treaty to be invested either in stock of the United States, or of the bank of the United States, or to be loaned to the United States bank upon interest; and allowing to the revenue officers the same income as before the tariff of 1832. These amendments were concurred in by the house, and the bill became a law. By this act, the following appropriations were made. pared to support the amendment, until after a formal inquiry. Mr. Dearborn hoped the amendment would not prevail. He would not presume that the secretary of the navy had abused the power intrusted to him, without full inquiry. Mr. Hoffman said, that he was satisfied that the number of naval officers was too great, but he thought the house could not exercise a power in limiting the For the expenses of the executive departnumber in any other mode, than ment, including vice-president's saby limiting the pay, and emolulary, and of the territorial governments of the officers. $793,500 72 ments, survey of the public lands, diplomatic intercourse, Expenses of the judiciary, of light houses, beacons, &c. . 231,850 20,000 50,000 561,192 74 The bill making the appropriations for the naval service, was taken up on the 9th of February, in committee. After various unimportant unimportant amend ments were made without opposition, Mr. Wickliffe moved an amendment, prohibiting the increase of midshipmen without the authority of law. He said that of late, the power of appointment by the secretary, had been abused, Four hundred and fifty midshipmen were now on the navy list, and within the two last years a great number of appointments had been made. Mr. Anderson was not pre Mr. Adams thought the subject ought not to be introduced in examining this bill, which was to provide for the service of the current year. He was unwilling to do any thing which might look like a censure of the secretary of the navy, without giving him an opportunity of being heard; and he hoped that the amendment would not prevail. further discussion, was lost, ayes The amendment, after some 59, nays 62. It was again pressed in the house, and was 102. The bill was then passed, again rejected, ayes 88, nays and having received a verbal amendment in the senate, became a law. An act was also passed for the gradual improvement of the navy, and appropriating $500,000 annually for six years, from March, 1833, for that purpose. Provision was made therein, for the preservation of the live oak on the public lands, and all collectors were required to ascertain, before clearing vessels with live oak on board, whether it had been cut from the public lands. The act for carrying on the fortifications of the United States was taken up on January 2nd, and passed into a law, without opposition. For barrics at Savannah, For repairs of old fort at St. Augustine, 20,000 The military appropriation bill was taken up on the 16th of February, and passed without any discussion worthy of note. By this act the following appropriations were made for 1833 For pay, forage, and subsist ence, clothing, medical and hospital de $1,778,028 280,000 partment, 31,000 quarter master's do, transportation, 165,000 West Point academy, 20,765 By this act, there were appro priated For completing forts already pay of western militia, called into service in '29 commenced, For repairing forts, And for contingencies, An act was also passed, ap given to S. Carolina, repairing forts, and pur- An act was also passed, for the defence of the frontier, creating a regiment of dragoons. The bill making appropriations for the indian department, was also taken up in the committee of the house, on the 16th of February, and passed in the ties, 211,040 100,000 To repress hostilities of western Expenses of removing Indians,. 654,271 The remaining appropriations of a public nature, made at this session, were for internal improvement, and for public buildings, and other objects in the District of Columbia. By the act making appropriations for the public buildings, which was taken up the 26th of February, were appropriated, For completing the penitentiary, $15,436 improvements at the capitol, 32,350 improvements at the President's house, . for furniture at do., 22,083 20,000 The following appropriations were also made by separate acts for internal improvements in the territories, i. e. For a road in Arkansas, from the Mississippi to the St. a post road through the Creek repairing present road, do, of the Ochlochney, a survey of White and St. $100,000 . 20,000 2,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 25,000 ,500 appropriations for internal imThe bill making the general provements, or the harbour bill, as it is sometimes called, was taken up the 1st March, at too late a period to permit a protracted debate. When in committee, various amendments were offered, and two important amendments were carried, i. e. For surveys, under act of 1824, $25,000 34,000 The next day, when the bill was before the house, Mr. Denney moved to appropriate $10,000, for a survey of the Alleghany river, between Pittsburg, and Ŏlean, for the purpose of improving its navigation, but it was negatived. Mr. Stewart moved an amendment, appropriating $4,000, for repairs made on the Cum berland road, by Valentine Geesy, but it was negatived. Mr. Duncan moved an appropriation of $20,000, to construct a harbour at Chicago, which was also negatived. $30,000, were then added, on motion of Mr. Vinton, to the appropriation for continuing the Cumberland road, west of Zanesville, and the bill was passed without further opposition. By this bill the following appropriations were made, For carrying on the Delaware removing a sand bar at the pier head at Cunningham creek, Ohio,. completing the removal of obstructions at the mouth of Ashtabula creek, Ohio, $270,000 2,400 500 3,400 completing the improvements of the harbour of Presque Isle, Penn., 6,000 completing the pier at the mouth of Buffalo har continuing the Cumberland road in the state of Indiana, continuing the Cumber land road in Illinois, 70,000 repairs of the Cumberland road in Virginia, 34,440 payment of a balance due for marking out a road defraying the expenses in- running the western boundary of the state of Missouri, . 1,504 54 25,000 140 The bill making appropria 5,000 tions for light houses, and bea cons, was not taken up until the 2nd of March. It was then 4,000 amended in committee of the whole, and reported to the house. Mr. Polk then attempted to defeat it, by a motion to lay it on the table. This motion was negatived, ayes 43, nays 71, and the bill passed the house, but, Mr. Grundy objecting in the senate to its being read a second time on the same day, as contrary to rule, it was lost in the senate. |