from Tennessee, he did not know such to be the fact. taken place a few days since, it had been avowed that But, if it were so, he was not prepared to say that the the Government of Colombia was dissolved, and, unless continuance of an American minister at a foreign court, something very special rendered it necessary to continue for the purpose of encouraging a foreign political confeour minister there, Mr. W. was not prepared to vote the deracy, was within the legitimate objects of our Governappropriation. A resolution had been offered by a gen-ment. He thought it our duty, as well as our avowed tleman from South Carolina, whom he did not now see in policy, to keep clear of all interference in the domestic his place, calling for information on this subject, but, owing concerns of foreign States. With the information he now to the obstructions arising from the morning debate, the possessed, he should be opposed to any increase in the resolution had not been acted on. Till the House had sum first estimated. some further light on this subject, he thought the first sum proposed by the committee ought to remain.

Mr. WICKLIFFE inquired whether the bill made any provision for the outfit of a chargé to Colombia.

Mr. McDUFFIE replied in the affirmative, but that was a specific appropriation, contained in a different clause of

Mr. ARCHER, chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, observed, that even if the Government of Colombia had been dissolved, as he was inclined to believe it the bill.

had, we must still have a chargé at Bogota, and the con- Mr. WICKLIFFE further inquired whether the Gotinuance of our minister, who was already there, would vernment of Colombia had any accredited agent near the cost the Government no more than the sending out a United States.

chargé. The discussion, therefore, was merely a nominal

Mr. ARCHER shook his head.

H. OF R.]

The Judiciary.

Mr. WICKLIFFE said that his great objection to the appropriation was, that we were sending a minister to a Government which, so far as we knew, had no existence. All the information we had on the subject, went to show that it had been dissolved, and three Governments formed in its stead. If our minister was to be sent to all three of those Governments, it ought to be so expressed. could see no good reason for the increase of the appropriation.

[FEB. 24, 1832.

structed to make this motion, by the unanimous vote of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, which committee contained gentlemen of opposite political sentiments.

Mr. ADAMS and Mr. McDUFFIE both strongly objected to voting an appropriation on that ground. If there was any State secret in the matter, the House might reHeceive it with closed doors.

Mr. ARCHER declining to make any further explanation, the amendment was negatived.

On motion of Mr. EVERETT, $2,000 were voted for the expenses of obtaining documents relating to our early history, from the public records of Great Britain. After some other amendments,

The committee then rose, and reported the bill as amended; and

The House adjourned.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24.

THE JUDICIARY.

Mr. JENIFER said that, ever since the bill had been under discussion, he had been listening with anxiety for further information on several of its items, and had attributed his own ignorance in part to his late absence from the House. But he now found that the gentlemen from Georgia and Kentucky seemed to have no more light than himself. He could not vote to appropriate money where he felt in doubt as to the propriety of the expenditure. In the present case, they had to rely on a mere estimate. It was very true, as the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. ADAMS] had remarked in a former part of the debate, that an estimate from a responsible officer was prima facie evidence of the propriety of an appropriation; but here on the 27th ultimo, was taken up: the prima facie evidence was against the appropriation. Resolved, That the Committee on the Judiciary be inA report from the Committee on Retrenchment had point-structed to inquire into the expediency of amending the ed emphatically to this appointment as needing reforma- constitution of the United States, so that the judges of tion; nor had he seen or heard any reason for continuing the Supreme Court, and of the inferior courts, shall hold an appropriation which it had been so strongly recom- their offices for a limited term of years. mended to discontinue. To afford opportunity for further information, he moved that the committee now rise; but withdrew the motion at the request of

The following resolution, submitted by Mr. LECOMPTE

Mr. WILLIAMS, of North Carolina, demanded the question of consideration.

Mr. LECOMPTE begged him to withdraw the motion, that he might have an opportunity of addressing some re

Mr. BELL, who said that the gentleman from Georgia seemed to suppose that he had insinuated that that gentle-marks to the House; man and other independent gentlemen of the House ought to regulate their votes by the wishes of the Government. He had made no such insinuation; and the gentleman's declaration as to his own independence was therefore wholly gratuitous. He had only said that it would be more respectful, should the House proceed on the presumption that the Government had recommended what was proper and necessary. One of the departments was supposed to have a better knowledge as to what expenditures were necessary to its own action, than a private individual. It was certainly in the power of the House to withhold any ap-ed by yeas and nays, as follows: propriation which was asked for; but it was more respectful to suppose the demand correct, until the House should be better informed.

But Mr. WILLIAMS, being well convinced that, in discussing such a resolution, the time of the House would be consumed to no purpose, could not, he said, comply with the gentleman's request.

Mr. McDUFFIE thought this discussion had better be deferred till the bill should come into the House.

Mr. ARCHER said he did not seek to press the appropriation if gentlemen were not prepared for it; but the explanation might as well be given then as at any time.

The Government had a chargé at Guatemala, another at Chili, another at Peru; and we had also a commercial treaty with Colombia. If it was asked why a chargé would not be sufficient there, he should reply that the success of Mr. Moore's negotiation proved the importance of our having a full minister at all the South American courts. The commercial treaty he had made was highly advantageous, and there was a prospect of its becoming still more so by the removal of the restriction with which it was accompanied; but this benefit must be lost if our minister should be recalled. If we called him home, we must immediately send a chargé in his place, unless we meant to show a mark of disrespect to Colombia, which we had done to no other of the South American States.

After some further conversation between Messrs. MCDUFFIE and JENIFER, the question was put on the rising of the committee, and negatived-yeas 31, nays 79. The appropriation of $45,000 was then agreed to. On the following item: "For salary of the dragoman to the legation of the United States to Turkey, $2,500." Mr. ARCHER moved to strike out 2,500, and to insert "and for contingencies $37,500." He said he was in

Mr. ELLSWORTH, remarking that the subject of the resolution was one of great importance, demanded the question of consideration should be taken by yeas and nays, which was ordered by the House.

The question was then propounded from the ChairShall this resolution be now considered? and it was decid

YEAS.-Messrs. Robert Allen, Angel, James Bates, Bouck, John Brodhead, Carr, Chandler, Clayton, Conner, Coulter, Warren R. Davis, Dewart, Felder, Fitzgerald, Ford, Foster, Gaither, Griffin, Thomas H. Hall, Holland, Hubbard, Plummer, Roane, Root, Wiley Thompson, Weeks, Wickliffe.-27.

NAYS.--Messrs. Adams, Alexander, C. Allan, Allison, Anderson, Appleton, Archer, Armstrong, Arnold, Ashley, Babcock, Banks, Noyes Barber, Barstow, Isaac C. Bates, Beardsley, Bell, Bethune, James Blair, Jolin Blair, Boon, Branch, Briggs, John C. Brodhead, Bucher, Bullard, Burges, Cahoon, Cambreleng, Carson, Chinn, Choate, Claiborne, Clay, Collier, Silas Condit, Eleutheros Cooke, Bates Cooke, Corwin, Crane, Crawford, Creighton, Davenport, John Davis, Dayan, Dearborn, Denny, Dickson, Doddridge, Doubleday, Drayton, Duncan, Ellsworth, George Evans, Joshua Evans, Edward Everett, Horace Everett, Gilmore, Grennell, Hawkins, Heister, Hodges, Hogan, Howard, Hughes, Hunt, Huntington, Ihrie, Irvin, Jarvis, Jenifer, Jewett, Cave Johnson, Charles C. Johnston, Kavanagh, Kendall, Kennon, A. King, John King, Kerr, Lamar, Lansing, Leavitt, Lecompte, Lent, Letcher, Lewis, Lyon, Mann, Mardis, Marshall, Maxwell, William McCoy, Robert McCoy, McIntire, McKay, Mercer, Milligan, Thomas R. Mitchell, Muhlenberg, Nuckolls, Patton, Pearce, Pendleton, Pierson, Pitcher, Polk, Potts, Randolph, E. C. Reed, Russel, William B. Shepard, Augus tine H. Shepperd, Slade, Smith, Soule, Southard, Speight, Standifer, Storrs, Taylor, Francis Thomas, P. Thomas, John Thomson, Tompkins, Tracy, Vance, Verplanck,

FEB. 25, 1832.]

Washington's Remains.--Claim of Mrs. Decatur.--Live Oak Agents.

[H. of R.

Vinton, Wardwell, Washington, Watmough, Wayne, monwealth forthwith make known the feelings and wishes
Wilkin, Wheeler, E. Whittlesey, F. Whittlesey, Campbell of the General Assembly upon the subject, in the most
P. White, Wilde, Williams, Worthington, Young.--141. appropriate manner, to the present proprietor of Mount
So the House refused to consider the resolution.
Vernon, and the Congress of the United States.
Agreed to by both Houses, February 20, 1832.
GEORGE W. MUNFORD, C. H. D.
The communication was ordered to lie on the table, and
be printed.

WASHINGTON'S REMAINS.

The SPEAKER laid before the House the following communication, viz.

WASHINGTON, February 24, 1832.
To the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United
States:

CLAIM OF MRS. DECATUR.

The House then went into Committee of the Whole, Mr. SPEIGHT in the chair, on the bill for the relief of Susan Decatur, which bill was warmly debated until half past four o'clock.

One of his associates not having arrived at Washington, and the other having declined to act, in performance of the honorable trust confided to us by the Governor of Mr. CARSON, with a view to conciliate those who Virginia, the undersigned takes upon himself the honor would not vote for the bill unless it contained a provision to transmit to the Speaker of the House of Representa- for the nieces of Commodore Decatur, moved (by consent tives of the United States the envelope directed to him of Mr. PEARCE, who withdrew his amendment for that by the Governor of Virginia, covering the resolutions of purpose,) an amendment to the bill, granting $10,000 to the General Assembly, laying claim to the remains of our the Misses McKnight.

illustrious fellow-citizen George Washington; also cover- The amendment was opposed by Messrs. WICKLIFFE ing a letter from the Governor of Virginia, accompanying and DRAYTON, and advocated by Mr. DODDRIDGE-the resolutions; and in the discharge of this duty he takes when the question being put, it was rejected. leave to remark, that while the people of Virginia are proud of the gratitude of their fellow-citizens of the United States for the eminent public services of the father of his country, and also for their high admiration of his patriotic virtues, manifested by the successive resolutions of Congress, they also justly anticipate the frank acquiesc ence of their fellow-citizens of the United States in the paramount claim of his native State to the sacred remains of her Washington.

FRANCIS T. BROOKE.
VIRGINIA, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
February 20, 1832.

To Andrew Stevenson, Esq.

Speaker of the House of Reps. U. S. SIR: The honorable Francis T. Brooke, Chief Justice John Marshall, and Major James Gibbon, the friends and brother officers of Washington in the war of the revolution, are the bearers of this communication, and of the resolutions adopted by the General Assembly of this State, expressive of their feelings and those of the citizens of this commonwealth with regard to the contemplated removal of the remains of Washington from Mount Vernon by the Congress of the United States. Agreeably to the wish of the General Assembly, I have the honor to request you to receive and lay the resolutions of that body before the House of Representatives of the United States.

I am, sir, with consideration and respect, your obedient servant, JOHN FLOYD.

The General Assembly of Virginia view with anxious solicitude the efforts now making by the Congress of the United States to remove from Mount Vernon the remains of George Washington. Such removal is not necessary to perpetuate the fame of him who was "first in war, and first in peace," nor can it be necessary to perpetuate and strengthen the national gratitude for him who was "first in the hearts of his countrymen."

Mr. PEARCE now renewed the amendment he had offered last week, the effect of which would be to allow Mrs. Decatur $21,000, instead of $31,000, as her share of the $100,000 granted by the bill to the captors of the frigate Philadelphia, and to give the remaining $10,000 to the Misses McKnight. It was on this amendment that the debate turned. In its latter stages, it assumed a very painful character, in consequence of the introduction of letters from Mrs. Decatur and one of the Misses McKnight. One of these was believed by Mr. CARSON not to be authentic, as it was not written in a female hand-but, on explanation, it appeared that the letter had been drawn up by that lady, although it might not be in her own handwriting,

the brother-in-law of Miss McKnight, to whose honorable Mr. PEARCE stated that it had been handed to him by character very decided testimony was borne by Messrs. WAYNE and WILDE: in consequence of which, Mr. CARsox withdrew the declarations he had made in reference to that gentleman. After a motion for the rising of the committee had been repeatedly withdrawn by Mr. WATMOUGH, it was at length renewed by that gentleman, and carried, when the committee rose, and reported progress; and

The House adjourned.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25.

LIVE OAK AGENTS..

The following resolutions, offered some days since by Mr. BRANCH, of North Carolina, were taken up:

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Navy be requested to furnish to this House extracts from the communications made to the department by the agents employed in the examination of the live oak lands belonging to the United States, and the preservation of the navy timber growing thereon, during the last and the present year, showing the portions and extent of seacoast which has been exThe fact that Virginia has been the birthplace of the amined by them within the time mentioned, the quantity best and most illustrious man that ever lived, is naturally of said timber which has been found on them, and what calculated to inspire her citizens with a strong desire to reservations of these lands have been directed to be made keep his remains enshrined in the land of his nativity; in consequence of such discoveries. this desire is increased by the consideration that the Also, that he be requested to lay before this House the burial ground was designated by the dying patriot himself. report or reports of the agents who may have been Therefore, directed to make surveys of the live oak plantations on Resolved, unanimously, That the proprietor be earnestly Santa Rosa sound, near Pensacola, and which may show, requested, in the name of the people of this State, not to with their opinions, the value of the lands of said plantaconsent to the removal of the remains of George Wash- tions, their adaptation to the culture and production of ington from Mount Vernon. navy timber; and whether, from such report or reports, Resolved, unanimously, That the Governor of this com- it is probable the cultivation of this timber on those lands

VOL. VIII.--117

« AnteriorContinuar »