Newspaper Page Text
For contingent expenses of said office, tetrea hun
dred end fifty dollar*.
For compensation to (he Commieeinnen of the Ne-
*y Board, two thousand six hundred and twenty-fire
dollar* . _
For eoniponMUon to the Secretary to the Commit*
•loners of the Navy Board five hundred dnllira.
For compensation to tho clctke in the office of the
Commiaeioneix of the Navy Board, per act of the
twentieth of April, one thousand eight hundred and
eighteen, eight hundred and eighty eevnn dollaraand
titty centt
For compenaation to the clerke and draftsmen in
eaidoffice, per act of twenty-sixth of May, one thou-
aand eight bundled and twenty-four, one tbouaand
dollar*
For additional compensation to one clerk in snid
office, per act of the second of March, one thou-
eand eight hundred and twenty seven, fifty dollars
For compensation to the messenger in eaid of
fice, in full of all allowances, one hundred and seven
ty-five dollars.
For contingent expensei of said office, four hund
red and fifty dollars •
For allowance to the Superintendent and four
watchmen, employed for the security of the War
and Navy Buildings, and for the incidental and con
tingent expenses, including nil, candles, fuel, taher,
An., fire hundred and thirty-seven dollars and fifty
train.
For compensation to the Postmaster General, one
thousand five hundred dollars.
For compensation to the two Assistant Postmasters
General, one thousand two hundrad and fifty dollars
For compensation to the clerks in the oftiee of the
Postmaster General, per act of the twentieth of April,
one thousand eight hundred and eighteen, five thou-
find six hundred and seventy-five dollars.
For compensation to the clerks in said office, per
•ct of the twenty-sixth of May, one thousand eight
hundred and twenty four, une thousand four hundred
dollars.
For compensation to the clerks in said office, per
•ct of the second of March, one thousand eight Itund
red and twenty-aeven, one ibuusand six hundred dol
lars.
For compensation to the mossongers in eaid office,
in full of all allowances, two hundred and sixty-two
dollars and fifty cents.
For compensation to one additional assistant mes
senger, eighty seven dollars and fifty cents.
For contingent expenses of ssid office, one thou
sand two hundred and fifty dollars.
For compensation to the Surveyor General, in Ohio,
Indiana, and Michigan, five hundred dullars
For compensation to the clerks in the office of said
Surveyor, live hundred nnd twenty-five dollars.
For compensstion to the Surveyor south of Ten
nessee five hundred dollars.
For compensation to tho clerks in the office of
■aidSurveyor, four hundred end twenty-five dollars.
For compensation to the Surveyor in Illinois, Mis
souri, nnd Aikansss, five hundred dollars.
For compensation coihe clorka in the office of eaid
Surveyor, five hundred dollars.
For compensation to tho Surveyor in Alabama, five
hundred dollars
For compensation to tho clerks in the office ofsstd
Surveyor, three hundred and seventy five dollars.
For compensation to the Surveyor in Florida, five
hundred dollars.
For compensation to the clerks in the office ofseid
Sort e> or, live hundred dollars.
For compensation t>>the Commissioner of tho Pub
lic 'iu,tilings in Washington,Cily, five hundred dol
• ire.
For compensation to the officers snd clerk ofthe
Mint, two thousand four hundred dollars.
For compensation to the perenns employed in tho
different operations oftho Mint, two; thousand three
hundred and eeventy-fiva dollars.
For incidental and contingent expenaea, and repairs,
Cost of machinery f for allowance of wastage in gold
Snd silver coinage of the Mint, two thousand throo
hundred and twenty-five dollars.
For compensation to tho Govcrnot, Judges, and
•nd Secretary of the Michigan Terriloty, onu thou
sand nine hundred and fifty dollars.
For the contingent expenres of the Michigan Ter
ritory, eighty-seven dollars fifty rents
For compensation and mileage to the members of
the Legislative Council, and printing the lews and
the contingent and incidental expenses of said Coun
cil, ono thousand four hundred and filly dollars
For compensation to the Governor, Judges, and
Secretary of the Arkansas Territory, one thousand
Six hundrad and fifty dollar*.
For contingent eipensea of tho Atkanaae Territory,
■tghty-eeven dollars and fifty cents.
For compensation to tho Governor, Judges, and
secretary of the f’loniln Territory, two thotmand one
hundred end twenty-five dollars.
_ For contingent expenses of the Florida Territory,
•tghtjr-nven dollars and fifty cents
For compensation and mileage to tho members of
the Legislative Council, and printing tho laws, and
tbs onlingonl and incidental expenses of said Coun
cil ,,ne thousand six hundred and sixty-six dollars
For compensation to the Chief Juetico, tho Associ
ate Judges, and District Judges of the United Stales,
including tho Chief Justice and Associate Judges of
the District efColumbia, nineteen thousand six hund
red dollar*.
For compensation to tho Attorney Genoral ofthe
United States, eight hundred and sevonty-fiva dollars
For compensation to tile clerk in tho uffice of the
Attorney General, two hundred dollar*
For compensation to the Keportur ofthe dooisiuns
ol the Supreme Court, two hundrad and fifty dollars.
For compensation to sundry Distnet Attorneys and
Blarshals, as giuntad by law, including those mthe
several Territories, two thousand aeven hundred and
twenty-five dollar!.
For defraying thaTexpenses ofthe Supreme, Circuit,
•nd District Courts of the United States, including
the District of Coluinbis, and of jurors and witnesses,
in aid of the funds srising from fines, penalities, and
forfeitures, incurred in the first nuailor of the year
one thousand eight hundred and twenty-nine, and
precoding years; and likowiso, for defraying tho ex
penses of prosecutions for ollences committed agaiiiet
the United States, and for the safe-keeping of prison
ers, thirty-seven thousand five hundred dollars.
For the payment of sundry pennons granted by the
late end present Governments, five hundred and
twelve dollais and fifty centa.
For tho eupport of'light houses, floating lights, and
other objects, for the protection of uav,gallon, forty
two thousand dollars
For surveying tho publio lands of the L’uited Sta
tes, ten thousand dollars.
For stationary and hooka for the offices of Com*
inissionors of Loans four hundred dollars. I
For tho salaries of tho two keepers of the Public
Archives in Florida Torritoiy, two hundred and fifty
dollars
For the salaries of Ministers oftho United States
St London, Paris, Madrid, St. Petersburg Mexico and
Columbia for the salaries of Charges das Affairs at
Stockholm, tho Netherlands, Denmark, Lisbon, Gua
temala. Brazil, Buenoa Ayres, Peru, and Chili ; foi
the eeltriea of the Secretarial of Legation, and for
the cungent expenaea of all the missions abroad, thir
ty thousand a x hundred and twenty-five dollars
For the Salaries of the Agents of Claims at London
•od Peris, one thousand dollars
For the relief and protection of distressed Araeri-
«sn seamen in foreign countries, six thousand two
tinndred and fifty dollara.
Sec 2. .lad be it further ennrfrd, That the sever
al sums hereby appropriated shall bo paid out of
•ny money in tho Treasury not otherwise appropria
ted. ANDREW STEVENSON,
Spoakerof tho House of Representatives,
JOHN C. CALHOUN.
Vice President of the United States,
and President ofthe Senate.
Approved, Gtli January, 1829.
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS.
AN ACT restricting the location of certain Lund
Claims in tho Territory of Atksnaas; and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre
sentatives of the United States of America in Con-
g reet assembled, That no person entitled to a dona
tion of land by iho eighth section of an act, outitled
‘‘An s*t to aid the State of Ohio in extending the
Miami Canal from Drayton to Lake Erie, and to grant
n <|U»nlity ot land to said Statu to aid in the construe •
'.ion Ilf Canals authorized by law, and for making
donations of land to certain peisona in Arkansas
territory," shall bo permitted to enter the improve
ment of any actual settler in tho Territory of Arkan
sas, before the same shall liavo been offered for sale
unless it be with tho consent of such actual settler •
and all entries which may bo so made shall be consi-
dated null and void.
Sec.2 Beit further enacted, That no person resi
ding south ofthe Arkansas river, and west ofthe pre
sent Territorial line, shall be entitled to the donation
of land given by the eighth section aforesaid, unless
•aid persons shall more east of said line ; end, in that
cats, they shall be entitled to the donations specified
in said eighth section of ssid act, ondertho rcstri'.icon
afbrcss'n)
Appwtcd, Cth- Jstinv",
AN ACT to preserve from injury snd waste the
School Lsnde in the Territory of Arkenaee.
Be it enacted by the Senate ana House of Repre-
tentativee of the State of Georgia, is General As
sembly met, and it is hereby enacted by the authority
af the same, That the Governor and General Assem
bly of the Territory of Arkansas be, end they are
hereby, authorized to make, and carry into effect,
•uch laws and needful regulations as they shall deem
most expedient to protect from injury and waste, the
sixteenth section in all townships of land in said ter
ritory, where surveys have boen or may hereafter be
made, which sections are reserved for the support of
schools in each township, and to provide by law for
leaving orienting the same, for any lorm not exceed
ing five years, in such manner aa to render said school
lands most valuable and productive, and shall apply
the rents derived ihorefrom to tho aupport of common
schools, in the respective townships, according to the
design of the donation, and to no other purposo what
ever
Approved : Gth January, 1829.
[N^d ]
AN ACT extending the term within which Mer
chandise may be exported with the benefit ofdiuw-
btek.
Be it enacted by the Senate and tlonso of Repres-
entatives of the United Stales of America in Con
gress assembled, That from and after the passage of
thit ect, all goode, (wares, and merchandise which
■re now entitled to debenture, or which may be hero-
tiler imported, may be exported with the benefit
of drawback, and without any deduction from the
amount of the duty on Iho aarne, at any time within
three years from the date when the snine may have
beeo, or shell be imported : Provided That ell ex
isting laws regulating the exportation of goods, wares,
■nd merchandise, shall have been in all other respects
complied with
And provided further, That tlii* act shell not
be so construed as to alter in any manner the terms
of credit now allowed by law for tho duties on
goods, wares, or mcrchsndise imported.
Approved : 6th Janutry, 1629.
[No~5]
AN ACT to allows salary to the Marshal of the
District of Connecticut.
Be it enacted bu the Senate and House of Repres
entative! ofthe United States of America in Congress
assembled, That the sum oftwo hundred dollars be,
and the same hereby is, allowed annually, as a salary
to the Marshal of the District of Connecticut.
Approved: Cth January, 1829.
CONGRESSIONAL NUMMARY.
GEORGIA CLAIMS.
House of Representatives, January 1(1, 1829.
Toe House having gone into Committee ofthe
Whole on the state of the Union. Mr. Com-
nicT In the Chair, and resumed the considera
tion of the motion of Mr. Thompson, to reverse
the report of the Committee on Indian Adairs, on
he subject of the Georgia Claims—
Mr. Owen having resumed his sent—
Mr. GILMEIl m-use and said, that after the
ample discussion which the subject before the
Committee had received, he should content him-
s. If vjih stating one or two facts connected with
it, nnd adding a few necessary comments.
The first question, said Mr. G. which presented
itself for determination was, to whom the unex
pended balance of th 200.000 dollars belonged,
after satisfying the Georgia claimants. He had
o • douht hut that it belonged to the United States.
When, however, he admitted lliis, he wished it to
he understood, that,(according to hisjinlerprctution
of the contract between the United Stales, Geor
gia, and tile Creeks, all parties supposed, that,
when that contract was faithfully executed, there
would most probably be no balance whatever.
Mr. G. said, that this matter would be better
understood by a knowledge of the circumatances
under which that contract tvas entered into. In
1821, Commissioners, on thstpart of the United
States, proceeded to make a treaty with the
Creek Indians, for the extinguishment of their
title tothe lands in Georgia, in pursuance of an
appropriation of money specially made by Con
gress for that purpose : that, according to instruc
tions given to those Commissioners by the War
Department, (and here he wished the Chair
man of the Committee on Indian Affairs to enr
reel him if be were in error,) they were not to ex
ceed 10 cents per ecre tn price, for what they
should acquire of the Creeks. That, according
ly, the Commissioners hRd contracted with that
tribe, that it should cede to the United States, for
the benefit of Georgia, four and a half millions
uf acres, for which they were to receive^ 150,000.
That, after these terms had been agreed upon,
bnt before the treaty had been signed, Cmmis-
sioners on the part of Georgia presented to the
Creek Chiefs, claims of the citizens of that State
aguioat their tribe, amounting to the sum of 5280,
000 ; and required that they should be adjusted.
11 was then agreed, between the several parties,
that the Creeks should recieve of the United
States $200,000 in money, for their land, and the
•■maining 5250,000, which they were to have
r-ceivcd, sh old be paid by the United States to
ili>-State of Georgia, for the benefit of her citi-
z ns, who had received injuries from the Creeks ;
subject, however, to the investigation and doter-
miimtinn of the President of the United States.
In pursuance cf which agreement, Mr. G. obser
ved, that the Commissioners of Georgia gave to
the Creek tribe a receipt in full of claims, debts,
damages, and property, which the citizens of
that State had against that tribe, prior to 1802.—
And the U. States agreed to pay to the citizens
of Georgia, those riaims, debts, damages, and
property, provided the same did not exceed
5250,000. Mr. G. observed, that each of the
parties to this contract seemed to have had equal
reason to be satisfied. The Indians had sold
r heir land fiufa larger consideration than usual,
and with 5250,000 of the price had paid an ac
count which the Georgians had against them of
thirty years standing, most of which they had
frequently acknowledged to be just, and amoun
ting to the sum of 5280,000- The Georgians
were very much pleased, because, by the con
struction which the United States had put upon
the Constitution, their own State Government
had not the powcrjofcorapelling the Creeks to re
store their property, or otherwise to do them jus
tice ; by which, previously, it had seemed as if
they were to have been deprived PtnuCly of re
dress for their injuries. And the Commissioners
of the United States were gratified, because they
had been enabled not only to perform the pur
pose for which they had been originally appoin
ted. by procuring a valuable tract of country for
the Slate of Georgia, but also to render an essen
tial service to a large class of injured citizens.—
There was also a possibility, that, by assuming
tho payment ofthe claims of the citizensof Geor
gia, with the power given to the President to ad
judicate those claims, that the United States
might have a less sum tn advance than that which
it would otherwise have been obliged to have
aid the Indians. It was tn be remarked, too,
Ir G. said, that the United Slates’ Commission
ers had taken care that this Government should
not, in any event, pay more than two hundred
and fifty thousand dollars, and with a further
beneficial proviso, that whatever sum should he
found due, might be paid in five annual instalments,
and without interest.
Mr. G. observed, that if the view he had taken
of thecontract between all the parties was correct,
he thought there could he no difficulty as to the
disposition of what should remain of the. two
hundred and fifty Ihousaud dullars, after sitisfy-
ing all the Georgia claimants.
Mr. G said, that lie would proceed to show
that the United States’Government had not done
justice to the citizens of Ueorgia in its adjudica
tion of theirdemands against the Creek Indians.
’They had been told that they should lie satisfied,
because th A adjudication was made by an arbi
ter chosen by themselves. The proper answer
to which Mr. G. said, was, that that circumstance
aggravated the ft-elings excited by the injus
tice done them, especially as that arbiter had
gained in proportion to their loss.
Sir, said Mr. G., this Government never can
compensated the citizens of Georgia for the inju
ries tb> y received from their savage neighbors.—
Those injuries could not be estimated in money.
Mr. G. said, that the most rigid rules had been
imposed by the Govtynmcnt upon itae.'f, ia allow
ing the claims of the citizens of Georgia- He
did not intend to say that the Government inten
ded thereby to do injustice to those citizens.—
He thought that the peruliar circumstances under
which those claims had originated had never been
considered by the Government. Had that been
done, he believed it would have been convinced
that the 5280,000 was a very inadequate ntisfac
tion of those claims.
Mr. G. then proceeded tn say, that, during the
Revolutionary War, the inhabitants of Georgia
were, at one lime,almost entirely driven beyond its
limits, by the Creek Indians and their allies. At
its conclusion, feelings of hostility had not reused to
exist. Repeated injuries weie inflicted upon the
frontier inhabitants, which the weakness of the
State Government rendered it unable to pun
ish. Attempts were frequently made to concili
ate the Creeks. Treaty after treaty was made,
from 1783 to 1790. They were, however, bro
ken as often as made, without the Uovernm nt ha-
ingthc power to enforce them. The frontiers
were very extensive, and the population ?n scat
tered, that the Indians had easy access into the
country every where, for the purpose of plunder.
The people were compelled to protect themselves
by fortifications of thi ir own m iking. Block
houses were erected by them, and manned by
voluntary service, in order to intercept and pun
ish the predatory parties of the Indians. This
service was extremely burthensnme tn inhabit
ants just arrived from di.-tant parts of lire United
Slates, and with scanty means of support. Mr
G. continued to say that the loss nfsl ives, horses,
and cattle, could not then he repaired by the peo
ple, as they'could nt the present lime. The value
of such property was far greater then than a' pres
ent. The country was to he cleared of ib forest?
to fit it for cultivation. Labor was not to hr ho
ed. There was no supplyingthe place of a list
horse or stolen entile, became the people, in mo
ving from Virginia and North Carolina, found il
difficult to carry with them a sufficient supply
for their own use. The loss of caul", Mr. G
said, was particularly felt, because thereby tin-
people were deprived of their most usual and
cheapest means of subsistence. One of the prin
cipat inducements to the settlement of the enun
try had been the advantages which its extensive
range presented, abounding, as it did, with grass
and cane.
The exuberance of the natural vegetation of
the country, instead of proving an advantage to
the settlers, had been frequently the occasion of
their greatest losses, by exposing their horses a- rl
stock to the thieving habits nf the Indians.
But the injuries, Mr. G. said, which the frnn
tier inhabitants suffered, by having their proper
ty plundered and destroyed, were accompanied
by evilB, the extent of which could h<- only known
to those who had felt them He s iid it was hi?
fortune to hnve been a native of the county
which bordered both on the Creek and Cherokee
hunting grounds. He could yet recollect the
horrid views of the Indian scalping knife, which
were presented tn him in the dreams of hit child
hood. From the commencement ofthe R. idu
tionnry war not'd 1791 and ’5, the Crei k I dinn-
conlinned tn commit occasional acts of tin great
eat barbarity upon the frontier I’erplc. The
Government had been either unable, or -eglerted
tn furnish the necessary protection to its citizens.
After a military force was finally authorized bv
this Government, anil troops had been enlisted
from among the People of Georgia, it wa« a mat
ter of history, familiar to every member of the
Committee, that those troops hail scarcely yet
been paid. For more Ilian thirty years, year
after year, they had pcti'ioned in vain.
Mr. G. said that he had attempted to describe
the kind anil peculiar value of the property of
which tho Georgia claimants had been plundered
by the Creek Indians, their continued apprehen
sion of Indian attacks, anil the want of protection
on the part of the Government, in order to show,
more clearly, the injustice which had been done
them, by the manner in which their claims had
been heretofore adjudicated, and as the best com
mentary upon the reasoning of the Secretary of
War and the Attorney General.
Mr. G. then proceeded briefly to consider the
different clnssesof claims which he supposed had
been improperly rejected: First, that for pri
perty destroyed previous to the treaty of New
York ; secondly, that for interest upon claim"
which had been allowed ; and, thirdly, that fur
the value ofthe increase nf those female slaves who
had been taken by the Creeks, and not restored
according to the conditions of the treaties.
As to the class of claims for property destroy
ed, which had born rejoeted, because the treaty
of New York did not provide fur thpm Mr. G
said, that the treaty at the Indians Springs gm-
cially contracted fur the payment of p:-operty
destroyed prior tn 1802. This stipulation nf
that treaty had been pressed upon the House with
its full weight, by his colleagues and other gen
tlemen. It was not his intention to say ary
thing more upon that subject. He was desirous
of showing to the Committer, that the provis
ions ofthe treaty of New York ought not to af
fect injuriously the claims nf the citizens of Geor
gia. That treaty, he snid, was, perhaps, the first
act of the United States’ G nernment, which
usurped power which properly helong -il to the
States. It was so considered a* the lime. Tie-
first voice heard in the Congress of Ilv United
States ngainst the encroaching spirt of Federal
Dominion, was from a representative of Georgia,
in relation to the treaty of New Y rk Bv the'
treaty, the Government of the United States
guaranteed to the Creek tribe of Indians, lands
which that tribe hail previously conveyed tn
Georgia. By it, the United States obtained from
the Creeks a stipulation that they would hold no
treaty with Georgia. And by the same treaty,
the U. States agreed that, if any citiz -ns of Genr
gia should attempt to settle on lands claimed hy
the Creeks, such citizens should he placed with
out the protection of the U States, and punished
ns the Indians thought proper.
Mr. G. asked the members ofthe Committee
to pxamine that treaty, and judge for themslves,
whether the citizens of Georgia ough‘ to lose the
right to have their injuries redressed, heeause
compensation was not provided by it. What
right had the United Slates’ Government to place
heyond its protection, its citizens, who, by virtue
of grants of land made to them by the State o
Georgia, within its own limi's, and in paym* nt to
those citzens for revolutionary services, s-it'ei!
on lands which the United States thought prop
er to consider Indian property ? By Putt treaty,
a citizen of the United States might have h--en
burnt at the Indian slake, without the right ol
rescue by his Government. It was made, too,
by one McGilvray, the son of a Tory, and an In
dian, who left, hy inheritance, luC deepest mal
ignity and most unrelenting revenge to arils tin-
people of Georgia. What means had Ihe p-Th
of that State of mak eg known to the United fit.ie..
Government, at the treaty of New York, their |
claims for properly destroyed ? Anil yet, lie-
cause of their omission to do so, n considerable
portion of the injuries received hy the People of
Georgia of the Greek Indians, previous to the
making of that treaty, were tn reman unrt-dressed.
Was it right for tile United Stales lo take advan
tage of its owr. wrong ?
The second class of claims which had been re
jected by the Government, consisted of those, the
principal of ivbiclt had been allowed, and upon
which interest had been refused. Mr. G. said,
that he had already endeavored i i show lhal the
most liberal allowance ought to be made in favor
nf all the claims before the Committee, He did
not consider the claimants as demanding interest
of the Government, but as insisting upon the equi
table lien they had upon the funds in its hands,
for a full and just compensation for the injuries
they had sustained. He did not consider that
interest upon the value of their losses from the
lime when their property was taken or destroyed,
would really be ample satisfaction to the claim
ants for Ihe kind of depredations committed up
on them, but as furnishing the only Axed rulp by
which an uniform estimate could he made The
claim of interest was upon the fund appropriated
for the payment of the riaims, and not upon the
public Treasury. The question really was wheth
er the claimants, whose demands hud remained
mtati.ficd for thirty or forty year?, bad not»
more equitable lien upon the unexpended balance
of tne 5 250,000, for compensation to tnetn for
the time they had lost the use of their property,
than any right tci it oo the part of the Govern
ment. That compensation to the claimants, bad,
however, been resisted through the opinion of the
Attorney General The claimant* would have
been better satisfied to have had the justice nf
of their demands decided upon by the tense of
equity of the Chief Magistrate of their country,
by whom, according to compact, they were to
have been adjudicated, than by the technical lulet
ofthe Government’s law officer. That high of
ficer had determined that interest did not follow
a claim for unliquidated damages. Nominally
he was right; but, substantially, wrong. The
claims were not for unliquidated damages, but
for specific property in the possession of the
Creek Indians, which belonged to citizens of
Georgia, and which the Creek tribe, by various
treaties, had promised tn restore to its owners.
If the Indians could have been sued in the
courts uf law, the remedy for the Georgia claim
ants would have been an action of trover, in
which they would have been entitled to recover
their property, or its full value, in lieu thereof, to
gether with damages equal to the value of the
use uf the property from the time at which it
had been demanded, until the termination of Ihe
suit. That wus the law of the State w ithin which
both parties resided. It was a rule of equity,
that Ihe conipunsalion for injuries should be fully
equal to the loss sustained. Was there any reas
on why the Georgia claimants should not have
that justice done them hy their Government,
which one citizen could compel of another hy
the strict rules of law ? Surely, it was not be
cause the Government had neglected to compel
the Creeks to perform the stipulations of their
treaties. H id the Government done its duty,
the Georgi i claimants would have had their prop
erty restored 'o them more than thirty years ago.
It could not he said, that the State of Georgia
hail neglected the use of any means in its power
•o obtain redress for its citizens. Mr. GlLMER
Hi oread resolutions of Ihe Legislature of that
Stn'e, directing the manner in which the claims
f i's citizens should be proven, and demand
made of the Creek Indians. The Attorney Gen-
i ral had given, as a reason why interest should
not he allotvt d upon the Georgiarlaims, that the
property for which they had been paid, had been
eslimatc-d at double its value. In this, he speaks
without tinthoriiy, and most disrespectfully of
the character ofthe United States’ Commission
ers, ant! Ilio witnesses hy whose oaths that val
uation was made. There were many other most
.hvioii- objections to Ihe opinions of the Attor
ney General. He had determined, forreasons
peculiar to himself, not to urge that subject any
further. His colleague [Mr. Wilde] bad per-
f irmnd that duty in tin* most satisfactory manner.
Tile third class of claims rejected. Mr. G. said
was that for the increase of those female slaves,
who h id been taken by the Creek Indians from
the citizens of Georgia, and nut restored accor
ding to the rondilions nf their treaties with that
Stale, and those with the United States. These
claims were founded in that principle of law, by
which the issue of female property followed the
state of its mother.
The right of the Georgia claimants to recover
the id-ntical slaves they had lost, was acknow
ledged hy all the treaties having referrence to that
kind of property Tho stipulations of all the
treaties wus, that the negroes taken from the citi
zens of Georgia should be restored, and not that
they should be paid for in money. If the Indians
who were in the possession of Ihe issue ofthe
female slaves could have been sued in the Courts
of Geoigia, hy the original owners of such fe
male slaves, the Georgia claimants would, no
douht, have recovered.
The claimants contend for no right hut what
was sanctioned by the law. The difficulty had
proceeded from the impossibility of compelling
that branch of the Government which alone had
the power of redress in its hands to enforce that
right. It was well known to all the Southern
gentlemen, that female slave property which was
owned thirty years ago, had yielded a much lar
ger profit than any other equal amount of cap
ital whatever. And hence it was, Mr. G. said
that the Georgia claimants, who had lost such
property hy the acts of the Creek indians, were
entitled to Ihe redress sought for them.
In conclusion, Mr. G. repeated, that, by the
Treaty nt the Indian Springs, the Creek Chiefs
had contracted to relinquish a certain quantity
of land to the United States, on condition that it
would pay to them 52* ( ' 000 in money, and sat
isfy the cairns of Georgia against their tribes,
estimated hy the parties at 5280,000. That the
value of tho lands relinquished by the Indians,
was considered by them as wortli -150,000 dollars,
then by making the condderation received by
ttie United States for its contract to pay tile citi
zens of Georgia equal to the sum uf 250,000 dol
lars. That Ihe United States having the power
to adjudicate the claims of those citizens, bad
circumscribed them within such narrow bounds,
•hat the larger portion of the fund appropriated
hy the Indians for their payment, had, instead
of being applied to that purpose, gone into the
Treasury ofthe United States. That it was incon
sistent with her character as an arbiter, and still
more with Iter national character for justice, to
deprive her own citizens of a fund which had
h en appropriated for the payment of losses sus
tained hy them, under circumstances of peculiar
hardship, and occasioned partly, too, by the neg
led or want of power in the Government to pro
tect them. lie. therefore confidently trusted
that the Committee would support the motion
of his colleague, and determine that it was ex
pedient to have further legislation in favor ofthe
claims ofthe citizens nf Georgia.
SUNDAY MAILS.
[/filer from the Postmaster General to the Post
Office Committee of the House of Representatives.
Post OrrtcE Department,
10/A January, 1829.
Sin : My attention has been directed to your
eimrmonii4tion of the Cth instant, and all the in-
estig ition made, which the pressing nature ol
my daily duties would admit. In answer to the
first inquiry,” whether, in my opinion, a prohi
bition of the transportation nf tho mails on the
S ililra.l), or fust day ofthe week, would tend to
impair the revenue of the Department) and, if so
to what probable amount?” I have the honor to
state, that daily mails are established on all the
principal lines nf communication on the Atlantic
coast from Maine to Georgia, connecting, in this
entire range, places of commercial importance.
From New York City, by the way of Albany,
Utica, and Rochester, to Buffalo, daily mails are
conveyed, nnd also on several lines connecting
with the principal rout.
Daily mails an-also transported from Pltila-
! dcli.lli.i, Baltimore, and Washington, to the Wes
tern count;'• including Pittsburg, Wheeling, and
other t iwub situated on the difi'erent routes, tc
Cincinnati a;.d Lruis'and sjg weekly trip; lo
N.t-hviile.
On lliesu various mutes, there is received an
nually, fur postage, the sum of five hundred and
sixty lour thousand four hundred and forty three
dollars and seventy-one cents, and there is paid,
for the transportation uf the mail on them, the
sum nf two hundred and thirty-four thousand
l ight hundred nnd eighty dullars and sixty-two
cents.
A discontinuance of the seventh mail, it is be
lieved, would not materially lessen the expense
nf transportation On many of the above routes
the mail is increasing in size, and now, often
amounts to from fifteen to twenty five hundred
pounds. When a failure occurs, and throws two
mails together, they are now so large or some
routes a? to exclude all passengers from Ihe mail
coach. To run six trips weekly, requires as many
teams as are necessary fora daily ntpil, and, in
many instances, the contractors prefer running
their stages daily, lo six trips weekly, at the same
price.
If all travel in private carriages and stRge lines
oo the Sabbath could be suspended, and private
expresses prevented, the revenue of the Depart
ment would not lie much impaired by the dis
continuance of the Sal^iath mails. But if lines
of stages for (be. conveyance of passengers con
tinue to run on th«principal roqtes, and private
expresses are used, the revenue, would probably
be lessened between fifty and ■ hundred thousand
dollars annually.
You inquire, secondly, “ Whether such pro
hibitioo would have the effect to impede the pro-
S ress and expedition of the mails on the other six
ays of the week ; and, if so, to what probable
extent ?”
The discontinuance of the Sabbath mail, be
sides reducing the number of wepkly mails to six,
will produce, in receiving intelligence from tin?
city, a delay of one day in every sixth mail t"
Philadelphia ; two mails out of six to New York,
will each be delayed a day ; three of the six to
Boston, will each be delayed a day; four at Port
land, and five at Augusta, Maine. These delays
will appear at once, by supposing the mail to be
taken from Wasington City for Philadelphia on
Saturday, Sunday will intervene before it? deliv
ery at Philadelphia. The mail taken on Friday
for New York, will be delayed on the Sabkath,
before it can be delivered at that city, as well as
the Saturday mail, which will make, as above
stated, a delay oftwo mails, each a day, out <*f
six, between Washington and New York. The
Boston mail, which is taken from Washington oo
Thursday, will be delayed as above, making a
delay of three rasils, each one day, cut of the six.
Between Washington ar.d Portland, the mail take
on Wednesday, from either place, must rest - n
the Sabbath, making a delay of one day each, to
four mails in the six. A similar delay of five
mails out of six, will take place between Augusta
and Washington.
From Washington City South, oneruail in -ix
will be delayed a day, in being conveyed to Rich
mond and Petersburg, Virginia ; three to Fayette
ville, North Carolina; five to Charleston. Sooth
Carolina ; and every mail received at Savannah,
from Washington, will he delayed one day.
From New York City to Albany, one mail In
six will he delayed a day ; to Buffalo, four mail-
in Summer, and five in Winter, out of six will
each be delayed a day.
Between Wheeling and this city, there will lu
a delay of one day each, to two mails out nf fix ;
to Zanesville three ; and fnur to Cincinnati ami
and Louisville. From Pittsburgh tn Philadel
phia, two mails out of six will each he delayed
one day.
The mails from this city to New Orleans will
be delayed two mails out of three, each three
days, and the third mail two days.
it may be difficult at first to comprehend th'-
above delays; but they have been nscertainetl,
by arranging a schedule nf six weekly mails. The
Sabbath, it must be recollected, will occur at dif
ferent points on each route, and constantly vtuy.
in the progress of mails, the places of detention.
In your third inquiry, you ask “ Whether it
discontinuance of the present practice of distribu
ting letters, See. from the several post-offices on
the Subbath, or first day of Ihe week, would
tend to impair the revenue of tlv* Department:
and, if so, to what probable amount ?” It is he
lieved that the revenue of the Departments would
not be lessened to any considerable amount, if
no letters or newspapers &ie. were delivered at
different post-offices on the Sabbath.
By the fourth inquiry, I am requested to state
“Whether a change of the present mode of daily
conveyance and distribution of mails would affect
the commercial interests of the country : and, il
so, in what manner?”
It has been considered of great importance tn
the commercial and agricultural interests of the
country, to convey through the mails, into every
part of the Union, speedy intelligence of the state
ofthe market at home and in foreiegn countries
To accomplish this desirable object, and afford
the utmost facilities to all commercial transac
tions, great increase of expedition has been given
to the mails, within a few years, on all the ini
portant lines of communication.
Some years since, on a sudden rise in the price
of cotton, private expresses were despatched to
the South, from New York, and other places, in
advance of the mail, and immense speculations
were made, in the purchase of that article. At
that time, mail contractors were not prohibi
ted from forwarding such expresses; and having
relays of horses on every route, they wure fre
quently employed in this service at a high rate
of compensation. Since that time, the contracls
have been changed, so as to subject any contrac
tor to a forfeiture of his contract, if he engage,
either directly or indirectly, in the transmission
of commercial informatioo, with a view to specu
tion,[more rapidly than the mail.
This provision, with the increased expedition
which has been given, has rendered it extremely
difficult, is not impracticable, for expresses, on
more important routes to travel more rapidly
than the mail is conveyed.
An attempt was recently made to send an ex
press between New York and Philadelphia, in
advance of the mail, but the enterprising ron-rec
tor of that route, delivered it at the latter place be
fore the express arrived. Oo this line, the mail is
transported twelve miles an hour, when neces
sary to prevent failure, or any other exigency
requires it.
A suspension of the mail on the Sahlmth would
subject it to the delays before stated, and enable
persons ill our large cities, or elsewhere, on the re-
ceipt nf intelligence of a change in the price of
our great staples, to send expresses without much
effort, and speculate on the holders of such pro
perty.
In some of our large cities a failure ofthe mail,
orthndelayofafe.nl hours in its delivery, lias
been of serious consequence to pprsnns exten
sively engaged in commercial operations.
If. as before suggested, private expresses anti
all stages for conveyance of passengers were sus
pended on the Sabbath, the discontinuance of
the mail on that day would affect, less seriously,
the commercial and other interests of the coun
try.
Adailymail has been in operation on some routes,
almost ever since the organization of this Depart
ment, under the Federal Government. Frequent
ineffectual applications have been made to Con
gress to discontinue this mail. It has been viewed
by many persons, of great intelligence and piety,
as an evil, hut no provision for relief has been
adopted.
The result of Ihese applications has given a
sanction to the policy of the Department, which
I have considered as controlling any discretion
the Postmaster General might be inclined to ex
errise on the subject. He cannot act on the mur
al principle, unless he apply it to every daily mail
in the Union. This would involve a responsibili
ty which no individual can exercise with impuni
ty, and would be in opposition to the implied
sanctinn ofthe national Legislature.
It has been, however, the practice of the De
pnrtmcnt, on each route, where a daily mail is
not established, so to regulate the conveyor,ct
where practicable, as to make the SabMIl’o d ty
of rest.
By the t Hit section of the Post Office law, evi -
ry Postmaster is required, “ at all reasonable
hours, on every day of the week, to deliver on de
mand, any letter, paper, or packet, to the person
entitled, or authorized to receive the same.”
Before this law was enacted, nn general instruc
tions were given by the Department to deliver
letters nn the Sabbath, nnd if Congress, in pursu
ance of the strong expression made on this sub
ject, shall think proper to reppnl this section, I
shall oonsider it to be my doty to rescind the in
struction which has been given under it. At
resent, a Postraaste.r is only required to keep
is office open one hour on the Sabbath, for the
delivery of letters and newspapers.
It is believed I hat the delivery of letters has
been considered as more likely to interupt reli
gious worship on the Sabbath, than the convey
ance nf the mail. The passage of the mail stage
through a village or town on Sunday, if Pnstmas
tera were not required to disrriluite letters and
newspapers, would excite as little attention as
that of any other vehicle.
With great respect, I am your obedient servant
JOHN McLEAN.
Hon. Samuel McKean.
Cham’n of the Com. on the P. Office and P.
Reads,
February 3 —In the Senate, yeeterday, a committee
consisting Messers Tazewell, SAaroaD, amt Wei-
STEn, was appointed, to ascertain and report * tnod*
for declaring who is elected President end Vice Pres
ident of the United State*, end to notify the individu
als elected of such election. At t quarter before one,
the Senate proceeded to the conaideration of Ezecu-
live buaineea, in which they were occupied till throe
o’clock
The preaenting ofpetitiona in the House of Roprc-
•nntativea yeaterdny occupied nearly nn hour. Ono
or two bills were then reported from varioua Commit
tees ; one of which was a Bill for the relief ofthe
heira of Robert Fulton Tho House then roitimed,
in Committee of the Whole on the state ofthe Union,
the Bill foi the preservation and repair of the Cumber
land Road, when Mr A Stevesson (the Speaker)
■poke at some length against tile constitutional pow
er of Congress to erect toll gates, or assume any juris
diction over the rontl. Mr % Mercer then obtained
the floor in reply, bat as it was near the usual hour of
adjournment, and Mr Mercer, was in n week state
from indisposition, the bill was passed over. The
Committee then, on motion of Mr. Sprague, took up
the Bill to repeal the duties on tonnage, which wan al-
so read and pnssotl over. Tile Committee then took
up the Bill to euthorizo the purchase and distribution
of 500 copies of Gordon’s Digest of tho Laws. Thera
was an amendment made, on motion of Mr. Marvin,
on this Bill, giving a copy tn each incorporated col
lege in the Union. The Committee then rose and re
ported progress on the Cumberland Road bill The
Bill to repeal the duties nn tonnage was postponed
till to-morrow Tho House adjourned before tho p
qiieslion was taken on a motion made to emend tho
Bill relative to tho purchase and distribution of Gor
don's Digest, which motion wits to reduce the num
ber from 500 to 250, and to prevent their distribution
among the members nf the two Houses of Congress.
February 4.—In the Senate, yesterday, Mr. Ren-
ton gave notice that he would, to-morrow, introduco
a bill for the gradual increase of the Engineer Corps,
and for other purposes At half past twelve, the Sen
ate proceeded lo the consideration of Executive bufi-
ness.
In the House of Representatives yesterday, Mr .Vc
hean, from the Committee on the Rost Office and
l’nst Roads, reported a Bill amendatory ofthe Rost
Office Law, which repeals so much ofthe existing
law hs imposes upon Rnsttniistcrs tho nliligntion of
distributing the mails on Sunday. Accompanying
this bill, was a report on the subject oftho transpoita-
tion ofthe mails on Sunday, which in its tone & decis
ion is adverse, tn the prayer of dinse who desire lo in
terrupt il on that day. There was somevers conversa
tion, not amounting to n discussion, upon a motion of
Mr McKean to print 6(100 extra copies ofthe repot),
but tho motion wus finally Isitnhle. Tho llnuse
then took up tho hill from tho Benato lo author
ize the purchase and distribution of 500 copies of
Gordon's Digest of tho Laws, which was oppo
sed, on the question of its third reading, but w as -r
finally passed hy a vote of 9G In 69. The Houso
then resumed, in Committee ofthe Union, the dis
cussion ofthe hill foi the preservation and repair
of the Cumberland Road Mr. Mercer commen
ced his reply to the arguments ngainst the bill,
and after speaking about an hour and a half, gave
way fur a motion that the Cominittee riso. Ilo will of
course continue his reply to day.
About half nn hour elapsed after the hour of meet
ing, before a quorum uf tho House was ascertained to
bn present
A Resolution wnB laid on the table, by Mr. Barringer,
to be acted on to day, appointing tn morrow for tho
election of n printer to the House for llio next Con
gress : and another resolution was oft’eied hy Mr.
IVihie, which also lies on tho table until to-day,
providing that no person who has boon engaged, or
interested in, a public newapaper within the last’d
years, shall be eligible to tho office of public printer.
Fibroary 6.—In tho Senate, yesterday, Mr. Hayne's
resolution requesting the President of the United
Slates tn cause to he laid before the Senate a state
ment oftho expenses incurred in fitting out and pre
paring an expedition for exploring tho South Seas ;
of tho additional amount which such expedition may.
require ; oftho amounts transferred from the differ
ent heads of appropriation for the naval service to
this object, nnd tho authority by which such trans
fers hnve been made, was explained by tho mover,
and adopted. Three hours were spent in Ihe consi
deration nf Executive business, after which the Senate
adjourned to Monday.
In tlie House of Representatives, the resolution
offered on the preceding day by Mr Ramsay, far tho
printing of 6 000 copies of the Report of the Senate
Committee on the subject of the Sunday Mail, was
laid on the table, on motion of Mr. IVeems. The re
solution laid on the table by Mr. Fan Renselaer on
the subject of such a change in llm Rules ns will allow
the bills acted on last session to liavo priority on the
docket, over the hills which have originated althat ses
sion, was also laid on the table. Tho IlouBe then took
up the bill to repeal the tonnage duties nn ships
& vessels ofthe United States St on certain|foreign ves
sels un its third rending. Some discussion took place,
various propositions being iniido to recommit the
bill with instructions to report n provision to re
peal the duly on Salt, Molasses, Teo Coffee, Ac.
when a motion was made by Mr P. P Barbour to
lay the bill on the table, and the question being ta
ken hy ayes nnd noes, there appeared ayes 92, noes
92, and by the rusting vote of the Speaker the bill
was then laid on the table The House then resulvod
itselfinto a Committee ofthe Whole on the State of
tho Union, nnd resumed the consideration nf the bill
for the preset vation und repair of tho Cumberland
Road, having previously postponed the special orders
ofthe day. Mr Meretr then took the floor, and in a
speech of upwards of two hours, concluded the re
marks which ha had eointneneed on Tuesday. Mr.
Barnaid then obtained the floor, and, on his motion
the Commiltee toso and reported progress. Tho
House then sdjourned
February 7 —The Senate did not sit yesterday.
In the House nf Representatives, Mr. Smyth's propo
sition to nmetid the Constitution ofthe United Stales
was taken up, modified by himself. Motions wore
then marie to lay llm resolutions outlie tubfo.nndin
postpone the consideration ofthetn, ns Mr Smyth was
not in the Hnuse. The question to postpone wan
shoot to lie taken hy ayes and tines, when Mr. Smyth
appeared, and took his aont The motion wus then
withdiawn. llis modification nf hta propositions hav
ing been rend, Mr Stairs moved to recommit the
resolutions to tho Committee of the whole on the slats
ofthe Union Mr /tieigArthen moved to postpone the
resolutions till the 3d of Match, and tilts question bo i
ing taken hy ayes and noes, was decided in the nega
tive, the aves being 70, and the tines 107. Mr. IVeems
then moved to amend the resolution rendering the
President ineligible to re-nlocti'in, by postponing its
operation for eight years from the 3d of March next.
Ilo desired the ayes and noes on this question, but tho
call was not sustained, Htiil the motion was negatived.
The hour having then expired, and lbs House refu
sing to suspend the rule, the discussion was arrested
The bill tn ohrdish (he system of Lotteries in the Dis
trict ofColurnbia was read a third lime mid pnssoed;
The House then resumed, in Committee of the whole
the unfinished business of Friday last, being a bill ta
release the right of the United Stntcs to lends in East
Florida to the devisees nf William Drayton, which
was final y rejected and a bill for the relief of Fran
cis Preston, on which no derision look place the
House having adjourned for want of a quorum. ^
February 9—The Senate dd net sit on
tiirday.
In th- House of R. presen lit lives, various hills
were reported, after it hit'll the iiottse resumed
rite consideration 0 f the resolutions nf Mr. A.
oMim. smcotiatory “f the constitution. Mr,
Ft’-SL.'.rrT nn.tie some observation* in opposi
tion tn I lie resolutions, tvhun the further debate
was arrested hy the expiration nf the hour. The
resolution niTered liy Mr. Barringer relative to
'he election of printer, was then taken tip, and so
modified as to fix to morrow fur the election.
The House took up private hills, several of which
were acted on in Committee ofthe whole, and
ordered to he engrossed fora thiid reading to-day.
Mr. P P. Barhiiur made a report in part from
t e select Committee, appointed to examine the
votes for President nnd Vice President. The re
port consists tif a resolution, appointing Wednes
day next for the opening of the votes hy tellers
in the presence of Iho two Houses.
Mr. Hamilton, from the Commi'tee on Re-,
trenrhmvnt, reported on Saturday a Bill to abol
ish the office of Second Comptroller, and that of
one ofthe Auditors of the War Department.
The Houseof Representatives have fixed on to
morrow at 12 o’clock for going into the election
of Printer.
February 10.— In the Senate, yesterday, Mr.
Tazewei j„ from the select Committee appoint
ed to ascertain anti report a proper mode fur ex
amining the votes given for President and Vico
President of tile United Slates, &.r. reported u
resolution in reference to that subject, which was
adopted Mr Tazewell was elected, hy ballot,
teller of (lie votes, on the part of the Senate. Mr.
Dickerson’s resignation ofthe office of Senator,
and his credentials as Senator for the remainder
