SENATE.] Toulon Accident.-Signers of the U. S. Bank Memorials. [JUNE 19, 1834. Whole number of officers in each of the four largest are granted to the widows and orphans of deceased seadistricts, and amount of their pay, viz: 1824. Officers. Pay. 1828. Officers. Pay. 1833. Offi. Pay. men, and can, therefore, frame a bill to suit this peculiar case. He had heard that there was, on this unfortunate occasion, an unpardonable negligence on the part of the At Boston, 93 88,830 dolls. 100 87,693 dolls, 70 102,350 dolls. gunner of the American frigate, and that he had been New York, 133 127,975 174 174,712 322 335,888 65 83,785 39 49,674 Amount of commissions and fees received by the collectors at each of the four principal districts, in the year 1833, showing about the quantity of business done at each of them, viz. put in irons, and, at the last accounts, was awaiting his trial. Be this as it may, it was impossible for any one yet to say who was to blame; but he had no doubt, if there was culpable neglect of duty on the part of any one in the American frigate, it would meet with condign punishment. Mr. WAGGAMAN assented to Mr. CLAY's suggestion, and, on his motion, the message was referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs, and ordered to be printed. SIGNERS OF THE U. S. BANK MEMORIALS. The CHAIR communicated an additional report from the Secretary of the Senate, made in compliance with a resolution of the Senate, showing the number of signers At Boston, Philad., & N. Orleans. At N. York. to the various memorials presented to the Senate of the No. of inspectors, Clerks, &c. 75 34 Weighers, gaugers, meas'rs, 21 130 127 94 35 256 By which it appears that at Boston, Philadelphia, and New Orleans, where the amount of commissions and fees were one-sixth greater than at New York, only about half as many of these officers were employed. United States, on the subject of the national finances, and the expediency of a national bank, for and against the measures of the Executive on these subjects; and, on motion of Mr. CLAY, to print them for the use of the Senate, Mr. FORSYTH asked for the reading of the Secretary's report; and the report having been read, Mr. FORSYTH said his object was to ascertain from the Secretary whether any attempt had been made to purge these memorials, to learn how many signatures Mr. S. said, that since the present rates of pay of the were to be found on different sides. Memorials and counofficers of the revenue were established, the business of ter-memorials had been sent in, in both of which, in many many of the districts had changed; in some of them it had instances, the same names were to be found. He recolgreatly increased, and in others it had as greatly diminish-lected the many memorials from Philadelphia, coming ed; that his object in making these statements was to from classes, separated into merchants, mechanics, proshow the great inequality, and, as he thought, injustice of fessional and business men, and young men also, like the present rates of pay to these different officers-the the stage-players, where one man represents several difdifferent apportionment of the business, and of its emolu- ferent characters. There was another circumstance, also ments, in different districts-and the necessity of an early to be taken into consideration, and that was, the natural revision of the existing laws upon the subject. THURSDAY, JUNE 19. TOULON ACCIDENT. A message was received from the President of the United States, transmitting despatches received from our minister to France, covering a letter from Capt. Ballard, of the frigate United States, detailing a fatal accident, which led to the death of some French seamen, in firing a salute, three of the ship's guns being charged with ball. The message recommended Congress to grant pensions to the heirs of the deceased, and to the wounded seamen, at the same rate as is allowed in similar cases in the naval service of the United States. Mr. WAGGAMAN moved to refer the message and documents to the Committee on Naval Affairs; but with drew the motion at the suggestion of a member of the Committee on Foreign Relations, and moved to refer it to that committee. disposition of human nature to complain. Those who were satisfied with the present state of things were not so apt to come before Congress with complaints as those in the opposition, whose object is to magnify imaginary grievances. The largest meeting, he believed, from which a memorial had come was the one at Baltimore, and that was against the bank. Mr. F. said, he would not, however, oppose the printing, though he believed it perfectly unnecessary. The Senate might take the question, and decide as it pleased. Mr. CLAY said, it was somewhat remarkable that the honorable Senator, though he thought the petitions and memorials which had been presented to the Senate were no test of public opinion, and were of very little value, should have taken so much pains to blunt the effect of the hundred and fifty thousand names of individuals who had solicited relief. If it was worth nothing, the honorable Senator had better reserve his speech for a more suitable occasion than the present. What! was the right of petiMr. CLAY observed, that he had conversed with the tion worth nothing? Was it of no consequence to honorchairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations, on the able Senators that thousands of their fellow-citizens should subject of this message of the President; and, from this send to them petitions and memorials, complaining of an conversation, and other considerations, he had arrived at act of Executive authority? Why, the honorable member the conclusion that the most proper reference would be to had said, that there were a great many of his friends who the Naval Committee, as first proposed by the gentleman would have come here, but they were apprehensive lest from Louisiana. On hearing the message read, he per- they should find unwilling ears. Now, who could believe ceived that the President recommended the same provis- it? Why, then, did they not go to the House? What ion to be made for the families of the two unfortunate sort of ears would they find there? Honorable Senators French seamen, as the laws provided for the families of knew, that, in point of fact, memorials had generally been our seamen killed in action. Mr. C. heartily accorded in duplicate, and the same number had been sent here as with this recommendation of the President, and hoped it to the other House. Why not go there? But the honorwould be carried into effect by the two Houses of Con-able member had said there were many instances in which gress: but he still thought that the most proper reference the names of those whose petitions had been presented would be to the Committee on Naval Affairs, as they were here did not appear. So there were, and he (Mr. C.) most conversant with the principles on which allowances wished that all of them could be obtained. In proof of JUNE 19, 1834.] Compensation to Mr. E. R. Potter.—French Spoliations. what the honorable Senator had said, he alluded to the Philadelphia meeting, which was attended by 15,000, and the Baltimore meeting, consisting of 6,000. Now, he (Mr. C.) believed that there was a much less number at Baltimore, and a greater at Philadelphia. That, said Mr. C, would make our number 165,00), and the honorable Senator's 23,000. [SENATE. one day's pay and mileage, which ought to be provided by law. Mr. WRIGHT briefly supported the amendment. Mr. KNIGHT was in favor of allowing an equitable compensation to Mr. Potter, to be provided for in an appropriation bill. After some further remarks from Mr. BIBB, Mr. KNIGHT, Mr. CLAY, and Mr. TALLMADGE, the question on the resolution, as amended, was determined in the affirmative, by the following vote: So far from petitioning and memorializing Congress being no proof of public opinion, he (Mr. C.) considered it one of the best tests of public opinion, next to the evidences which the ballot-boxes afford, and that YEAS. Messrs. Benton, Bibb, Brown, Chambers, the honorable Senator would get too soon for his com- Grundy, Hendricks, Hill, Kane, King of Alabama, Knight, fort. "The Campbells were coming," and the gentle- Linn, McKean, Moore, Morris, Preston, Robinson, Shepman would hear next fall what evidence the ballot-boxes ley, Silsbee, Tallmadge, Tyler, Waggaman, White, Wilafforded of public opinion. Now, the honorable Senator kins, Wright.-24. asked seriously the question, whether the Secretary had NAYS. Messrs. Bell, Black, Clay, Clayton, Ewing, purged the memorials? He (Mr. C.) would ask the hon- Forsyth, Frelinghuysen, Kent, King of Georgia, Leigh, orable Senator seriously, whether he expected an answer? Mangum, Naudain, Poindexter, Porter, Prentiss, Smith, What did they know as to the course the gentleman's Southard, Sprague, Swift, Tipton, Tomlinson, Webster. friends pursued in Philadelphia? There was a petition-22. got up in Philadelphia relative to a glass factory, and some of the honorable Senator's friends abstracted a part of the list of names attached to it, and tacked it to a memorial in favor of the removal of the deposites. He (Mr. C.) would repeat his wish, that all the names could be had. If, however, they could be obtained, the gentleman would find himself in a much more slender minority than at present. FRENCH SPOLIATIONS PRIOR TO 1800. The special order being the bill to provide for the indemnification of American citizens who had suffered by French spoliations previous to the year 1800, was then taken up for consideration. Mr. FORSYTH moved to postpone the consideration of the bill to the next session of Congress; saying that the attempt to pass it this session was utterly hopeless. Mr. WEBSTER did not think the attempt hopeless, and he trusted the friends of the bill would now give it due consideration. With regard to the figurante of this drama, they are confined to the gentleman's own theatre. In one of the memorials from New York were to be found the names of John Doe and Richard Roe, and also the worthy name of yourself, sir, (meaning the Vice President,) who could Mr. CHAMBERS expressed a similar opinion, and said not possibly be suspected of signing such a memorial, the bill stood as good a chance of passing through the and certainly a great many others that were improperly other House now, as if it had been presented months ago. affixed to petitions. Purge the memorials! The Sena- Mr. TYLER said this was a very important bill; the tor might as well try to purge the General Post Office. principle involved was important, and he considered the It could not be done: he (Mr. C.) wished it could. Why, subject entitled to the most mature consideration of the if the memorials were purged, the honorable gentleman's Senate; now, whether Senators would take it up at this 17,000 names would be melted down to 6,000. He (Mr. late period of the session, was for them to decide. He C.) was glad to see that, worthless as the names were al-believed the claims did not stand upon any sound foundaleged to be by the honorable Senator, he was willing to tion, and when the time of the final passage of the bill arallow them to be printed. Mr. C. begged to tender him rived, he should express his reasons for voting against it. his most profound acknowledgments, and trusted that the names would be printed. After the order for printing should have been taken, he would then move that another thousand should be printed. The question was then taken, and the printing of the report was ordered. On motion of Mr. CLAY, it was ordered that an extra thousand copies of the report be printed. COMPENSATION TO Mr. E. R. POTTER. Mr. CLAYTON, from the Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred the resolution providing for the compensation of the Hon. Elisha R. Potter, reported the same to the Senate, with a request that the committee be discharged from the further consideration of the subject. Mr. C. then explained the reasons why the committee reported against the allowance of compensation to Mr. Mr. CALHOUN hoped the bill would be postponed. If this were not done, a discussion would certainly take place upon it; and the Senate had not now one moment to spare for such a purpose. The only object in taking up the bill at this time was, to procure the sanction of the Senate by a vote-and he submitted whether Senators were prepared to give a vote upon the subject. The principle upon which the bill was urged, would lead to an expenditure of thirty millions of dollars; and would induce a debt half as large as that of the Revolution. The question was one which demanded the greatest deliberation; and he ventured to say, that, beyond the committee, not a single Senator had bestowed the least attention upon the subject. Mr. SPRAGUE said, the bill was no new thing; reports had been made upon it from many committees, and only one of these reports had been opposed to it. The subject had been up for many years; the opinions of all were fixed in regard to it; and he was content to take a vote upon it now. There were thousands of claimants under this bill; and their claims were as clear as any that were ever due between man and man. He hoped the matter would now be settled: and to prevent the expenditure of time in discussion, he would recommend that the friends of the bill should say as little as possible, suffering the opposite party to say as much as they pleased. Mr. POINDEXTER was one of those who implored the Senate to defer an adjournment, till they could see the absolute condition of the business before the Senate; but he had been overruled by his friends, who were desirous SENATE.] French Spoliations.—General Appropriation Bill. [JUNE 19, 1834. of adjourning at once. They had now nearly arrived at it sufficiently, and as the measure would not pass the other the close of the session, with the Post Office, the general House at this session-[Mr. WEBSTER said he did not beappropriation bill, and much other important business, lieve it.] Mr. T. said it was his belief, and for these reastill before them. This was a question of great impor-sons he was in favor of a postponement. If he now voted, tance, and the claimants had suffered by a long delay; but he should vote against the bill. Mr. P. had not examined the case fully; he had not made Mr. SPRAGUE thought that if the Senator would turn up his mind on the subject; and he thought the time spent his attention to this subject till to-morrow at 11 o'clock, upon it would be precious time thrown away, which could he would be entirely satisfied as to these claims. They not be spared from other important business. Mr. P. did not require an extensive investigation-the principles would therefore reluctantly vote to postpone the subject. were plain-and were those of common honesty. Mr. BIBB, also, had not had time fully to examine the The reason why there had been no treaty providing for subject, and he thought it would take him some time to these claims was, that, according to the decision of a jumake up his mind on the right or wrong of the question. dicial tribunal, they had been released by the United The provisions in the treaty of 1800, in relation to these States in the treaty of 1800. If this had not been done, claims, had been expunged, and later treaties had not indemnity would have been provided for under that treaty. provided for this description of cases. The question of Mr. TYLER denied that the case was very plain in favor indemnity rested on the course which the United States of the claimants. The case would open all the questions had pursued in relation to these claims; and if, on an ex-of national law. When the convention sat, the case was amination of national law, Mr. B. should be convinced of reported to a committee of the Senate, and they reported the justice of the claims, he should be disposed to vote in against it. Another communication was afterwards made their favor. The great amount of the claims could not to another committee of the Senate, and that committee alter the principles involved in the question, but it impo- made a report corresponding with that of the former. sed on him the task of examining the subject with more The votes in the House of Representatives were currently care and diligence. It was not pretended that there against the claim up to a certain time; which time he did would be any compromise on the claims; if part of them not remember. This claim, like old wine, had improved were allowed now, they must be all ultimately allowed. by age, like other claims. In the present hurry of business, he was, therefore, in favor of a postponement. Mr. CLAY would express his thorough conviction that the claimants had a right to indemnity to some extent, a right which was founded on the principle, that a sacrifice had been made of their property, for the advantage of the United States, by obtaining from France a relinquishment of the guarantee made by the United States in the treaty of 1779, to the possession by France of the West India islands. On that ground the United States had yielded up these claims on account of spoliations. These claims, being once relinquished, the United States could not again set them up against France; the claimants therefore had a just right to compensation to some extent, from the United States; and that extent must depend on the estimated value of their chance prior to 1800, of ultimately obtaining indemnity from France. To this, at least, a satisfactory appropriation might be made. But, under present circumstances, Mr. C. thought it was better to defer the subject till the next session. Mr. CHAMBERS reminded the Senator from Kentucky, that he (Mr. C.) had brought this subject forward early in the session, and had delayed it for the purpose of permitting the consideration and passage of his resolutions; and to what extent this was a generous return, Mr. C. would refer to his own candor. Mr. CALHOUN would have examined this case with great care, if he had supposed that it would be taken up the present session. But he had not sufficiently examined it, and other Senators were also in want of information; he therefore hoped it would not now be pressed. Mr. BENTON alluded to documents in relation to this subject, which had been recently published by order of the Senate; he had not read them, and at present there was not time to read them. Mr. WEBSTER did not expect that public necessary business should give way to this, but he insisted that there was no propriety in giving any other private business a preference. The settlement of the question had been long delayed; the parties were growing old, many were dead, and were represented by their wives and children; the claims were just-the next session would be short, and he therefore hoped that the measure would be now permitted to proceed. He thought the examination might be made with very great readiness. The question on postponing was then taken, and the result was YEAS. Messrs. Benton, Bibb, Black, Brown, Calhoun, Clay, Forsyth, Grundy, Hill, Kane, King of Alabama, King of Georgia, Leigh, Linn, Mangum, Morris, Poindexter, Porter, Robinson, Swift, Tallmadge, Tyler, White, Wright.—24. NAYS.-Messrs. Bell, Chambers, Clayton, Ewing, Fre- GENERAL APPROPRIATION BILL. The Senate then resumed the consideration of the bill making appropriations for the civil service of the United States, for the year 1834. The question being on the last amendment reported by the Committee on Finance, as recited in yesterday's debate Mr. SOUTHARD moved to amend the amendment, by adding the words "And provided further, That the said collectors, naval officers, and surveyors, shall render an account quarterly to the Treasury, and the other officers herein named or referred to, shall render an account quarterly to the respective collectors of the customs where they are employed, to be forwarded to the Treasury, of all the fees and emoluments whatever by them respectively received, and of all expenses incident to their respective offices, which accounts shall be rendered on oath or affirmation, and shall be in such form, and be supported by such proofs, to be prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury, as will, in his judgment, best enforce the provisions of this section, and show its operation and effect." The amendment was accepted by Mr. WEBSTER. Mr. CLAY then moved to strike out all the amendment from the enacting words to the word "that,” in the 58th line, so that the amendment should read: "And be it enacted, That, in no case, shall the compensation of weighers, gaugers, markers, measurers, or ap praisers, whether by salaries, fees, or otherwise, exceed the sum of two thousand dollars per annum; nor shall the union of any two or more of these officers in one person entitle him to receive more than the sum of two thousand Mr. TALLMADGE remarked, that his constituents also five hundred dollars per annum. And provided, alɛo, That were interested in this subject; but he had not examined (no officer shall receive, under this act, a greater salary JUNE 20, 1834.] Pensions to French Seamen, &c.—Sales of Public Lands. or compensation than was paid to such officer for the year 1832" With the addition moved by Mr. SOUTHARD. On this question a debate ensued, in which the proposition was defended by Mr. CLAY, and opposed by Mr. WEBSTER, Mr. CHAMBERS, Mr. WRIGHT, Mr. SHEPLEY, Mr. WILKINS, and Mr. TALLMADGE. The motion was rested by Mr. CLAY on the enormous increase of officers in the custom-house at New York, and the general suspicion that the officers had been in the practice of contributing twenty-five per cent. of their salaries for political objects. It was contended, on the other side, that, supposing there were abuses in New York, it would be too hard to make all the custom-house officers in other ports, where there were no abuses, or suspicions of abuses, suffer because of the irregularities in New York, in the same proportion with the guilty. Mr. CLAY finally, at the suggestion of Mr. WEBSTER, and, on his assurance that the subject should be looked into at the next session, withdrew his amendment. Mr. SILSBEE then moved to strike out the words "weighers, gaugers, markers, measurers, or appraisers," and to insert, in lieu of those stricken out, the words "any other officers than collectors, naval officers, and surveyors;" which motion was agreed to. [SENATE. Mr. BIBB moved to amend the bill, by increasing the pensions granted to twenty dollars per month, in each case. The circumstances attending the unfortunate occurrence, by which these French seamen lost their lives, were such as to call for larger pensions than were given under the regulations of the navy pension fund, which he believed were somewhere about ten or twelve dollars per month. Mr. SOUTHARD said that the committee, in framing this bill, had taken the recommendation of the President, as perhaps the safest guide. The amounts of the pensions, to be sure, were not large, but they appeared to the committee to be as large as could be expected, from the nature of the case. He thought, however, if the pensions were to be increased, if they were not to be granted in the ordinary way, they ought not to be taken from the navy pension fund. Mr. CHAMBERS would suggest to the Senator from Kentucky, whether it was not better not to press the second reading at this time. He threw out this suggestion that the bill might be printed before further amendments were offered. At present he doubted the propriety of taking these pensions out of the navy pension fund. Mr. BIBB had no idea of taking this money out of the navy fund at all. A fund set apart for the peculiar benefit of American seamen, ought not to be diverted from its object on extraordinary occasions. Besides, he thought, by making the appropriation directly from the Mr. WEBSTER then moved, in compliance with a re-treasury, and to a larger amount than usual, it would be quest from the Department of State, to increase the con- manifesting, on the part of the Government, a degree of tingent fund for that Department, by adding $6,000 for sympathy and liberality suited to the object, and in concarrying on the statistical examination ordered by certain formity with the example set by the officers and crew of resolutions of Congress, of February, 1833, and March, the American frigate, who, he learned, had promptly sub1834; which was agreed to. scribed the sum of five thousand francs for the relief of the sufferers. Mr. WEBSTER moved an amendment, to insert an appropriation to cover sundry small claims; which was agreed to. Mr. WILKINS moved to amend the bill, by adding an appropriation of $5,100 for completing a Digest of Commercial Regulations, ordered by the House of Representatives in 1831, and which has been prepared by General Smith, of Baltimore; which was agreed to. Mr. BIBB moved to amend the bill by introducing an appropriation of $400 for recording the proceedings of the Supreme Court. Mr. WEBSTER called the attention of the Senate to the contract made by the Secretary of State, under the law of last session, for the publication of a Documentary History of the Revolution. He stated the nature of the contract, which was for 1,500 copies folio, and might be continued to fifty volumes. The committee had sent for the contractors, and struck down the number of cop ies to 1,000, and limited the number of volumes to twenty, at furthest. Mr. CHAMBERS also doubted the propriety of taking this money from the navy pension fund, which he conceived set apart for the peculiar use of our own seamen. He also was in favor of some amendment that would increase the amount of the pensions. Mr. SOUTHARD said he had no solicitude whatever as to the manner in which the appropriation was made. It would make no earthly difference to the pension fund or to the treasury, from which source these pensions were to be taken; as, from the manner in which the fund was constituted, the treasury was bound to make good any deficiency that might by any means occur in it. He moved, however, to lay the bill, for the present, on the table; which motion was agreed to. In a subsequent part of the day, the bill was again taken up; when Mr. WILKINS made some additional remarks, corrobo- Mr. BIBB moved to amend the bill, by directing the rating what had fallen from the chairman of the Commit-pensions to be paid out of any money in the treasury fee on Finance. not otherwise appropriated, instead of out of the navy Mr. FORSYTH asked what progress in the work had pension fund, making the pensions double the amount been made by the contractors? He had heard that the paid to American seamen and their families, in cases of work would cost $300,000. death or wounds in action, but otherwise directing them to be paid under the regulations of the said navy pension fund. After some further observations by Mr. FORSYTII, Mr. WILKINS, and Mr. MANGUM, who moved to adjourn, Mr. WILKINS gave notice that he should to-morrow move to go into Executive business. FRIDAY, JUNE 20. PENSIONS TO FRENCH SEAMEN, &c. A bill granting pensions to French subjects accidentally killed by discharging a salute from the United States frigate United States, in the harbor of Toulon, having been reported and ordered to a second reading, Mr. SOUTHARD hoped the Senate would, by general consent, permit it to be read the second time at once, for the purpose of expediting its final passage. After some remarks from Messrs. CLAY, SOUTHARD, CHAMBERS, TALLMADGE, and MANGUM, the amendment was agreed to, and the bill was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading. SALES OF PUBLIC LANDS. Mr. POINDEXTER, from the Committee on Public Lands, who had been directed, by a resolution of the Senate, to inquire into certain frauds said to have been committed in the sales of the public lands, made a report thereon, in part, accompanied with sundry documents, Mr. P. said he now laid before the Senate all the evidence the committee had been able to collect during the present session. Immediately on the Senate's instituting SENATE.] Sales of Public Lands.-General Appropriation Bill. [JUNE 21, 1834. the inquiry, the committee had caused commissions to is the settlers, he knew nothing of it. He made some exsue, for the purpose of collecting testimony, directed to planations, to ward off suspicion of wrong from the offi individuals in Mississippi, which did not reach them until cers of the Government, stating that there was a scheme two months after they were sent from hence. The clerk to buy lands under fictitious names, and that it was to deof the committee was willing to make affidavit that he, on feat this scheme that an immediate deposite was demandthe first of April last, directed and put into the post of ed. He (Mr. B.) had been consulted by the register, and fice here, five letters to individuals in Mississippi, and advised this course. here was an answer to one of them, dated at Clinton, June the first. Mr. POINDEXTER asked his colleague if he recollected any thing about an address to the company. Mr. P. here read the letter, by which it appeared that Mr. BLACK replied in the negative. He was not the gentleman did not receive the letter directed to him present. until the day previous to the date of his answer. He Mr. POINDEXTER said that the committee had rementioned these facts, Mr. P. said, for the purpose of ex-ceived the highest testimonials of the character of the plaining why the committee were unable to report in full. deponent. One of the depositions taken by the committee was from Mr. FORSYTH suggested, that, as individuals not cona Mr. Emanuel Rowe, a gentleman of integrity and re- nected with the Government, and said to be respectable, spectability, and whose character was vouched for by the were implicated in the transactions, it might be prudent honorable James Barbour, of Virginia, and his brother, to withhhold the printing. the honorable Judge Barbour. He wished this deposition Mr. CLAY hoped the printing would be ordered. No to be read, in order that the Senate might have some idea one who looked at the subject, could doubt that there had of the kind of frauds that had been practised on the pub-been great and shameful frauds. He thought the doculic at their land sales. ment ought to be printed, so that every member of the The deposition of Mr. Rowe was then read. Senate might be in possession of a copy. He did not Mr. FORSYTH said that the deposition which had despair of the practicability of preventing combinations been read exhibited some extraordinary facts. He had no objection to printing the affidavit, and thought that the Treasury Department ought to be put in possession of the facts, in order that it might take some notice of them. in the purchase of lands. Gentlemen ought not to give up the subject. He saw no reason, in what had been said, that the documents ought not to be printed at present, lest injury might be done to some individuals; but he thought that the public good ought to be a paramount conMr. PORTER would be very unwilling that the depo sideration with gentlemen. He trusted that something sition should be printed without his having made a single would be done to put an end to these frauds, and that the remark. He did not intend to impugn the general cor- gentleman from Georgia would lend his assistance to efrectness of the affidavit, but with respect to one individ-fect that object. ual who was mentioned, Mr. Ellis, he was a person of A further conversation between Mr. POINDEXTER great respectability and honor. He (Mr. P.) should and Mr. BLACK resulted in an admission from the latter, think that that gentleman had done nothing more than that the case stated by the deponent, in which the regis put money into the hands of an individual to buy lands. ter and receiver were involved, did not appear to be that Mr. Ellis was not a man who would act in such a manner in which he had been consulted. as to deprive any man of an equal chance of purchasing lands. The printing was then ordered. On motion of Mr. WILKINS, the Senate proceeded to the consideration of Executive business; and, when the doors were opened, adjourned. SATURDAY, JUNE 21. Mr. POINDEXTER said that the honorable Senator from Louisiana would observe that there was not a word said in the affidavit against Mr. Ellis. It only represented him as the agent of the Louisiana Company. The commissions which he (Mr. P.) had forwarded to Mississippi had been detained two months, instead of arriving there GENERAL APPROPRIATION BILL. in twelve days. He thought that something should be On motion of Mr. WEBSTER, the general appropriadone by Government to put an end to these frauds; and tion bill was taken up, with a view of acting upon the he considered the suggestion of the gentleman from amendments. Mr. W. said, that after the amendments of Georgia perfectly correct-it was right that the facts should be laid before the Department, so as to give it an opportunity of making an inquiry on the subject. Mr. PORTER believed that the sales of the public lands offered the strongest temptations to commit frauds. He was glad to hear that there was nothing said in the affidavit impugning the character of Mr. Ellis. the committee had been gone through, with such others as might be proposed by members, he would move to postpone the bill until Monday. Mr. KNIGHT submitted an amendment, authorizing the construction of a small building, to be connected with the wall of the custom-house at Providence, Rhode Island, to be paid for out of the sum appropriated for the customhouse; which amendment was agreed to. Mr. KING expressed his opinion that it was utterly impossible to prevent speculators from purchasing the lands. Mr. HENDRICKS submitted an amendment to provide The Government had passed laws, and every thing had for the construction of a permanent and conspicuous landbeen done that was thought calculated to put a stop to mark, on the line dividing the States of Indiana and Illispeculations, but all without effect. If it could be as-nois, on a point near lake Michigan; and certained that the Government officers had participated Mr. WEBSTER, at the request of the Department in these frauds, then they ought instantly to be dismissed. of State, submitted an amendment, appropriating $92 50 Mr. FORSYTH had some doubt as to the propriety of for a balance remaining due for the publication of the printing the documents, inasmuch as they were of an ex Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States, from parte character. He thought they ought not to be pub- the peace of 1783 to the 4th of March, 1794; which Tished without first giving the persons charged an oppor- amendments were also agreed to. tunity of being heard. Mr. FORSYTH moved to amend the bill, by striking Mr. BLACK had no objection to the printing; but he out the appropriation for the Documentary History of the thought that the deponent must have been, in some de- United States, to be published by Peter Force and Matgree, deceived. He knew some of the persons named, thew St. Clair Clarke, under a contract with the Depart and believed them to be highly respectable. If there ment of State, made in pursuance of the act of Congress was any such combination, and such requisition made on¦of March, 1833, and to insert in liea thereof, an appro |