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printing. No good purpose would be answered by it, and he should consider it as expending a large sum of money uselessly.

Mr. BAYARD said he would move to refer the resolution to a select committee. His object, he said, was that the documents referred to might be examined, and such parts of them selected and published as would, in the opinion of the committee, be useful. No gentleman pretended to have read or examined these documents at all. The gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. R. WILLIAMS) did not pretend that he had read, or knew what the documents contained, and yet he was willing to incur an expense of ten thousand dollars to print them.

Mr. R. WILLIAMS said that he had been called upon to assigh his motives for having these documents printed. He was willing to do so. They related to the expenditure of public money, and he thought we ought always to be informed of the manner in which that is done. These documents had been transcribed for the use of this House, and would be useless unless printed. But, sir, I have another reason: these officers, who know very little respecting their duty, excepting how to draw warrants on the Treasury for money, have passed through their hands large sums of public money. I do not know that we can get any of it back again; but I would at least hold them up to public detestation.

But why do gentlemen feel alarmed? The gentleman from Delaware seems afraid that these accounts should be made public, and therefore opposes the printing of the documents.

Mr. NICHOLSON said that one part of the documents moved to be printed were connected with the report of the investigating committee, so called; the other was not. As to that report, he wanted no explanation of his conduct on that subject. The report was printed, and must speak for itself. He would not consent to publish the documents by way of answer to gentlemen who were inculpated by that report. It was true that large balances appeared upon the books unsettled; that those balances were due, he did not pretend to say; nor did the report so state it. Upon the late Quartermaster General's account there appeared to be a balance of $800,000. Those accounts had not been settled by that officer. I do not mean to charge him with having improperly expended money. I am not in the habit of making such charges unless possessed of proof to support them. But those accounts, I believe, have not been settled to this day.

There were also sundry contracts which had been entered into by the Navy Department, respecting which some complaint had been made. He said that he was not, perhaps, technically correct in saying that these documents related only to the expenditure from the contingent funds of the departments, but he believed he was substantially correct.

Mr. T. MORRIS made some remarks which were not distinctly heard.

Mr. GODDARD rose and said, that he could not but express his surprise and astonishment at a re

H. OF R.

mark which fell from a gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. WILLIAMS.) Is it possible, sir, that I understood the gentleman correctly? If I did, the gentleman is pleased to remark of the late heads of the departments, and that in a general and unqualified manner, that they knew very little respecting the duties of their offices, but to draw warrants on the Treasury for money! Of these officers the gentleman does not profess to entertain any expectation that one cent will be recovered; and yet the gentleman says, that he wishes the documents to be printed, in order to hold them up to public detestation, even if the expense should be ten or twenty thousand dollars! What, sir! are we to expend ten or twenty thousand dollars to purchase public detestation? And for whom? For officers whom gentlemen do not pretend have embezzled one cent of public treasure. For, in the same moment in which the gentleman expresses his willingness to expend this large sum, to excite public indignation against these officers, he acknowledged that no money is to be recovered from them. If any has been embezzled, it surely can be recovered. That gentleman was himself a member of the investigating committee, so called. Of course, he has examined the accounts of the officers under the late Administration. If any moneys have been embezzled, why has not that gentleman, in his place, brought forward some proposition to have them called to account for those moneys? This would give them an opportunity to justify themselves, or be condemned. But this is not done. Many gentlemen, and particularly the chairman of the investigating committee, (Mr. NICHOLSON,) had the candor, last session, publicly to state, that he did not believe that one dollar of public money, had, by these officers, been applied to their own private use; and, indeed, the whole charge which now lies against any of them, is applying money to objects to which it had not been specially ap propriated; and this charge seems to be much diminished by the manner in which the present Administration have found it necessary to consider specific appropriations. The result of all this is, according to the doctrine of the gentleman from North Carolina, (Mr. WILLIAMS,) that men have been employed in public stations. public money has gone through their hands; they have faithfully applied it to public uses, and done their duty; we refuse to commence any suit against them, or give them any opportunity to be heard, and yet it is publicly stated, on the floor of this House, by a member of the investigating committee, that they know very little about their duty, excepting how to draw warrants on the Treasury for money! Let me ask gentlemen if this is fair? Is it candid? Is it doing by those men, as, under like circumstances, we would be willing to be done by ourselves? I have no partiality, sir, to the men. I was not in the Government until all went out of office, and am scarcely personally known to any of them. But, sir, I think the characters of all men, and more especially faithful public servants, ought to be held too sacred to be thus sported with.

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But, sir, while I am upon this subject, let me ask, what has become of the zeal which was displayed at the last session respecting the business of this investigating committee? That report was then said to be but in part. Some gentlemen proposed giving the committee power to sit during the recess of Congress. The partial report was made at the close of the last session. The subject has been permitted quietly to rest until the last days of this session. Not a word has been said on this subject. No further progress made in reporting, and we are, at this late hour, called on to expend thousands of dollars, not to look up public treasures which have been squandered, but to purchase public detestation for faithful officers. But, Mr. Speaker, I mean not, by the remarks which I have made, to oppose the printing of the documents. I am aware, sir, what construction would be put upon such an opposition from such a quarter.

The gentleman from North Carolina has already seized, with avidity, upon the remarks which have been made against printing them by the gentleman from Delaware, (Mr. BAYARD.) He says that we are afraid to have them published, and this is the language which others will hold on the subject. We have gone too far, sir, to recede. It is stated, by the gentleman from Maryland, (Mr. SMITH,) that the documents have already cost us more than five thousand dollars, and although that gentleman is probably correct, when he says that they will be useless if printed, yet that ought to have been considered before they were called for. Having called for them, unless they are printed, they are certainly useless. I wish not to screen public defaulters, if any there are, from justice; I know little respecting these

men.

If they have embezzled public money, we owe it to ourselves, and to our constituents, to inquire into it. If, on the other hand, they have been faithful and honest, we owe it to them, after proceeding thus far, to publish those documents, that they may, as I fully believe that they will, wholly exculpate them from these unjust and ungenerous insinuations.

Mr. GRISWOLD rose and was beginning to comment on the remarks of Mr. R. WILLIAMS, when Mr. W. rose and requested liberty to explain.

Mr. WILLIAMS remarked, that one gentleman from Connecticut had commented upon what he said, and he had not interrupted him; but when another gentleman was proceeding in the same manner, he wished to say that he had not made the observations attributed to him respecting all the officers who had, under the former Administration, been entrusted with public money. He said some of them, &c.

Mr. GRISWOLD proceeded and said, that unless the gentleman saw fit to point out to whom his remarks applied, he did not see that he had very much qualified them. Mr. G. said that he was also a member of the investigating committee, and although he did not concur in the report, or know what it contained until it was ready to be presented to the House, yet he was frequently at

FEBRUARY, 1803.

the public offices, and heard the answers to the inquiries which were made, and examined the accounts. That of the Quartermaster General had been mentioned, and a balance of $800,000 stated as unsettled against him. Mr. G. said, with respect to that, no one pretended it was due. That officer had presented for settlement accounts to balance it, and perhaps more than enough; but, as he understood, the settlement was impeded on account of some boats which were sold and not accounted for to the satisfaction of the accountant of the War Department. When this difficulty was done away, nothing would prevent a settlement of his accounts.

Mr. NICHOLSON explained. He said he did not undertake to state the nature of the difficulties respecting the settlement of the accounts of the late Quartermaster General; but he must say, that he did not understand that they were of the nature stated by the gentleman from Connecticut, (Mr. GRISWOLD,) but of a different kind.

Mr. S. SMITH said, that two reasons had been stated for printing these documents; one was, that certain officers might be held up to public detestation; but will this answer the purpose of gentlemen? He believed not. One party might believe their statements; the other might disbelieve them. But can you criminate any of those officers? If not, all public detestation would be taken away and subside, and perhaps a contrary effect be produced. Another reason which had been stated was to place before us certain contracts made by the Navy Department, under the former Administration, respecting the purchase of timber, and respecting which; complaint had been made. With respect to that subject, he was able to state to the House, that those contracts were highly injurious to the individuals who had made them; so much so, that, in every instance, excepting one, application had been made to the Navy Department by those individuals, to be released from their contract. In one instance a man had made two contracts, one of which he deemed advantageous, the other not so. He was offered to have both contracts given up, but refused. In all others, they had been injurious to the individuals, and, in some instances, persons had been almost wholly ruined by these contracts with the Navy Department.

But why should we expend this money in printing this mass of papers. Gentlemen say, to give them publicity. Printing will not do it. Nobody will read them when printed. They are mere transcripts from the books of the departments, and are very voluminous. No one had examined them, or could state what they contained. If there are any parts of them which would implicate the late officers of Government, or any of them, he doubted not but that the gentleman from North Carolina, (Mr. WILLIAMS,) knowing his duty, would, in his place, bring forward an inquiry, which should be calculated to recover back money. But will you get any? No, not even the expense of printing the documents. Mr. S. concluded by expressing his decided disapprobation of printing the documents.

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Mr. BAYARD repelled the insinuation which had been made by Mr. W. at some length. He stated his recollection of the account of the Quar termaster General to be similar to that of Mr. GRISWOLD, and also stated that the Committee were informed last year by the accountant of the Navy Department that the sum which would be finally lost upon the settlement of all the accounts in that department, would be very inconsiderable; and expressed his wish that the documents should be examined by a select committee, and such parts only printed as would be useful.

When, after a few remarks from Mr. HOLLAND, the question on the resolution was taken and carried-yeas 38, nays 28, as follows:

YEAS-Willis Alston, John Archer, John Bacon, Thomas Boude, Robert Brown, Samuel J. Cabell, John Campbell, Thomas Claiborne, William Dickson, Lucas Elmendorf, Calvin Goddard, Roger Griswold, William Barry Grove, Joseph Heister, David Holmes, George Jackson, Michael Leib, Samuel L. Mitchill, Thomas Morris, James Mott, Anthony New, Joseph H. Nicholson, Thomas Plater, John Randolph, jr., Nathan Read, John Smilie, John Sinith, of Virginia, Henry Southard, John Stanley, Joseph Stanton, John Stewart, John Taliaferro, jr., Samuel Tenney, Samuel Thatcher, Lemuel Williams, Robert Williams, Richard Winn, and Thomas Wynns.

H. OF R.

to all future proceedings to be had on two bills, which have passed this House and the Senate, one entitled "An act making further provision for the expenses attending the intercourse between the United States and foreign nations," and another, entitled "An act for extending the external commerce of the United States," be taken off. And the question being taken thereupon, it was resolved in the affirmative.

Mr. JOHN C. SMITH, from the Committee of Claims, to whom was referred, on the eleventh instant, the petition of Oliver Pollock, presented the tenth of February, one thousand eight hundred and two, made a report thereon; which was read, and ordered to be referred to the Committee of the whole House to whom was committed, on the fifteenth instant, the report of a select committee "on the expediency of extending the time for the settlement of claims for services rendered, and supplies furnished, during the Revolutionary war."

Resolved, That there be a call of the House today at four o'clock, post meridian.

Resolved, That when this House adjourns, it will adjourn until Monday morning next, ten o'clock.

therein, the bill was reported with several amendwith the said bill, ordered to be recommitted to ments thereto which were read, and, together Mr. BAYARD, Mr. NICHOLSON, and Mr. BRENT.

The House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole on the bill for the relief of Joshua NAYS-Theodorus Bailey, James A. Bayard, Phanuel Bishop, Richard Brent, William Butler, John Da-Harvey and others; and after some time spent venport, John Dawson, Ebenezer Elmer, William Eustis, John Fowler, John A. Hanna, William Helms, William Hoge James Holland, Benjamin Huger, Thomas Moore, Israel Smith, John Cotton Smith, Josiah Smith, Samuel Smith, David Thomas, Thomas Tillinghast, Philip R. Thompson, Abram Trigg, John Trigg, Philip Van Cortlandt, Joseph B. Varnum, and Peleg Wadsworth.

A motion was then made and seconded, that the House do now adjourn; and the question being taken thereupon, there appeared-yeas 28, nays 24, as follows:

YEAS-Willis Alston, Theodorus Bailey, Phanuel Bishop, Richard Brent, John Campbell, Thomas Claiborne, John Condit, Samuel W. Dana, William Dickson, Peter Early, Ebenezer Elmer, William Eustis, Andrew Gregg, Roger Griswold, Daniel Heister, Joseph Heister, William Helms, David Holmes, Thomas Moore, James Mott, Joseph H. Nicholson, Nathan Read, John Smilie, John Smith, of Virginia, Richard Stanford, Samuel Tenney, Isaac Van Horne, and Thomas Wynns. NAYS-John Archer, John Bacon, Robert Brown, William Butler, Samuel J. Cabell, Matthew Clay, John Clopton, Richard Cutts, John Dawson, Lucas Elmendorf, John Fowler, Michael Leib, David Meriwether, Samuel L. Mitchill, Thomas Newton, jr., John Randolph, jr., Samuel Smith, John Stanley, Joseph Stanton, John Stewart, John Taliaferro, jr., Philip R. Thompson, Abram Trigg, and Joseph B. Varnum. Whereupon, the House adjourned.

SATURDAY, February 26.

On motion, the House was cleared of all persons, except the members and the Clerk: Whereupon, a motion was made and seconded that the injunction of secrecy upon the members, so far as relates

The House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole on the amendatory bill more effectually to provide for the organization of the Militia of the District of Columbia; and, after some time spent therein, the bill was reported with an amendment which was twice read, and agreed to by the

House.

Ordered, That the said bill, with the amendment, be engrossed, and read the third time on Monday next.

The House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole on the report of the Committee of Ways and Means, of the eleventh instant, to whom was referred a memorial of sundry sugar refiners of the city of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland; and, after some time spent therein, the committee rose and reported to the House their agreement to the resolution contained therein, with an amendment; which was twice read, and agreed to by the House.

The said resolution, as amended, being twice read at the Clerk's table, was, on the question put thereupon, agreed to by the House, as follows:

Resolved, That no internal duty shall be collected on sugars removed from the refinery since the thirtieth day of June, eighteen hundred and two; any law to the contrary notwithstanding.

Ordered, That a bill or bills be brought in, pursuant to the said resolution; and that the Committee of Ways and Means do prepare and bring in the same.

Mr. RANDOLPH, from the Committee of Ways and Means, presented, according to order, a bill

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for the relief of the sugar refiners within the United States; which was read twice and committed to a Committee of the whole House on Monday

next.

The House proceeded to consider the amendments reported yesterday from the Committee of the Whole to the bill to reduce the Marine Corps of the United States; and, the said amendments being severally twice read, were, on the question put thereupon, agreed to by the House.

Ordered, That the said bill, with the amendments, be engrossed, and read the third time on Monday next.

Resolved, That the call of the House, directed to be on this day, at four o'clock, post meridian, be postponed for half an hour.

The House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole on the report of the Committee of Claims, of the sixteenth instant, on the memorial of Paul Coulon; and, after some time spent therein. the Committee rose and reported their agreement to the resolution contained therein; which was twice read, and agreed to by the House, as follows:

Resolved That there be paid to Paul Coulon, as agent for the captors of the ship Betty Cathcart, and brig Aaron, prizes to the French privateer La Bellone, out of any moneys in the Treasury, not otherwise appropriated, the sum of six thousand two hundred and forty-one dollars and fortyfour cents, being the amount retained by the Treasury Department from the sales of the ship Betty Cathcart, for duties on the cargo of the brig Aaron. Ordered, That a bill or bills be brought in, pursuant to the said resolution; and that the Committee of Claims do prepare and bring in the same. The bill sent from the Senate, entitled "An act to alter the time of holding the court of the United States in Kentucky district, was read three times and passed.

The House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole on the bill to alter and discontinue certain post roads, and for other purposes; and, after some time spent therein, the Committee rose and reported progress.

Resolved, That the call of the House, directed to be on this day, at half past four o'clock, in the afternoon, be postponed until eleven o'clock in the morning on Monday next.

Mr. BAYARD, from the committee to whom was, this day, recommitted the bill for the relief of Josiah Harvey, and others, reported an amendatory bill; which was read twice, and ordered to be engrossed, and read the third time on Monday

next.

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FEBRUARY, 1803.

instructed, by a resolution of this House of the twenty-eighth ultimo," to digest some plan by which it can be ascertained what quantity of surveyed or patented land belonging to the officers and soldiers of Virginia, on State and Continental establishments, was ceded to the Cherokee Indians, by the treaty of Holstein, of the second of July, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-one," made a report thereon; which was read: Whereupon,

Ordered, That the consideration of the said report be postponed until Monday next.

On motion, it was

Resolved, That the Secretary of State be directed to transmit, under his frank, to each member of the Senate and of the House of Representatives of the United States of the present Congress, a copy of the laws of the present session of Congress, as soon as the same may be printed.

A memorial of sundry citizens of the Territory of Columbia was presented to the House and read, stating their approbation of the provisions contained in a bill now depending before this House, for the government of the said Territory; and praying that the same may be passed into a law during the present session of Congress.—Referred

FRENCH SPOLIATIONS.

Mr. BAYARD moved that the House do now resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House on a motion of the thirty-first ultimo, "for indemnifying the citizens of the United States, who, in carrying on a lawful trade to foreign parts, have suffered losses by the seizure of their property, made by unauthorized French cruisers, or by any French cruiser, without sufficient cause," to which Committee of the whole House was also referred, on the second instant, the report of a select committee, made the twenty-second of April last, on "the memorials and petitions of sundry citizens of the United States, and resident merchants therein, praying relief, in the case of depredations committed on their vessels and cargoes, while in pursuit of lawful commerce, by the cruisers of the French Republic, during the late European war;" It passed in the negative-yeas 21, nays 48, as follows:

YEAS-John Bacon, James A. Bayard, John Campbell, Samuel W. Dana, William Eustis, Calvin Goddard, Roger Griswold, Seth Hastings, William H. Hill, Benjamin Huger, Samuel Hunt, Samuel L. Mitchill, Thomas Morris, Thomas Plater, Nathan Read, John Cotton Smith, Samuel Tenney, Samuel Thatcher, George B. Upham, Peleg Wadsworth, and

Lemuel Williams.

NAYS-Willis Alston, John Archer, Theodorus Bailey, Phanuel Bishop, Richard Brent, Robert Brown, John Clopton, John Condit, William Dickson, Peter Early, Lucas Elmendorf, Ebenezer Elmer, Andrew Gregg, Daniel Heister, Joseph Heister, William Helms, William Hoge, James Holland, George Jackson, Michael Leib, David Meriwether, Thomas Moore, James Mott, Anthony New, Thomas Newton, jr., John Randolph, jr., John Smilie, Israel Smith, John Smith, of New York, John Smith, of Virginia, Henry Southard, | Richard Stanford, Joseph Stanton, John Stewart, John

William Butler, Samuel J. Cabell, Thomas Claiborne,

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Taliaferro, jr., David Thomas, Philip R. Thompson, Abram Trigg, John Trigg, Philip Van Cortlandt, Joseph B. Varnum, Isaac Van Horne, Robert Williams, Richard Winn, and Thomas Wynns.

MONDAY, February 28.

An engrossed bill for the relief of Joshua Harvey, and others, was read the third time, and passed. An engrossed bill for the relief of Paul Coulon was read the third time, and passed.

An engrossed bill more effectually to provide for the organization of the militia of the District of Columbia was read the third time, and passed. Resolved, That the call of the House directed by a vote of Saturday last, to be on this day, at eleven o' clock in the morning, be postponed until four o'clock, post meridian.

H. OF R.

being put, that the farther consideration thereof be postponed until to-morrow, it was resolved in the affirmative.

The House proceeded to consider the amendment proposed by the Senate to the bill, entitled "An act in addition to the act, entitled 'An act concerning the registering and recording of ships and vessels of the United States,' and to the act, entitled 'An act to regulate the collection of duties on imports and tonnage:" Whereupon,

Resolved, That this House doth agree to the said amendment.

The House proceeded to consider the amendments proposed by the Senate to the bill, entitled "An act making appropriations for the support of Government, for the year one thousand eight hundred and three:" Whereupon,

Resolved, That this House doth agree to the said amendments.

Ordered, That the Committee of Claims, to whom were recommitted, on the twenty-sixth in- The bill sent from the Senate, entitled “An stant, a Message from the President of the United act to alter the time for the next meeting of ConStates, and sundry accompanying documents, in gress," was read twice and committed to a Comthe case of the Danish brigantine called the Hen-mittee of the whole House to-morrow. rick, have leave to report thereon by bill, or bills, or otherwise.

Mr. J. C. SMITH, from the same committee, reported a bill to enable the President of the United States to make restitution to the owners of the Danish brigantine called the Henrick; which was read twice and committed to a Committee of the whole House to-day.

An engrossed bill for reducing the marine corps was read a third time, and, on the question of its passage, Mr. HUGER moved its postponement to the first Monday in November; which motion was lost-ayes 32, noes 40.

Mr. THATCHER then spoke against the passage of the bill.

The question was then taken, and decided in the affirmative-ayes 45, noes 35.

Mr. J. C. SMITH, from the Committee of Claims,

Mr. RANDOLPH from the Committee of Ways and Means, who were instructed by a resolution of this House of the twenty-eighth ultimo," to in-reported a bill enabling the President to make quire into the expediency of suspending, for a limit- such restitution as he may deem proper to the ed time, the collection of all debts or duties due to owners of the Danish brig Hendrick, and approthe United States from the citizens of the States priating $40,000 for that purpose. of Tennessee, Ohio, and Kentucky, and the citizens of the Indiana and Mississippi Territory, made a report thereon; which was read, and ordered to be referred to a Committee of the whole House to-morrow.

A message from the Senate informed the House that the Senate have passed the bill, entitled "An act in addition to the act, entitled 'An act concerning the registering and recording of ships and vessels of the United States," and to the act, entitled "An act to regulate the collection of duties on imports and tonnage," with an amendment; to which they desire the concurrence of this House. The Senate have also passed a bill, entitled "An act to alter the time for the next meeting of Congress ;" to which they desire the concurrence of this House.

A message from the Senate, informed the House that the Senate have passed the bill, entitled "An act making appropriations for the support of Government, for the year one thousand eight hundred and three," with several amendments; to which they desire the concurrence of this House.

Ordered, That the said bill be engrossed, and read the third time to-morrow.

An engrossed bill for settling sundry claims to the public lands of the United States south of the State of Tennessee was read the third time: Whereupon, a motion was made, and the question

The House went into a Committee on the bill. Mr. BAYARD declared himself, from the want of information. unprepared to vote on the bill. Messrs. J. C. SMITH and RANDOLPH replied, and defended the bill.

The Committee rose, and reported the bill without amendment.

The House immediately took up the report. Mr. BAYARD moved to postpone it till the, first Monday in November.

This motion was supported by Messrs. BAYARD, DAVIS, GRISWOLD, DANA, and EUSTIS; and opposed by Messrs. J. C. SMITH, S. SMITH, and RANDOLPH.

The motion was lost-ayes 24, noes 35. The bill was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading to-morrow-ayes 38.

PERSONAL EXPLANATION.

Mr. HOLLAND said he wished to state to the House some circumstances which were important to himself, however unimportant they might be to the public. It would be recollected that he had some days since obtained leave of absence after this day for the remainder of the session. On Saturday evening he was informed that it had been insinuated that he had been guilty of an improper disclosure. Under this imputation he was not willing to leave the House. If any gentle

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