The Debates and Proceedings in the Congress of the United States, Seventeenth Congress, First Session, [Volume 1] Page: 43
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43
HISTORY OF CONGRESS.
44
Senate.
Admiralty Jurisdiction.
December, 1821.
portion of the community, he presumed no indis-
position would be manifested against his proposi-
tion. If, on the other hand, it were impracticable
and inconsistent with the public good, it would be
abandoned. He said that he very well knew that
the depreciation of the paper of the Bank of the
Commonwealth of Kentucky, compared with spe-
cie, or what was denominated Eastern funds, for
the payment of debts in Philadelphia and else-
where, induced many gentlemen, at a distance, to
, believe that the currency of that State was of little
value. But he would take this occasion to state
the fact that, within the State, the paper would,
at this time, purchase as much real or personal
property, as could have been purchased by the
same amount of gold and silver coin, when the
banks were in prosperity, and paying specie for
their notes. He had no doubt that such would
continue to be the result; for, while relief had
been given to the people by such a measure, the
greatest care had been taken to fix the institution
upon a solid foundation. Mr. J. then submitted
the following resolution :
" Resolved, That the Committee on the Post Office
and Post Roads be instructed to inquire into the expe-
diency of authorizing the Postmaster General to per-
mit the Postmasters, in the Western country, to re-
ceive, for postages on letters, the currency of the State
in which the said offices are located."
The resolution lies on the table.
Friday, December 28.
The Vice President of the United States
attended.
Mr. Ruggles presented the memorial of John
Scudder, and other citizens of Cincinnati, in the
State of Ohio, urging the expediency of estab-
lishing an uniform system of bankruptcy through-
out the United States; which was read, and refer-
red to the Committee on the Judiciary.
_ Mr. Holmes, of Mississippi, presented the peti-
tion of William Doak, praying to be allowed the
right of pre-emption to a tract of land; which
was read, and referred to the Committee on the
Public Lands.
Mr. Mills presented the petition of Simeon
Pish, of Hampshire county, in Massachusetts,
praying to be confirmed in his title to a tract of
land; which was read, and referred to the Com-
mittee on the Judiciary.
_ Mr. Holmes, of Mississippi, presented the peti-
tion of Noble Osburn, praying a donation of one
section of land in the tract lately ceded by the
Choctaw Indians; which was read, and referred
to the Committee on Public Lands.
Mr. Barton presented certain documents, show-
ing the construction of the pre-emption laws in
the several land districts; which were read, and
referred to the Committee on Public Lands.
Mr. Thomas, from the Committee on the Pub-
lic Lands, to whom was referred the petition of
Clarisa Scott, reported a bill for the relief of the
legal representatives of Manuel and Isaac Mon-
santo, deceased ; and the bill was read, and passed
to a second reading.
Agreeably to notice given, Mr. Johnson, of
Louisiana, asked and obtained leave to bring in a
bill granting to the Governor of the State of Lou-
isiana, for the time being, and his successors in
office, two tracts of land in the county of Point
Coupee; and the bill was read, and passed to a
second reading.
The Senate proceeded to consider the motion of
yesterday, instructing the Committee on Naval
Affairs to inquire and report relative to the fees
and emoluments of navy agents; and agreed
thereto.
The Senate proceeded to consider the motion of
yesterday, instructing the Committee on Public
Lands to inquire whether any amendments are
necessary to the several acts of Congress granting
rights of pre-emption to settlers on public lands;
and agreed thereto.
The Senate proceeded to consider the motion of
yesterday, instructing the Committee on the Post
Office and Post Roads to inquire into the expedi-
ency of authorizing the postmasters in the West-
ern country to take for postage on letters the cur-
rency of the State in which the post office may
be located; and, on motion, by Mr. Lowrie, it
was laid on the table.
The Senate resumed the consideration of the.
motion of the 20th instant, authorizing the Presi-
dent of the Senate to appoint all committees, as
amended; and, on motion, by Mr. King, of New.
York, it was laid on the table.
The Senate proceeded to consider the report of
the Committee of Claims, on the petition of David.
Merrill; and, in concurrence therewith, resolved
that the prayer of the petitioner ought not to be
granted.
The Senate proceeded to consider, as in Com-
mittee of the Whole, the bill explanatory of the
act for the relief of James Leander Cathcart, pass-
ed May fifteenth, in the year of our Lord, 1820,
and, no amendment having been proposed, the
President reported it to the House; and it was or-
dered to be engrossed and read a third time.
The resolution from the House of Representa-
tives, providing for the distribution of the Secret
Journal and Foreign Correspondence of the old
Congress, and of the Journal of the Convention
which formed the Constitution of the United
States, was read the third time, and passed.
ADMIRALTY JURISDICTION.
Mr. Johnson, of Kentucky, said he deeply re-
gretted that duty compelled him to trouble the
Senate with a resolution in regard to the exercise.,
of admiralty jurisdiction by the Federal courts.
He said that within a short period the district
court of the United States for the district of Ken-
tucky, in conformity to what was supposed to be
the opinion of some one of the judges of the Su-
preme Court, had assumed admiralty jurisdiction
m cases arising out of the navigation of the West-
ern waters. So^ far as he was acquainted with
the facts, the jurisdiction had only embraced
steamboat navigation, but in principle he did not
see how the court could refuse to exercise equal
I jurisdiction over cases arising out of keelboat navi-
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Gales and Seaton. The Debates and Proceedings in the Congress of the United States, Seventeenth Congress, First Session, [Volume 1], book, 1855; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc30365/m1/20/: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.