H. OF R.] Reprinting of Documents. ton, O'Brien, Orr, Pearce, Phelps, Pierson, Plant, Polk, this a fit occasion or place to encounter the hundred hand[FEB. 26, 1829. Ramsay, J. F. Randolph, Reed, Richardson, Sergeant, ed Briareus-whose hands, if he remembered the fable, Sinnickson, Oliver H. Smith, Sprague, Sterigere, Stew-possessed the faculty of re-production, commensurate with art, Storrs, Stower, Strong, Swann, Swift, Sutherland, the act of severance-for, that, in this contest, he [Mr. Taylor, Tracy, Ebenezer Tucker, Varnum, Ward, Wash-B.] could not expect to have the last word--yet, resting on ington, Weems, Whipple, Whittlesey, Wilde, James the strength of his own purity, he assailed the motives of Wilson, Ephraim K. Wilson, Woodcock, Wolf, John C. no one. Wright, Yancey.-111. The billows of persecution or of sarcasm, howNAYS.--Messrs. Addams, Alexander, Robert Allen, ever they might roll, would break harmlessly at his feet. Alston, Archer, Armstrong, John S. Barbour, Philip P. question before the House had assumed a party character. He regretted to have heard it said around him that the Barbour, Barringer, Bassett, Beecher, Bryan, Carter, Clai- What! was the mere proposition to print public docuborne, James Clark, Conner, Culpeper, Daniel, Thomas ments to be characterized as a party measure? Could it Davenport, Drayton, Floyd, of Virginia, Floyd, of Geor-be so regarded? He deplored, most unfeignedly, the So the bill was passed, and sent to the Senate. THURSDAY, FEB. 26, 1829. REPRINTING OF DOCUMENTS. Mr. BARRINGER resumed his observations. gretted that he was compelled to obtrude further upon the He retime and patience of the House. But justice to himself, and his responsibility to his constituents, imperatively required that duty at his hands. gia, Fry, Gale, Gilmer, Green, Hall, Haynes, Hinds, Kre-adoption of such an opinion. It was fraught with the most mer, Letcher, Livingston, Long, Lumpkin, Martin, Max-mischievous, the most ruinous consequences. If the prinwell, McCoy, McDuffie, McIntire, Mercer, Miner, John ciple once obtained that any measure might be successMitchell, Nuckolls, Owen, Rives, Roane, Sawyer, Shep-fully opposed (however innocent, or however little it perd, Sloane, Alexander Smyth, Sprigg, Stanbery, James might partake of the distinctive views of parties) by asS. Stevenson, Taber, Taliaferro, Thompson, Trezvant, signing to it a party character; if, he repeated, such a Starling Tucker, Turner, Vance, Verplanck, Vinton, principle should be once established, it would sweep Wickliffe, Williams, John J. Wood, Silas Wood, John through the House like a deluge of fire, inundating every Woods--67. question, overturning every obstacle, and consuming every principle worth maintaining. Surely, then, this cannot be esteemed a party measure. lic records, for the use of all, to be looked upon and actWas the printing of the pubed on as a question between A B and CD? When the designing partisan shall succeed in imparting to every pel, by his outcries, the timid and less firm to follow in his question the hues of his own sombre imagination, and comcorrupt train, then, indeed, will the degradation of this body be consumated; then, indeed, shall we be reduced to the When he concluded, on the preceding day, he had been nure which he knew not how to characterize by any other unenviable position of holding our independence by a teendeavoring to show the pre-eminent importance of pre- epithet than a "subinfeudation of villanage." In such a serving the public documents through all the periods of condition of things, no man would possess freedom of acthe Government, and had slightly alluded to the cause of tion; for himself he would say that its operation with him their destruction. It would be, he again declared, a de- should be confined. If this be a party measure, it seemreliction of duty, to permit them to remain in their presented to him that parties were respectively marshalled on the state-many of them mutilated, and a wide breach of years wrong side. What, he asked, would the friends of the in which scarcely any were to be found. The lapse of hero, who had stood like a shield of adamant, and a wall time alone was in some cases sufficient for their destruc- of fire, between his country and his country's foes-who tion, and it behooved that House to encounter any reason- had met the enemy on his landing, and beat them able expense for the purpose of their preservation. Sir, back; would they wish to preserve the remembrance of a [continued Mr. B.] with so many inducements to the in- successful invasion of the metropolis of the Union He troduction of my resolution, the destruction of the great appealed to the supporters of that hero, whose presence mass of the documents by the conflagration of the capitol; had always repelled the public enemy, to say, if they the scattered and mutilated condition of the few copies would perpetuate the recollection of the conflagration of which remain; the entire absence of a great number of their capitol-of the barbarism which prompted the dethem from the Library of the House; the recent precedent struction of their public records-by withholding their in the order of the House, for reprinting the Journals; and sanction from the proposition to reprint the documents so the still more recent order of the Senate to print the Ex-wantonly destroyed? If so, in vain had they reared from ecutive Journal; and the invaluable character of a great their ruins and given dimensions and altitude to their stateportion of those coming within the scope of the proposition ly domes; in vain had they reared and crowned the splenbefore you--could he have supposed that he was drawing did columns with which they were environed; in vain upon himself the censure of any one, much less that he was might they attempt to obliterate the last vestiges of that exposing himself to the unkind and unjust animadversions occurrence, the very mention of which blanched the pawhich it has been his fate to encounter: for not only had triot's cheek, and drove the warm current of life to his his resolution been met in the House with every spirit oth-heart, with all the tumultuous and eddying whirls of a caer than that resulting from a charitable forbearance, but taract. the thunders of the press had been hurled at him, with aed pages would recall to their recollections the manner spirit which seemed to meditate little else than his politi-in which that worse than Vandal destruction took place. Ay, every attempted reference to their mutilat cal annihilation. But [Mr. B. continued] he was not to be deterred from pursuing what he considered to be the ed to touch upon a subject which required the greatest Mr. B. said that, before he concluded, he must be allowpath of his duty, by any inuendoes or insinuations, from delicacy to handle. whatever source they might be cast at him. The conse- pose that the gentleman from Kentucky was not sincere quences rested with him, and he shunned no responsibility in his disavowal of the slightest influence in mere referIt might be thought uncandid to supwhich might accrue from his conduct in relation to the ence to persons, and that no part of his opposition rematter under consideration. served] on account of the fact of its seeming necessary for printing might, if ordered, fall into the hands of the preHe spoke this much, [he ob- sulted from an apprehension that the execution of the him to answer on the subject in more quarters than one. He repeated, that the efforts to drive him from the wise, and that the gentleman was not entirely free from course which his judgment dictated to him to follow, were an influence growing out of political antipathies; does not sent printers to the House. But suppose the fact otherfutile; and though he might not now be inclined, or think the gentleman fear that he may carry his vindictive feel Tonnage Duties. [H. of R. FEB. 26, 1829.] ings too far? He would point the gentleman to the marks for some time, the hour elapsed which is assigned mutability of party connexions, the unstable nature of to reports and resolutions. which, he observed, could not have escaped the notice of any who had been an attentive observer of the events of TONNAGE DUTIES. the last ten years. He would even point the gentleman The bill to repeal the Tonnage Duties upon ships and to the political elements of this House, and request him vessels of the United States, and upon certain foreign vesto say at what points he discovered the principles of re-sels, was then taken up. pulsion or cohesion; or, judging the present state of par- Mr. CAMBRELENG said he regretted that, when this ties here, as compared with the same state of parties in question was formerly under consideration, gentlemen had this House four years ago, what guarantee he would re-given it a tariff direction, with which it had no connexion quire to ensure their continuance in their present state of whatever. He thought that when properly understood it adhesion for the next four years to come? Look [said he] would encounter less opposition. As a question of taxaat the parties which existed here at a comparatively recent tion, it was not worth disputing about; it was, however, period. He would not say they were broken up, but he important that it should be repealed, on account of its would say that new amalgamations had taken place. Such very inconvenient operation on that portion of our navigacircumstances, such singular changes and mutations, tion which was not in existence when the tonnage duty was should operate on all public men as a warning in success, imposed. Our Northern and Northeastern frontiers were as a lesson in adversity. then a wilderness; and we had no navigation on our lakes Mr. B. said, the editors to whom he had just alluded nor in Maine. Florida belonged to Spain, and Louisiana to furnished a striking instance in illustration of his argu-France. We had no navigation of a coasting character with ment; who, and they least of all, could have supposed, Cuba and the Islands in the neighborhood, or the Gulf during the progress of the last war, when the friends of of Mexico. The tonnage duty was designed to apply partitheir country found their best defence in the editorial co-cularly to our distant Atlantic trade; but, in consequence lumns of the Intelligencer; when they stood as a watch-of the settlement of the country, and the great increase word to patriotism, urging the timid to resistance, and the of our trade in our immediate vicinity, it operated very inbrave to noble daring; when they stood as a beacon so conveniently and oppressively on various branches of nabright as to have attracted and drawn on themselves the vigation which have lately sprung into existence. Every vindictive enmity of the public enemies of the country; time one of our vessels crossed a river, a bay, or lake, on when, upon the occupation of the capital, that enmity our frontier, or the Gulf of Mexico, and returned to the burst forth in the destruction of their printing establish- United States, this tonnage duty was levied. The commitment, and the very means by which they sought to ope- tee to which he belonged being sensible of the necessity rate on the latent patriotism of their country was scattered of removing this heavy tax on our lake trade, had, last to the winds of heaven; who, he repeated, could then have year, reported a bill to remedy the evil; the same inconsupposed that the elevation of him who had been the right venience was, however, felt to the South as in the North arm and armor of our defence, should be marked by the an1 the simple remedy would be to repeal the tonnage simultaneous prostration of those editors and their press! duty altogether, as it was insignificant in amount, and not Let gentlemen think of these things, and let them consi- required by the Government. His attention had been reder, too, that the past events of the country should incul- cently called to the arrivals at Genesee, on Lake Ontario, cate the necessity of forbearance and mutual forgiveness. for some years past; and the effect of the very different He would frankly state that the recent course of the print policy of Britain and America was manifest. In 1823, the conducted by the persons he had alluded to, had not been average American tonnage, entering and clearing at that such as to meet with his approbation; but such also had port, was about seven hundred and fifty; British, seven been the case, four years ago, with other prints, the con-hundred and ten. In 1828, American, about one thousand duct of which now, was entitled to his warmest concur- seven hundred; British, three thousand four hundred tons. rence. That circumstance warned him not to let his poli- It was an extraordinary circumstance that, in our own port, tical feelings influence his decision in the present case. the British tonnage doubled ours. This was partially owMr. B. concluded by saying there was but one other ing to the free trade system established on the other side, point to which he desired to call the attention of the but in some measure to the very inconvenient operation House. It was the resolution of 1812, directing the distri- of the duty which it was now proposed to repeal. He did bution of copies of all the public documents to the seve-not contend for the repeal of this duty on account of its ral State Governments, judicial courts, and learned institu- being a heavy burthen on our Atlantic navigation, employtions, down to the present period; and by stating that the ed in our commerce with Europe. He would not magnireprinting of the documents previous to that time, as pro- fy it into an importance which it did not merit. It was idle vided for by this resolution, was necessary to fill up the to talk of this insignificant tax, when our navigation was chasm in the legislative history of the country. He had so heavily oppressed in various other ways, and to an imconsumed more time than he had anticipated or desired; measurable extent. It was the trade in our vicinity on but thus much it had been incumbent on him to say. He which it operated most heavily, and which should be recould have wished to have done more justice to the cause lieved from its burthen. A tonnage duty, moreover, which he advocated, but should rest contented if he had ought not to exist, as a mere matter of policy. It was origiven to it a reasonable defence; more he had not expect-ginally imposed, with our internal taxes, from necessity, ed to accomplish. and would have been repealed with them, if it had not Mr. HAMILTON, after a few prefatory remarks in re- probably escaped the attention of Congress; for it was in ference to an amendment which he had prepared, and which its nature essentially an internal tax. He was not surhe read, but which the SPEAKER declared not to be in prised that gentlemen opposed any and every proposition order, moved to lay the resolution, together with the to touch the tariff at this session; and if he could consiamendment of the gentleman from New York [Mr. WARD] der this as in any manner a tariff question, he would on the table; on which resolution he demanded the yeas most cordially unite with the gentlemen of the South in and nays. They were ordered accordingly; and being postponing its consideration till the next session. It was taken, stood as follows: yeas, 68--nays, 85. for this reason that he had regretted that the gentleman So the House refused to lay the resolution on the table. from Maine [Mr. SPRAGUE] had ever moved the tea quesMr. HOFFMAN then obtained the floor, among many tion; being satisfied, from the commencement, that no gentlemen who had risen, and addressed the House in op- such bill would be passed during this session, and concurposition to the resolution; and having continued his re-ring entirely, with the gentlemen opposed to the tariff, H. OF R.] Tonnage Duties. FEB. 26, 1829. that all such questions should be deferred till the next M. said he meant ship building. Here was one of the session. He should then most heartily unite with them in most important manufactures of the nation. No branch procuring a reduction of our taxes, and in effecting a ge- of American employment was so completely shielded by neral revision of a tariff odious to every part of the Union. legislative protection as this. You will not allow a foreign He trusted we then should be able to obtain an equal and built vessel, which retains one original plank in her conjust tariff, based on national ground, and that, when thus struction, to enjoy the character of an American vessel. revised, it would remain undisturbed for at least twenty Will the honorable gentleman, in his promised revision of years to come. But this bill had no connexion with the the tariff, surrender the protection now afforded to the tariff, and was too insignificant in its amount, and in its American ship builder? Perhaps the honorable gentleeffects, to be involved in any way in the great question man would be willing, in the great national revision of the which would be agitated in the next Congress, as to a re- tariff, to allow foreign built vessels to be adopted into our duction of our duties on imposts, to the amount of some commercial marine. We shall know in due time. millions. This bill ought not to be postponed on that ac- The next objection to the bill, which should be noticed, count, while the continuance of the tonnage duty operat-was, that it should be preserved till another session, that ed so injuriously. The character of this tax is national; its influence might be employed to aid operations against it is not more interesting to one than to another interest or the tariff--the awful tariff--the abominable tariff. section. Though levied upon navigation, it is paid by all, is queer legislation, to say the least. Mr. M. said that he and it is the interest of all to unite in its repeal. believed gentlemen, who adopted this sentiment, were loud This Mr. MALLARY expressed himself decidedly favorable in their charges of management in procuring the tariff of to the bill under consideration. It was due to the existing last year. This measure, then, is to be kept in reserve, circumstances attending the navigation of the country. to bring assistance in future operations against the tariff. That was depressed. It had to struggle on the element Mr. M. said he could never consent to such a course of common to all nations. By the tariff of last year, addition- proceeding. He was for meeting the question frankly al duties were imposed on hemp and iron, so essential in and fairly on its own merits. But, [said Mr. M.] as it is the construction of vessels. The producers of both were avowed that this measure should be kept in reserve for fubenefited. The present operation may be, in some de-ture operations; as it is expected it might bring in some gree, injurious to ship building, although it will be gene-reinforcement, in the contemplated warfare against the rally advantageous to the country at large, and, in the end, protection of domestic industry, certainly the friends of beneficial to navigation itself. Some oppose it, because the tariff should not hear this with indifference. They they imagine the spirit of the tariff attends it. How, or in should promptly remove the danger which threatens them. what shape, none have been yet able to describe. If it They should never lend their aid to sharpen a dagger dedid involve any tariff principle, [Mr. M. said] it would signed for their own bosoms. Let us improve the warncertainly be no cause of alarm to him. But there is no ta- ing we have received, and not allow ourselves to be riff doctrine involved in the question--by this we mean guilty of a crime nearly allied to self immolation. the imposition of duties on foreign productions, for the Mr. M. said he had but a few more words to add. We purpose of encouraging domestic industry, to promote have been repeatedly told, from various quarters, that domestic employment in preference to foreign. That is soon we might expect an entire revolution in the domestic the substance. What domestic interest does the tax on economy of this country; that the system which had been navigation promote? None at all. What is the benefit? raised by such steady and constant exertions, and which A pitiful saving to your treasury. On whom must it was every day affording demonstration of its value to the eventually operate? As has been often said, it must ope- nation, was soon to be laid prostrate. This [Mr. M. said] rate on those who employ it, or, rather, on those whose he was not prepared to believe. The policy of protecting productions are conveyed and transported. Navigation domestic industry is settled. It cannot be shaken. It is produces no income, only when engaged for the benefit of incorporated, it is firmly blended, with the political instiothers. The farmer and manufacturer have a deep inte- tutions of the country. The people will defend it. No adrest in the question. They, of course, are benefited, in ministration dare recommend its abandonment. No adminproportion as the charges of transportation are diminish-istration, composed of whom it might be, could stand a ed. There is no more reason for taxing a ship that car-moment, if it should declare itself hostile to the protecries sugar from New Orleans to New York, than for taxing tion of domestic industry. Mr. SAWYER demanded the yeas and nays, and they were ordered by the House. a wagon on the Cumberland road, or any other, transport- The debate was terminated by Mr. SPRAGUE, who ing the productions of the farmer to market. But it demanded the previous question. The demand was susis not only the tax which is an unnecessary burthen; the tained by the House; ayes 71-noes 50. regulations are embarrassing; they are injurious to all, and useful to none. They have been fully explained by others. Suppose [said Mr. M.] that the mercantile and The previous question was then put, and decided in the navigating interests alone should derive any advantage affirmative by yeas and nays, as follows: yeas 98-nays 74. from the proposed measure, he would with the highest sa- The main question was then put, in these words: "Shall tisfaction sustain it. It could not possibly do any injury; this bill pass?" and decided in the affirmative by yeas and it would confer a benefit. No member had more cheer-nays, as follows: fully sustained the rights and interests of the merchant YEAS-Messrs. Samuel C. Allen, John Anderson, Saand navigator, on all occasions, than he had, unless the muel Anderson, Archer, Bailey, Noyes Barber, Barker, support of the tariff may be an exception. But even this, he was confident, would not prove an exception. Barney, Barringer, Bartlett, Bartley, I. C. Bates, E. Bates, Beecher, Blake, Brown, Bryan, Bunner, Burges, Butman, Mr. M. said he fully agreed with the honorable gentle- Cambreleng, Chase, Coulter, Crowninshield, John Davenman from New York, [Mr. CAMBRELENG] who had just port, John Davis, De Graff, Dickinson, Dorsey, Drayton, taken his seat, that this was no tariff question. But he Dwight, Everett, Findlay, Fort, Gorham, Gurley, Hall, tells us that he hoped soon to see a grand revision of the Harvey, Healey, Hodges, Hunt, Ingersoll, Johnson, Johns, tariff; that we should have a real national tariff. What Little, Locke, Long, Mallary, Markell, Martindale, Marhave we now? It was called a grand national tariff last vin, McIntire, McLean, Merwin, Miller, Miner, Newton, session. Mr. M. said he would repeat that he concurred O'Brien, Owen, Pearce, Phelps, Pierson, Plant, Ramsey, with the honorable gentleman in the declaration that this J. F. Randolph, Reed, Richardson, Sergeant, Shepperd, was no tariff question. But there was another subject Sinnickson, Sloane, O. H. Smith, Sprague, Stanbery, connected with it, in which the tariff is concerned. Mr. Stewart, Storrs, Stower, Strong, Swann, Swift, Suther FEB. 27 to MARCH 2, 1829.] Military Road in Maine.-Cumberland Road. land, Taliaferro, Taylor, Tracy, Ebenezer Tucker, Van NAYS-Messrs. Addams, Alexander, Robert Allen, Al- FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1829. [H. OF R. resisted, a very unpleasant condition might be the consequence. Mr. OWEN was in favor of the amendment, and thought that a declaration by this House, that it was inexpedient to authorize the President to construct this road, might bb construed into a waiver of our right to the territory. Mr. DRAYTON took the opposite side. He had received no information which went to show that this road was needed, and saw no good result, but, on the contrary, many evils, that might ensue from it. Mr. SPRAGUE defended the amendment with much earnestness; and the question being taken, it was carried. Mr. SERGEANT then moved the following amendment: Strike out from the resolution of the Committee, from the word "Resolved," to the words “cause to be surveyed,” and insert, "That the President of the United States be, and he hereby is, authorized, if he shall deem it necessary for maintaining the rights, and not inconsistent with the engagements of the United States, to." The amendment was agreed to. Mr. MERCER proposed to strike out the word "miliA debate on a bill having relation to the Arkansas Ter-tary," where it occurs before the word "road;" but the ritory, and another on the bill for holding treaties with the amendment was lost. Cherokee and Pottawattamy Indians, consumed nearly the whole of this day's sitting. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1829. MILITARY ROAD IN THE STATE OF MAINE. The Committee on Foreign Affairs having reported the bill from the Senate "making appropriations for continuing the road from Detroit to Chicago," &c. with a resoIntion that it was inexpedient to insert an appropriation to cnable the President to construct a military road from Mars Hill, in the State of Maine, through the territory now in dispute between the United States and Great Britain, on our Northern frontier. The bill was then ordered to its third reading. MONDAY, MARCH 2, 1829. THE CUMBERLAND ROAD. The Cumberland road bill was returned from the Senate with amendments, which went to strike out all that part of the bill which provides for the erection of toll gates. Mr. MERCER moved that this House do disagree to the amendments of the Senate. Mr. STEWART earnestly opposed this motion. If the House disagree, the appropriation will be lost, and the road become impassable. He read a letter from the Postmaster General, showing that the mail and travel were Mr. SPRAGUE moved to amend the report, by strik-last spring frequently forced off the road, through farms. ing out the word "inexpedient," and inserting the word The friends of the road had done all they could to get up "expedient," and supported the motion by a speech of gates, but had failed. This money would now do more considerable length, in which he insisted on the policy and good than double the amount a year hence. To reject the expediency of the construction of such a road by this Go- bill would be equivalent to a vote of non-intercourse beverament, partly on account of the intrinsic necessity for tween the East and West. He described the present conthe road, and partly on the ground that such an exercise dition of the road, and entreated its friends, East and West, of sovereignty on the part of this Government over the to concur in the amendments of the Senate, and save the soil in question, would have a tendency to support the road from total destruction. ground we had assumed in our negotiations with respect to that territory, and would show that we had no intention of weakening or abandoning our claim. Mr. EVERETT supported the amendment, expressing it to be the opinion of a majority of the Committee that, although it was inexpedient to enjoin it upon the Execu tive, yet it was proper to allow the President a discretion on the subject, and to provide the means of making the road, if he should consider that policy dictated that course. Mr. ANDERSON, of Maine, took the same view, adverting to the fact that Great Britain was continually exercising acts of sovereignty in that district of country, and that, unless the United States should perform some act in support of her claim, our interest might suffer in the arbitration to which the whole subject had been referred. Mr. STORRS opposed any farther appropriation for the repair of the road, unless gates should be allowed, as the means of providing for keeping it in repair. Mr. BARNEY took the same ground as Mr. STEWART. Mr. WILDE now moved that the bill and amendments be indefinitely postponed. On which motion, Mr. STEWART demanded the yeas and nays. Mr. MERCER insisted upon the ground he had formerly taken, and opposed the indefinite postponement of the bill. Mr. BATES, of Massachusetts, was opposed to the postponement, and as much so to the appropriation without the provision for gates and toll. Mr. THOMPSON now moved to lay the bill on the table; on which motion Mr. HUNT demanded the yeas and nays, and the motion was negatived: yeas, 43nays, 94. Mr. MALLARY was in favor of receding, and against the indefinite postponement. Mr. WILDE having withdrawn his motion for indefinite postponement, and Mr. TAYLOR was opposed to the amendment, holding it to be inconsistent with at least the spirit of the agreement this Government had entered into with Great Britain, not to do any act which would alter the state of the territory in question pending the arbitration to which both parties had agreed to submit. The making of this road could have no effect in strengthening our title, which, indeed, Mr. BUCHANAN having offered an amendment prorequired no such aid, being perfectly clear and indisputa- posing to invest the President of the United States with ble; and as the road mentioned in the bill was declared to power to make an arrangement with the States of Pennbe a military road, the act might be understood as amount-sylvania, Maryland, and Virginia, for the erection of gates ing to something like a threat, and should the survey be and collection of toll, VOL. V.-49 H. OF R.] Reprinting of Public Documents. [MARCH 3, 1829. Mr. WASHINGTON now demanded the previous ques- Congress a minute statement of their proceedings in retion. lation to the fund. This requisition certainly calls for a A conversation now ensued, as to the effect of the pre- document practically useful to ascertain the progress of the vious question under these circumstances, between Messrs. fund. It is fair to suppose that these commissioners have P. P. BARBOUR, BUCHANAN, MERCER, and GOR-made their report in as perfect and useful a form as any HAM; when other of the public documents. It is believed that the Mr. BUCHANAN claimed the floor, as having been document will bear a comparison with many others. Yet improperly deprived of it when the previous question was demanded. The SPEAKER apprehending that an error had inadvertently happened, decided that the gentlemen from Pennsylvania should proceed. such are the imperfections of this document, that you cannot ascertain or state from it, for scarcely a single year, perhaps for more, the amount of prize money paid in for the use of the fund; the amount of bank dividends accrued; the actual amount of pension money which became due to pensioners for any one year; nor the operation of any one act granting pensions. The document is, in my judgment, entirely worthless, though I believe its reprinting would fill several hundred pages. Mr. BUCHANAN than said, he felt as friendly as any gentleman in the House to the appropriation of money for the extension of the Cumberland road to the Missis sippi. He would state the single reason why he felt himself compelled-he would say reluctantly compel I ask the attention of the House to the papers which led-to vote against this bill. The House had recently accompany this report. The first is a list of the pendetermined that they would keep the Cumberland road in sioners, not as they have been for the year then past, nor as repair by erecting toll gates upon it, under the authority they probably will be for the year current at the time, but of the Federal Government. As long as the pretension as they are on the first day of the year, without distinguishcontinued to be set up, which he believed to be both ing who were placed on the roll during the past year, or dangerous and unconstitutional, he could not, nor would extricating any probable increase or reduction during the not, vote for the construction of any road intended, after year. The name of the person, the rank of the disabled its completion, to be thus placed under the jurisdiction of or deceased, the monthly and annual amount of the penthe United States. Mr. VANCE opposed the amendments, on the ground that the House could not authorize the President to do what it had decided itself to have no right to do. Mr. V. then demanded the previous question, which was sustained by the House, and the yeas and nays were demanded by Mr. FORWARD, and ordered. The main question was finally put, as follows: Will the House disagree to the amendments of the Senate to this bill? And decided by yeas and nays, as follows: Yeas, 52-nays, 80. So the House refused to disagree, and thereby the Senate's amendments were agreed to. TUESDAY, MAnen 3, 1829. REPRINTING OF PUBLIC DOCUMENTS. Mr. BARRINGER moved that the House resume the unfinished business, being the resolution relative to the reprinting of certain documents. On this question the yeas and nays were ordered. Mr. TRÉZVANT moved to lay the resolution on the table; and On this question the yeas and nays were ordered, on the call of Mr. HAMILTON. sion; without specifying when, or under what act, the pensioner was placed on the roll. Hence, it is impossible, by this statement, to determine the amount of pension money actually accrued in any year, or the practical operation of any one of the pension acts. Such a list can scarcely deserve to be a part of this required minute statement. Another of these papers is the statement of the bank stocks belonging to the fund. Here you will find the nominal amount and actual cost of the stocks; but the dividends on these stocks do not appear even to have been stated until the present year; yet they were purchased far above par. Some of these stocks, it is understood, have become worthless by insolvency of the banks; yet, I am not able to find any statement of this fact at any time, in the report. It may, but I do not believe it has, escaped me. The list of warrants drawn by the Secretary of the Navy, on the treasurer of the fund, sometimes specifies the purpose for which the money is drawn; sometimes it does not: and in no instance is it alleged that the money has been actually applied to the purpose for which it was drawn. The statement of the United States' stocks belonging to the fund is perhaps less defective than the other papers; it exhibits the kinds and amounts of stock hekl, the time during which the interest accrued--the amount of interests--the stocks purchased and reimbursed; but it does not, for many years, (I believe it once did) specify the com mission or premium on the purchases of these stocks, nor when these purchases were made. The profit or loss of these transactions cannot, therefore, be stated from it. Last of all is the account of the commissioners with the Mr. HOFFMAN said, an examination into the nature of treasurer of the fund. This may state truly his accountathe public documents, the printing of which was proposed bility, but contains nothing minute as to the operations of by the resolution, had satisfied him that their reprinting the fund. The debits are the list of warrants which I could not be ordered without great injury to the House just now described, with any balance which might remain and the country, unless they were first examined and pro- in the treasurer's hands. If the other credits from which perly arranged. I have been compelled, rather reluctantly, this is made be uncertain, then all the credits are so, for [said Mr. H.] I confess, to examine some of these the credits in the accounts do not affect to state the sources documents, and I find many of them useless, and others, from which the money is derived. Nor can you state perfectly worthless. The reprinting of such would be a from it whether the money arose from the sale of prizes, waste of the public money; and their voluminous nature from interest on stocks, dividends on bank stocks, or rewould retard research, and injure that legislation they are imbursement of the principal of United States' stocks. designed to aid. A careful revision and abridgment of No skill at guessing will help you out here; coincidence in them might be worth reprinting. Mr. WRIGHT moved the previous question. Mr. HOFFMAN asserted his right to the floor, as he was cut short in his observations by the expiration of the hour. [The remarks of Mr. H. on the three successive days, as reported, are subjoined:] As a sample of these documents, and not an unfair one, I beg leave to introduce to the consideration of the House the annual report of the Commissioners of the Navy Pension Fund. The act of April, 1800, required the commissioners, in the first week of every session, to lay before amounts may aid you some; but as the time of purchasing the stocks is not always stated, you cannot determine how long the money lay uninvested, or what losses are sustained from this cause. Such, sir, are a few of the defects in this document. As I have said before, I believe it as perfect as most of the |