Register of Debates in Congress, Comprising the Leading Debates and Incidents of the First Session of the Nineteenth Congress Page: 81
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81
OF DEBATES IN CONGRESS.
82
Feb. 8—13/1826.]
Repair of Post Hoods,
[SENATE.
of the claim, the propriety of giving to an individual the
new privilege proposed by the bill, the other modes by
which it was suggested the title might be ascertained, 8tc.
Those who advocated the bill, were Messrs. VAN BU-
REN, BERRIEN, ROWAN, and JOHNSTON, of Lou.;
and those who opposed it, were Messrs. RANDOLPH,
TAZEWELL, HOLMES, and EATON. In the course of
the debate, Mr. RANDOLPH moved the indefinite post-
ponement of the bill; and, on the question being taken
thereon, it was decided in the negative, as follows:
YEAS—Messrs. Barton, Bell, Chandler, Dickerson,
Eaton, Edwards, Havne, Lloyd, of Mass. Macon, Marks,
Randolph, Tazewell, Woodbury—13.
NAYS—Messrs. Berrien, Bouligny, Branch, Chase,
Clayton, Cobb, Ellis, Findlay, Hendricks, Holmes, John-
son, of Ken. Johnston, of Lou. Kane, King, Knight, Mc-
Ilvaine, Mills, Noble, Robbins, Rowan, ltuggles, Sand-
ford, Seymour, Van Buren, Van Dyke, White, Willey,
Williams—28.
The question then being on certain amendments report-
ed to the bill by Mr. VAN BUREN, from the Judiciary
Committee, amotion was made to adjourn, which pre
vailed.
Wedsesbay, February 8, 1826.
The Senate took up the unfinished business of yester-
day, being the bill to authorize the claimants under the
title of the Marquis de Maison Rouge, to institute a suit
against the United States, to try the validity of that title.
Some verbal amendments, reported by the Judiciary
Committee, having been agreed to in Committee of the
Whole, and being reported to the Senate,
Mr. WOODBURY moved " that the bill, with the pro-
posed amendments, be recommitted to the Judiciary
Committee, with instructions to make the bill general—
providing a similar mode, of settling controversies, as so
similar titles in all cases, with a general limitation as to
claims under such titles, if not thus settled;" and Mr. W.
followed his motion with a statement of his reasons in its
favor.
A debate ensued, which occupied the remainder of the
day's sitting. "Mr. VAN BUREN opposed, briefly, the
motion for recommitment. Mr. HAYNE submitted, at
large, his objections to the bill, and his reasons for doubt-
ing the validity of the claim. Mr. RANDOLPH followed
on the same side, and delivered, further, his objections to
tiie bill. Mr. WOODBURY made some additional re-
marks in support of the modification which he had pro-
posed to the bill. Mr. JOHNSTON, of Louisiana, spoke
at considerable length against the motion to re-commit,
atid its object—in support of the bill, and of the consi-
derations, both towards the State of Louisiana and to
the claimants, which made it incumbent on Congress to
settle the claim without further delay; and in reply to
those gentlemen who had opposed the bill, or the claim,
^fr. TAZEWELL replied, also, at considerable length, to
Mr. Johnston-, and against the bill. Mr. VAN BUREN
then intimated a desire to submit his views on the subject;
but, it being near the usual hour of adjournment, moved
that the Senate now adjourn; and then the Senate ad-
journed. .
Thursday, February 9, 1826.
The Senate was principally occupied to-day in the con-
sideration of Executive business.
Friday, February 10, 1826.
_ The Senate was principally occupied to-dav in the con-
sideration of the bill for the relief of James Dickson & Co.
and other business not of a general nature; after which,
adjourned to Monday.
Voi.. II—7
Monday, Fsb. 13, 1826.
REPAIR: OF POST ROADS.
The Senate proceeded, as in committee of the whole,
to the consideration of the bill "appropriating a sum of
money ($15,000) for the repair of the Post Road between
Jackson and Columbus, in the State of Mississippi."
Mr. JOHNSON, of Kentucky, (Chairman of the Com-
mittee on the Post Office and Post Roads) explained the
object of this bill, which appropriated $15,000 forthe re-
pair of the Post Road, in the Indian country, between
Jackson and Columbus, in the State of Mississippi, to be
expended under the direction of the Postmaster General.
A similar bill had, he said, passed the Senate, during the
last session of Congress, but failed, for want of time, in the
other House. The committee who had reported the bill,
had received ample information, from the Postmaster Ge-
neral, and from other quarters, of the vast importance of
this road, of its being out of order, and of the necessity of
the appropriation at present asked for. The road runs
through the Indian lands, over which no State has any
control, therefore, would not involve any constitutional
question. In its present state, the road is so bad that the
communication is very precarious, and sometimes im-
possible.
Mr. CHANDLER, of Maine, said he should be unwilling
to lay out any money within the State of Mississippi, ior
making a post road, especially as the writer of a state-
ment (read by the Secretary) on which the committee
seemed to relv, was doubtful whether this was the best
road that could be had. In the State of Maine, when
they made a road passing through lands owned by In-
dians, they were under the necessity of doing it them-
selves; and he thought the State of Mississippi was as well
able to make its own roads as they were in the State of
Maine.
Mr. KING, of Alabama, said the State of Mississippi
had not the ■ power to make this road- The road runs
through the Indian country, over which the State of Mis-
sissippi had no control. The appropriation asked for is
not more than sufficient to accomplish the desired pur-
pose. They had formerly made an appropriation for the
object contemplated by this bill—how that had been ex-
pended he could not say. The committee had had the
subject undertheir consideration; they had communicated
with the Postmaster General, and Mr. K. said he was not
disposed to delay the passage of the bill, as, from the
great confidence that was placed in the Postmaster Gene-
ral, they might be satisfied he would not require a larger
sum than would be sufficient to put the road in a proper
situation for the transportation of the mail.
Mr. ELLIS, of Mississippi, said the object proposed
was, that this route should be so improved as to enable
the mail to be transported with safety from Jackson to
Columbus, in the State of Mississippi, and this could not
be effected unless this appropriation was made. The
water courses which intersect this road in various direc-
tions, require bridges, the swamps also require causeways,
that post carriages vnay pass in security. He knew, from
an experience of several years, that the mail arrived at
Natchez and New Orleans in a very wretched and torn
condition; and merchants complain that their losses are
immense, in consequence of the negligence of Govern-
ment in this respect.
The gentleman from Maine had said that, because this
bill did net provide for opening roads in Maine, that it
should not be done in the present instance; but this road
has already been opened by the Government of the Unit-
ed States, and it is now proposed to put it in such a state
that the mail mi^ht be transported in covered carriages to
Natchez and New Orleans; this he thought was an object
well worthy the attention of the Governmenf, and he
hoped no opposition would be iHade to the passage of the
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Gales, Joseph, 1761-1841. Register of Debates in Congress, Comprising the Leading Debates and Incidents of the First Session of the Nineteenth Congress, book, 1826; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc30753/m1/45/: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.