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Tvrenty-fiSih Congress-
FIRST SESSION*
IN SENATE,
Monday Sept. 18, 1837.
IS SU E O F TREA S U R V NOT E S.
The bill to authorize the Secreta
ry of the Treasury to issue 'Treasu
ry notes being taken up for a third
reading—
AHL GALHOUN rose and ad
dressed the Senate.
He remarked that he desired the
aid of the supporters of the admira
tion to carry his measure, for without
it nothing could be carried. If he
could see his way as clear as the
light of Heaven, he would not trust
the execution of a measure to unwil
ling hands.
With respect to relief for the coun
try: H c owed money, audit must
be paid, au 1 relief only would come
in time, and by frugality and indus
try. lie reg- rded the growing crops
ol cotton m Aibama, Louisiana and
Mississippi, am the rice and tobac
co crops, as principally calculated to
bring about reh fto the country.
After a few other remarks, Mr. C.
offered the following proposition:
Sec. And be it/urifier enacted, 'That
from ami after the first daj oi Janua
ry, eighteen hundred and tmi ty- ight
three fourths oft he amount due to the
Government, for duties, taxes, sales
of the public lands, or other debts,
may be paid in the notes of sppecie
paying banks; and that from and af
ter the first day ot January, eighteen
hundred and forty, one fourth; and
from and alter the first day of Jaiiua
ary, eighteen hundred and forty-one
all sums due, for duties, sales oi pub- 1
lie lands, or other debts to the Gov
ernment, shall be paid only in the le
gal currency of tiie tailed States,
or n. such notes, bills, or paper issu-;
cd under the authority oi the same,!
as may be directed to be received by
law.
MIL BENTON said he fully con
curred in the object oi the amend-'
incut. He then offered tiie follow
ing amendment, and moved that it be (
printed, together wdii the proposi-j
lion offered by Mr. Calhoun, &. laid
on the table; which was agreed to. j
Sv.c.And be it further emu ted, That
the collection ami disbursement of
the revenues shall continue to be
made in the kinds of money directed
by existing laws, until the of
next; from ami after which time all
the revenues of the United tates,
and of the General Post office, ami
all payments to them, shall be re
ceived in gold and silver coin only,
exempt in cases in whiJi Treasury'
notes, or land scrip, may be leceivy
able by law; ami on ail payments so
made ni gold com, a discount of one
per cent shall be allowed in favor of
the payer. And, from and after the
same day, every officer or agent en
gaged in making disbursements on,
account, of the United States, or of'
the General Post Office, shall make
all payments in gold and silver com
only, or in Treasury notes when au-i
thorized by law; and any receiving!
or disbursing officer, or agent, who
shall neglect, evade, or violate, this
provision shall forfeit all coinpun
satiou which may then be due him.
Slc. And be it further enacted, That
it shall be tin' duty of the secretary ■
of the Treasury to prescribe regula
tions to enforce the speed) presenta
tion of all Government drafts tor pay
ment at the place where payable;
in case of unreasonable dela\ in such
presentation, pay oflhe draft so dt -
la\ ed may be .made at oth< r place
within the limits ofthe United states.
MR. BENTON also oftered the.
following bill, which was laid on the
table and ordered t be printed:
A BILE to re-estahd>h ife* cur
rency ot the ( onstUu! utl fort!
Federal Govennent.
De it enacted by the Senate Hanse
RfDr.sentaiires < f the l’nited States (if.i.ur
i-i Cong i css assembled, fiiit batik nous
and paper currency of every descrip
tion shall cease to be received, or
offered in payment, on account of
the U. s., or ofthe Post Office, or in
fees in the court- of the U. \, as fol
lows, of less denomination than
twenty dollars, none after the third
iday of March, eighteen hundred &
‘thirty seven; of less denommatio.i
'than fifty dollars, none after the thiro
(day of March eighteen hundred a.id
:thirty eight; of fess' denomination
jthan one hundred dollars, none after
the third day of March, eighteen
hundred and thirty nine; of less de
nomination than five hm ire i foliar*
(none after tiie third day of .larch,
! eighteen hu.idre I an I forty, of less i
(denomination than one too isa.i.l do.-
dars, none after the thir iday of dan h
I eighteen hundred and forty one; a.c.l I
|none of any denomination from and:
i after third day of larch, eighteen
;hundred and forty two.
j Sec 2. ind be it furltiei enacted. Th i ;
,)any person holding map oi.it neat
under the laws of tne United . itatt s,
and any bank employed to Keep pub
lic moneys, which person or banks
' employed to keep public moneys,
[which person or bank snail neglect,
leva ie, violate, contravene, or in any
p'way elude, the prows; ms of this act
I shall be guilty o. an oiicticu agai rd
the laws: a*i 1 the per*o = s > oife.id. ig
j shall be liasde to oe limi sse! Iro n
•the service, and the bank so often I-
‘ ing shall, on satisfactory i liomnation
be discontiued as a depository ol
public moneys.
'' After some further proceedings,
■ the questio i was taken on the en
: groosedmcnt oi the oil! bv yeas mid
' nays, and decided as follows:
YEAS—Messrs. Allen, Bayard,
Benton, Black, Brown, Buchanan,
< alhoun, Clay of Ala , Clayton, Ful
ton, Grundy, Hubbard, Kent, King;
lof Alabama, King of Geo., K night,!
Lyon, McKean, Morris, sichols, |
j Niles, Norwell, Fierce, Rieves,
: Roane, Robbins, Ruggles, Seveir,
( Smith of Connecticut, smith of I idi
aua, strange, *• wist, Tall n edge. Tip
ton, W alker, Wall, Webster, W.ulc,'
j Williams, Wright and V > nig—l3.
NAY desses. ( id*, oi Ken-;
tucky, Critenden, Freston, southard
and Spence—s.
Ou motion of Mr. WRIGH T, the;
the senate adjourned.
I
i IN>E.X\ E.
lui : a 19-
I ?.|R. CLAY, of AU nma, laid on
the table a resolution < a li ig on the
1 secretary of the Treasur. ibr certain
information concerning the sales ol
the Public Lauds.
The following bills were rea 1 a
third time and passed.
A bill to mthorisc the issuing
Treasury Notos.
A bill to exo nJ the time for tiie
payment ol Rex earn* loads
A bill to adj >t tne remaining
claims on the Heoosite Banks.
. L_
IN SENATE.
V EDSES n AY ‘V ' pt <■ rulipi 20.
Several memorial* were presided
remon>trating agam*t the umexation
ol 'Texas to the Lhm d talcs, b\
.Mr. swift, Mr. Niles an I Ur. Wall,
all of which w'ere laid on the table.
Mr. WRI HIT, from the c unmit
tee on finance, to whom the subject
was referred a bill to remit the dil
lties on certain goods de>tr)ved bv
the fire in New 1 ork, which was
read and ordered to a second read
ing.*
A resolution offered vesterdav bv
‘ Mr. WAI.KER, ref erring it to the
( Coniittee on Commerce to inquire
into the expediency of establishing
ports of entry at \ icksbug &, Grand
«ulf, was taken up and on motion
I of .Mr. IIGBBAIU) ua- laid cu the
table' with the understanding that
there would be no a lion o i gener
al subjects during this extra session.
The resolution oftered yesterday;
by r CL\Y, of \la. calling for
information ou the subject ot public
lands. as taken up and agreed to.
SUB n<E\<UKY sYsrr.M
The bill imposing ad htional du
ti 'as depositaries o; t < • ouonc mo
ne\ in certain otficci.* was taken up
and read a second tunc.
Mr. < YLHOL N then moved to
amend the bill by iutrodn-i.ig a new
section.
.Mr. WRIGHT suggested a mod
ification; w Inch w as accepted by Mr.
Calhoun, and the aimuidmeut was of
fered i:. the follow ing from.—
—.And be further enacted,!
that from and alter tiie Ist day of
January, 1838, three-fourths of the
unount due to gover nnetr , lor du
ties, taxes, safes oi punlic lands, or
other debts, may be recivu I m the
notes of specie paving banks; and
that from and after the Ist day of Jan
uary f S39, one half may be so re
ceived; and from and after die Ist
day of January, 1819, one fourth; &
fro n and after the Ist day ofJauua
y, 181*2, all sums due for duties,
i s ties of public lands, or other debts
ofthe governnfent, an i all ‘ayme.it<
to di : General Post Office, sh.dl be
(pail in rohl a id silver coin only, or
lin such riotes, bills, or pap r, ssued
(under the authority ofthe U. S., as
i may be directed to be received by
[’•aw. And from aid after the Ist
January, 1841, all, officers or distur
bing agents engaged m uaki ig dis
bursement-, on account ofthe (J.
or General PostGffi.ee, shall malic
ail their payments in gold and silver
only, or in such notes, bills or paper
asshall be authorzed by law. iny
receiver or disbursing oilfeer who
shall neglect so to (io, shall 1) dis
misse from service and for e;t ah
considerations then due to i n.’
Mr. C GJiOUN call d for the
yeas and nays on his amend lent, Al
, they were ordered.
i Air. NILES then gave at legth his
views of the sub-treasury system.
( Mr. SMITH, of Indiana, then
i rose to reply and tiie senate adjourn
ed.
HOUSE OF REPRESENT \ I IVES,
i'uesd.iv. ’ 19.
Mr. IDA Ms asked leave to oftei
j a r{i*oiulioij, w’hich was read, as .ol-
I* low's:
“ Resolved, That the power of an
nexing the People o any in I. pen
dent foreign state to thi> Union is a
power not dalegated by the C »n
--:s’itutio:i ofthe United “tat s to their
(Congress, or to any D *p irtnent of
their Government, but reserved to
(the People.
I Objections being made, Mr. A.
'moved the suspension of the rule,
, which was refused, an I the motion to
suspend was rejected.
Many petitio is in lelation to tax
e> and the urr nev cr.- .resented.
!m*eque t itiy, the M t s having
been calico lor r >bmo .s, Vlr. A.)-
\ 1$ oiiered tne a >ov ■ re -oluiio;i,
and it was on his iimeoa iai I on the
table.
Mr. T\ IAE .!!!{;> offered a
r soln i >.i caliiug to ■ i.i ,: n itmn a>
to lhe qua uii\ o: di r’-re it Kinds o!
(irai ; i nporie I during Hr* Inst mi i
presi.it xears, vhicli was tgree i to.
i Mr. i’A TiON oilmen a resolu
tion calling on the Presid nt for all
the correspondent e relihve to tne
w'iihdrawal ot ion. Scott from his
co nriand :u Florida, and tiie subse
quent court -naiiial, 6cc.—Lies one
(lay.
Mr. M oftered a resolution
for thr appointment of a select com
mittee, by ballot, with po v. rtoscml
for persons and papers, to investi
gate the cause of the disasters A' ex
penses ofthe Floridawar.
After some debate, Mr \V’. modi
fied lhe resolution <o as to embrace
an inquiry into the course ofthe war
and to enable the committee to sit
during to recces.
'The house without taking the
question on the resolution, passed to
the order* of the day.
The bill to postpone the fmrth in
stalment ol the Depositcs was taken
np,and
Mr. BELL spoke in opposition to
it for two hours.
HOUSE <>F IIEPKI SEN f ATIVES.
W ♦ ds, S e;.’ > 20
After the presentation ol memori
als against the annex.ttio.i of Texas.
Mr. C \MBR ELiiN (i, from the
Committee on Wax s and .Means,
reported the .Senate bill lor the issue
of I reasurx notes, xvith an a nerid
ment, increasing the amount to ten
'bilious and a naif. —Comrmtt. d.
.Mr. C. also reported the senate
bills to p >tpone the duty bonds for
nine moth*; and to a ljust the claims
ot the Government upon die late
Deposit./ B mk>, w ithout amendment
and they xvere coininittud.
B \NKRUPT \C T.
Mr. Bl:hd*il put an interroga
jtory to the (.'hairman of the Commit
tee of the Judiciary. Did that Com- ■
H mittee intend to report a Bankrupt
■jßill atthis session?—4'*, if so, would
’[the bill be reported conflict with the
jopi.non of tiie present Executive,
; who when a senator said that it was
i unconstitutional to pass a bankrupt
law extending to persons other than
1 merchants an I bankers.
Ms-. THO’H is, ia reply, said that
tie committee had postponed theii j
determination whether to report a,
i bill at tiiis session or not, until it ap-;
i o; aivd whether the session was to ’
I
'c ) itimie. Tne committee would
' meet to morrow and determine up- (
Ton this subject, but he would not!
> predict what their opinion would be'
das to the details ofthe bill, should
i they report one.
■j FLORID \ W YR
Tiie House resumed the consi ler
• aiio.i of the resolution yesterday of
‘ sere I by 4r. Wish, for the appoint
' [m nt ofa select Committee to inves
'' ligate the causes of die delays and
’ i failures of the Florida war, and, after
; some debate in which ue-srs. Hal
, > y, Cushing, and Wise took part
1 > conclusion xvas arrived at, when
Hhe hour for tne consideration of rcs
- 3; oi itions expired.
deposit
The House went into Committee
s ofthe Whole, ( tr. Hxynes in the
hair) and resumed die cousidera
-1 ti .• .• >f the bill ibr the pospo lenient
-1 ofthe fourth instalment.
Messrs. Cambkelkng, U.xdkr
xvood, Duncan, Garland, of Penn
svlva, and Biddle spoke on the
j. i .s 11 bj ec t.
- ’ xtr. Pickens moved to amend the
bill so as to postpone the instalment
ff (ill the Ist of January. 1839, instead
. of postponing it indefinitely.
T Without comingto any conclusion,
. the House adjourned.
G HOUSE OF REPIIEsENFATIVES.
i ; I'litirsday. September 21.
) BANKRUPT LAW.
Mr. Thomas, from the committee
, on the Judiciary, reported a resolu
tion which was this morning adopted
i by that committee, viz. Resolved
that it is inexpedient for this commit
. tee to report a bill for a b»n<rti )t
law at the special ses-io.i of Con
gress.
:r FLORID \ WAR.
The House resum d tiie consid
. oration of the resolution heretofore
oft*, rod by Mr. Wise, for lhe ap
( ;»oi itrmmt of a select Committee Ay
b i tot, to enquire imo the iimormo'ts
expenditures of the Florida War, <Scc.
Hr. Glasscock moved a subs, it nt e
! -.liking out the xvords “by ballot.” Jy
the works auth it ising lhe committee i
to sit during the recess.
\;r. Hoxvard, of Md. moved to;
amend the amendments so as to
substitute tiie standing committee.'
on 'I i itary A fairs for a select commit
tee which motion lie advocated at
some legth.
After some further conversation,!
without coming to any conciiiM » i,
the House went to the orders ofthe
d iy.
The bill postponing the Fourth In
stalment was taken up in committee
of the xvhole, mid Loomis,
ol Ohio, Jones, of V a. \ i’hfrton of
\ a. and others spoke on the subject
but no question was taken.
11l PORT OF THE POST M\STER GENEKAE.
I’oiT Office Department, I
September 4, 1837. j
Su lmmediately after the suspension o
specie paytnen's liv 'I • ba. ks nt New Ymk,
in .May lasi, a circular was sent out, dire< utig
ail postmasters wh<» had li en instructed io
<i( p.»site lhe pioceeds ol their offices tn bniks,
tu letatn them in specie to meet the diafis of
the department.
l .i those who had been in-bincied to pay
directly to conlraetwrs, another circular w is ’
s nt, reminding tn» m of their duties and lia
bilities in reference to ihe moneys to be re
ceived and paid bv tjn tn un ler existing laws.
Instructions have recently been prepared
J.reeling ihe tn inner in winch returns of cash
..ii hand are 10-reaf • r to be made to die depart
tnent, and fuitndding the loaning or use of Hie
moneys bei ngtug to lhe public for any pur
pose wiiatsoever.
In relation upward, of ten thousand ol
die post <.fii es, these regulations make no
change. lhe only change effe.-ted by them
~ that about elev<m ii iu lr<-d porsiin i-'ers who
I 'iiD'‘rly deposited meir .i.co m batiks.'
weekly, mon hiy «»r quarterly, accordti'g to
; i -> am ion!, now r- am the money m ihen own
t bands till diiwtt Torby the department. io
about nine-tet>ttis of torse, the new system is j
tnoie convenient 'han .he old r, saves 'diem i
. tne trouble of going or sen.!mg to the batik, i
jaud procuring ceiuticaics of depositary ; it is
equally safe, as their entire balances will bo
draxvu for as often they a»e deposit’d ; onj
it is more < lli' i. nt, bec-mso some post masters
w!>o might m gteet to depoaite will not venture
to dishonor a dealt. j'
The ims'in.inters who will not close thmi*'
accounts quarterly, will not, probably, exceed
one hutnlretl ; -md the balances in their hands,
from quai ler to quarter, are not likely under a
proper .tdinm stratum of the department to
j exceed m or lui oy limes, one or two hundred
! tho isand doll irs As they are requ.'d io have
( heir bil .rices always readv in gold and silver,
the iiepar'ment will alw >ys have the means of
I rrieetmt! its eng igr’menis ; and if a default m
I an individual ease should o c isionall/ happen,
' no hmg like a gener il refusal to pay as in the
case of ihe lute deposits banks, is ever to be
iapprehended.
it will ever be ihe true policy of the depart
ment mu to nave a large surplus, and, conse
iqiien'ly, there will be little to entrust to the
I custody oi posttnas ets r»r others. Moreover,
I the number of post offices now instructed to
lif tun their f in.is, a all be largely reduced upon
|an adjusimem ol I he collection system to the
; mad service is arranged within lue last twelve
; il! Hi iiS.
i'hough in some places convenient, banks
I -ire not necessary to the collection and dis
-1 .nr- meat of lite funds ».f this department
In roi’-ience to mere than ten tho isand post
■ ; th ■ s, the collection and disbursements ary
I tfe ted more expeditiously and more cmiven
i u ,;I 'V with.nn the interposition of bank's, than
J '* y could be with it. The contractors who
j >re i-rethiors ol the department ; are its col
jleciors from postmasters, and the collection
j and disbars, meiit are but one operation. It
is generally eff eted in a few da.s after the
! close ol each quartet lhe operation is <ho
same where the positnas ers pay to contractors
upon tne drafts ol tin department, though it is
m >re lardy. I'ln few ffi. es m reference to
vvoicli banks are a convenience ire not likelv
. to ue absorbed Ir ‘in qu .rier to quarter bv the
_ d alts ..I the departmenl. They have gener
ally non clients or safes where the specie is
Kepi and wtih a stm t supervision and careful
ajcntioii to tiieir bmids they will seldom if
> v< r be found in def u|t.
1 he necessary transfer of funds are effected
oy in- depa.im -nt without inconvenience or
loss. On the interim mail routes, the expen
ditures is generally greater than the income;
so that ifit r Hie con ractors have received the
I entire revenue of ti>e tfi es supplied by tnem,
i balances .ire still due. I'hese balances are
!as r.iptdly pai.l ff ,»y o'r.J’is on the postmasters
: in tiie t itles v|i> re 'he surplus arises as they
.itiiij tie done by checks on banks in the same
. p' l.e ilm process is rendered th'- more
emy tioni die f .cl, (hat the beavi jst surplus
iccriK sai those points where funds Te ths
, mosi avail bl< , particularly at New York so
ttiai me dr.its of ihe Department to pav bul-
I ances in the most distant parts of ihe Union
are generally better than cash, being available
;l .i i.mrcan'ile le nittan. es. I'hus, 'hr oeces-
| -ary rmsteis < f ihe Department are reidilv
j' ed ; md a., tin, Siam of things is not
I'iv iy to cbmge, it would si Idmi?; if ever,
, m et me i>» I r the Drpai uneid m trans-
P"i s ecu' timu one point to atiwiher, if tncro
; .v is imt a batik in existauce.
( Up m th« suspension of die banks, efforts
j weie ;. ;ii m s one q i triers io compel the
Dcpar.tnimi to receive irredeemable iiu.i de
inc. iii. d pipr Im p. s ages. I.a.v, justice,
mu publii poll, v, req ■ ie,( an i H xtbh- resis
! lance of these iff.ri,. Gmd a.d silver are
Hie mil, ronsiitniional and leg d euirem'l of
Hie Uiined Stales, and mi lling, hut that e"f-
;r> n< y , or us < quiv alem, c>n t>e leg illy <df ed
'to dm p.ibhc rr diiors m p ivment. All mx -s
a.id pusiage- are imposed in this current ! ml
I ill couir.icis are made upon ns ba-.is, Lhe
piddle lal.'li c<>uld In kept, and (he public bu
s nos successfully carried mi, only bj a s net
adherence to the plain letter, us well as obvi
ous spirit ot the law.
1 ue nmleisigned i, happy to state, that all
aitempts to force dm department lo receive
di j.r ciand piper wen* soon abandoned; that
bide Jiiiu ni y has b r:n experienced in '-idh r.
•inn postages m specie, and norm where llm
, circulating of change tickets has been suc
’■♦■•..-fully lesisted ; and that the ciedit of ihc
-department has been p- 'Serve I unimpaired
'‘or is any difficulty apprehended, so long as
postages aie collected in the constuution.il
currency of the Untied States. But should
the dep. r hi nt be compelled to receive, and
•dim io its rreditms, the depie< i,iied notes
issued by hundn ds of etnban a>en, faithless,
or b t >kr»pt corporations of individuals, no
sun- calculation c hi l»e in ide as to the future;
I and tin re is reason I* apprehend t’neral dis
content, extensive failuies. and deplorable
disorganization throughout the mail « rvtce.
>'.in what .ace could the depar m<*nt insist
•n, and compel a strict performance of con
■ract obligations by contra* tors, when stupp* J
of the power topeiform the most vital part of
the coll ra< is (st* far as (he inleieSl of Iho
conltacioris concerned) on ns own part.
J .s i< e and sound policy .dike d -manti a ft m
adat rarne, in the mail service, to the shin*
u >rd <»f v.ii ie, and the basis of contracts*
prescribed by the Cousliiulion, arid hide no
H ricily mam.aioed, ( •xecpt for a saort period)
a niti't the calumnies ot war.
j Ou liie whole, no |< gislalum is necessarv t»
maiii'uin tbe credi of this department ; ot en*
uh|c ii io manage its fiscal concerns • llie ex*
Idling laws being deemed ample for those
purposes.
I have the honor to be, your obedient
sei van ,
AMOS KENDKLU
l u the President of inc United States.
The following is a synop&is of the report
t,f the *ecreoiry ol the 1 reasury liken Iron*
. die New York Journal of Commerce.
According to tt>e Treasurer’s running ac
count the whole amount of of uvmlabiu money