TJireeDoHars per Arihunl.
.) 1
.1
h '
CONGRESS
rnecy
i
V.
-' OF THE ". -
U N I T S T ! 7 E $,
Housl or KiKri(MTATivti. ' -
" W tdiuj'duy, Decimbtr 31 , 1 80 1 .
v (Uminata frrxm our lall 1
rhe gentleman trouiVi ginia rcdvrires
r XT 7 o- 0 rV : o .-r rr r. ' time, ne mums we are not ore
pl&red to legiffcuef -B at " t b if (Mr. HY.)
uiii were auojMC'i, mere wootf be .no.
otxahin fV.r,this. The territory has laws ;
hu.-,ki."i;'i ' r if vi 1 -a 11 B"t : - wiieveu meie inwa won d
..Mr. N.cnolas U that, he Ihould vole, ry,w,U for fifty years, withou
for t ,e conHmiteer.h frmn a d.fFer.nij giving Coreis much tropic t'0 Iuo,y
ntomeJrutn that -which actuated th oen?u . b. " w muiuv
ej.iW irruharmf. . He hoped eftnhUften of a jicUrVi
. t4. GotU ovl4 bi fofficred for the pre- u, JLw 1 0,1 , . " f tv ?
ntVih ir . . at L i ' ' w ith reguMitp a, corporation, he was a -
r?' Cr ' "tee1tpef,CTt lD co,1aiutt it at prelrtt, Jd did not thiai it
!,n if r'f J""' '"';,r, ed 1 nl.i ever be neclary; ' : ' "
t anatifolotc .cJoty. In reply to he; Mr. N-'choia. dicottonGdlfkhc power
inarm the amhot nv iven bv h rimitCV . . r-l
..- - t . - .' : ' imparted ov tue corjlitiitioo aSnm enuive
tutiyn in relation io ibis tertuorvrditTtfred 11- 'it-.r'' n . 1 v ' f ,
(r n n ujruimcu ne iberetore could no: fairly btchafitrd
-trrt. the other powers fled in comrrefa f . if ji - r ' lJ'-v'-'
, u : 1 --y " 1 :,s 1 wulr a delire 10 device fro-n mcf efi. ns
inaimucn as me- tormer invn
po vcr, had "couiiet'ted with it the word
'- acluJiv ; - whereas i he - latter had not.
iFridjfJanuzry i, .;i 801 ..;
"to this word, was altogether different from
tl.e one Kw contended for. The conlti
mtion vloes not .fay rnncrels fltall podefi
tKcljfive poainr cf tkgijlation : hut that thev
linl; power ot cxtrciin txdujfjt U
if alien. '"--'-
I ite a?t v of eeffion and acceptance, con.
layied a conllraclion diredtly oppofed to
' that nor made. They -declare-that the
il.ws ot" Marv bnd aiul Vircinia fli:ill coH-
tinwe till cdngvcG Hull 'slier them. Their
ceu.irmn is ma?ie to aepend on an uncer-
t'venr, vvz. whether ooncrefs Jhall
Jiifion iufiimied our llhertv ; in art r.r
....... p- MVIV
load. . t
Whnt would be the effect of this law on
vkhe tniiabitants of the Territory ? . It
' f !dd impole on thenv the laws of Mary
land and Virginia, as they exiited on a
particular 'day without ally capability of
iaiprovcmen:s Fn :n the improved code of
thoHf "ftates. : , -'
'Mr. Nicholas had heard oF no inconve
mietices which hud nrifeh from t lie linn.
atrunption. ot' wer7 hj? Conprefs.-The
people uiyne territory ot L.olumbU had
lJn "Ppypiop Tjr hipre tl an a
rinndied years under' their Uate ijovern
nieiUK ; ahd he hid no doiib'c would remain
y .in without he interpofitior of Congret's,
who, at prefenr, were unqualified toacl,"
After lotiie remarks l.y flel!is. Harper
.and H. 'Lee, the qacllion ivas taken on
the comihiuce lifing,' and canted without
a divifioit. .
Tue cntMinittce rofe, the cbaitthart re.
quelled leave to (it agin, wn'ith was iiot
ytat'trl. ' .
Mr. llirper, then. moved tb' recommit
the bill to the fame committee thtfc in
trolnced it. . t '. A
Mr. Hirper. The objei1ion mnde by
the ieiitlcunn (roMi Virginia to an pdump.
" . Ikiu ol' power by Cimref oe 10 fay that
' the conlHtii"on.d prfivilion. th atfis' ol
ccfli.m r.f 'Maryland unJ Virginia, and the
aft of oc?-epfancely con'(re(, Ihnll be all
a dead letter'; and ihat ihi lerritory ih U
continue, -at therefort, tinder its, old ju.
lilJii'tioil." Tin's was lo.oll intents and
purpolcs the ainttunt oi'. t he gentleman's
remark. He afked, whit necejlity for the
exercife.ot .pover by Conrtfs i Ihd not
theritixftiia lued .happily lof a Itu-Jred
yeartt tinder the lla'.e gverjime,nis Tbis
Mr. U. did not iJiljmc. It was prnbally
tme ih it they had hied as happily at other
. pot tioii) nl citizens under t he ltate govern
iiient. 'B it the ptowli.m of the vonlliiu.
tioden this fubjet't ha I not been .male
'with this view. It was mnde to" befit w
. dignity and indepeinleitce on the ove, it.
r'ent of the union. It was toprotrct.it
it om luch outrages as had occurred when
which Was a defence by governor Sargf ant
of himidf agaiatf charges preferred ugain ft him
by a. member of the Houfe of RepVticntadvcj;
being'a lefter to the, Secretary of Siaie:- r,UI
br him into the. hands of .Mr. N.i, n .
ihe niher, UC prefentment pf a grand jary in
rt.. Vy Territory on charges . tliade aifin 11
fIti.Mi rivu.i v
: Tfcra papers were 'cad and referred fb the
t f inquiry into the pfRc'al coquet
$ V - 5 ant. ; as was a nelTage of ttie
"ienclifing J iOpjof Jws pallvldlin
that Icrrt.ory between June 30 and De
tember . ji, 1 -). 7 . , , "
VtMr. H;rpcr ui.Ved theillowiRg .efbiu-
.""'." . were rcdu. ana rrti-n-ri i
ift .Umtoiv of ColiiAKia : V '
Rcfolvod, 'lh.lt if
I v . rr" -.-r- r': ... r . 1 or -otH
of it framers. The pwft- vas like. a i Colbmbia. ; V uur,ldlttloa P
cpat' of ''armour,, intended .to' prntcf.1 the t.r;t..j -ri " . , ' y
government ia period of dara.id no, L J h or Virgihla 4d
io be worri at ill. times-far parade A ' aT T" Pff'he f.fd
nw .. : :. - - - ...Sd.lhutToniaindAvHhut the-ifm ts of thof.
jnaie. .eiuta.w.y, 0iig,ic.,6 be con inuid in
' 1 it....... 1. 1 ' ...
unco, utiiii von?rcis lha!l K:r.
thr. wholi. Mr V.i!l- i .k- Lw.::
-jvi fintunu iu papers ; OnC 01 j "c ' '
JUDICIARY Bt.l,
Remarks ha 1 been made to fhew th.ir,
1 '.''
oignity anj mdepei.dence ot the "ovetn.
r.ent required the amtmpnon. . Air Inch
arpuments when iVt apainft iheTiaobinel
of the people were in'toncluHve. Mr, N,-
1 t a
naa always ueert iaugHt to cotifider the
true dignity of" the government as indif.
Ipluhly connedfed" -with the happiiiefs of
the people"; and waTuriable n utileain all
thit' he had heretofore acquired' 10 this
eir.-. .,.. ; : I
lyir. Craif: agreed with the memoer from
South Carolina as far as his remarks went ;
hut he 'did not think thac they excen led
t'ar enoughs He was himftlf friendly 10 the
inlliuiiion of a loctl; grtvniment for Jcat
pMrpofeir, leaving all federal powers to Con
grefi. If tlie hilllheuld be recoinmitiedhc
would be prepared to ojlei: a plan con for '
'luaW to thefe ideaiJ He ft 1111 aldi-in at tU
doubt i fngeiiedof the vliditTot the laws
of. Maryland Virginia. He believed tha;
they were, ltill io iotte f and did not
think there was any abfoluie neceflicy
for Cdngrefs io al at all at prelent. Stih
he thdKght that delay would, only mtilti-ply-the.
inc.invenieitces-alreaHy eXperieH'
ced ht the formation ol a plaiv of govern
went; A plitm might be fb framed as, to
prottcf the general government, as well as
fome. iegre-?, the inhabitants of the
jcrriiory fioni aiiy tyranny that fome
gentlemen luppofcd might b' cxeuilcd
by Cougtefs.. . I : : " i
. He concludeiHy expreffing a hop? that
a completely organized lyllem wight be
formed and 'adopted,
,Mr. Dennis coim ided with hisollf agne
ihd.:riririgaii allini.ptiori of jurildiclion by
Cori.rels. But beforr he committed him
llf by ,-vn opinion he wifhed to fee an
entire plm fiibmitted.- As to the bill
before the-committee it was little more
than an abllratl propofuion.
MrrDeimis beln ved ihat the aOItmprion
by .Conjjref would be agreeable to the
inhabitants if n good fyllem were adopled.
' Mr, C. Goodrich advocated the fecom
mi'n: ,t of the bill, that a nAire complete
fjllcm might be devired.and fubminedto
the houfe in a more direft way.
. The quetiioti of recommitment was
carried, and t -, members were added to
the original committee. . .
The committee ol ilevilal and UssAn'ifh.
ed Bofiijels leponed it as their opinioi. that
11 would be pi op.r to continue the ir lition
Law, hich exrires "win, tlc cT0fe of
lbl leflion, for two yean longer.
Ordered to lie on the table.
ThurfJaw lanunrv f.
On moti.m of Mr. Kitteia, the houfe una.
provivip dv . iaw.
RclaiveduThat,f Jte admiiiaration of
J.fltvc vmliurlfis-faid dill, iff,- there ouaht
ipbf ehaDUie t wo inferior., and mi .i.wi.
or coiul. th Inf.rior triurts to hVat Alex-
naril it ih Ti i.l A . il ... Si 1 I- i - ' . . . .
The. chairman proceeded in rea3ing tbe -ptra'gfaphs
antil lje came to the 5th IcttloD,
wbich . '' : I .'
'f Mr. Eggleflon-4aoved fo to amehdit'arta"
prelerve the plin at. prefent cxiilirlg, which
edablifhes on.c court for Viiginia, lAftead oF
dividing the flaie into two diftiitfs, land ha- .
Ving'two courij, one to fit at Richmond and
the other at ErcdcritkfburgK, as propoftd ly
the bdl. '' . :-.:-- .-.''; ':".
'L'bilthotion llengiUy debate enfued.'
i:Mre(rrs; 1
Jackfon and Macon fupporteil, atid MelTrs.
Grifwold, Harder,-Bayatd H.Lee, & Otis,
oppofed it; .' .;. . . - ;
. Thofe who fupported the motion "conten-
dtd that the propofed alteration Was UBwarrdri
ted byUuyicbaiTge7whtclf1)1id't;ke! placein
Virgini ) j that heretofors much bufmefs had
been dofie in the' federal court from an accu.
mulafi.n of niifatiified
previoully 10 the formation. of the' federal
cohllitutioii ; that thefe .demands, for the
mod parts were now.feiiled ; that the rxiflirg-
dminds are few, ana which ' one coJrt w as :
fully eaaal to attejiding:to'; that the fa& was
that jufitce had fecen admiRiflcred under nW,.
prelcnt fyftem with the greatc (I dispatch; and
that at the laft term the dock et war In rnm .
plcteljr ,'cleared, in a fitting, of ten .days, that
partiot the fauI d.llHrt nt lie on the di (fete tit ' lhcol,rVoi l'atisfied with deciding on fuita
fides bf.jhe river toiowTc fcfpec'iSvefy ; which" had one'. through' ihc'ufual.formYjT hai--tohayc
a hm'.ttcd civil andtrriminal jurifdic-: u.'J'y detided on feveral returnable to the.
' it was diacrently fnuated, u,f,uit WM . m"y relolvcd iit, each member fttould ,,,"ee of ,h whole, and carried by Yeas and
i:n..'. . wear crane on hisdi-fr urn To... .... .L : ' Kin.. V... . ir . '
n. . , . .. "'" 111 1 7-1 - a i -, mil -i j,
teUimonv 01 ihur rCnn 1 .1.- .t.j. .t. 2:1 . V
I IAD 111 rfBa pntlir.t.ni H...."'... . I ' hnfinni. t ir a i'L j .1 I i' ' I
f , powers aim to tie com-, r ,u''5 ,", i ,nai 'ne aaamonai court w?
polja ot three judges each and. .he Supreme ' n d'hred by ihe citizens of Virginia, whof
to have full powers as a court oflquity, .ori
ginal jurifdiehon in all tales civil and crirrii
nal ni within the jurifdiehon cf the Inferior
cou.Mndappellatc junfjiion from the f.id
.courts in all civil caies abo7e the value if
:e n--t t oUiri 1 and 10 be compofed
a Cuef Jufttcrwho-fhralfo be Super
mtendant ol police for the fjid , i. ilirut with
competent powers' and two alfociates.
Rcfolved, That the falarie of the 'fa Id jud
ges ought tobe't-nablifhed by law, and to be
paid by the United States. .
Refolvcd?,That provi!ionought to-be niade
for the appointment of a matal fr the faid
d.Urtct, and ofi clerk and othsr ofiicers lor
the fatd couits, for the prefmation of record,
ahd.lor lJ,c ,,ue confinement and fecuriti- of
perfons commuted or iinprifoncd. '
Refolved, Thn for the better ordering of
affairs io the fatd diflrifl, it. ought to" be dt
vtded iojhrce townftips, fo ,hat one town.
Ihipfball include Alexandria, one Ceor?e
Town, and one the C.ty of Wafl.ing.on ;
and that a corporation ought to be eilablifced
vtthih each of ihe
ii ed, JfL,tleuer of perfonj annu.
a v e erled hv ih fr.k,.IJ. i
ana io be veiled. wtth H,tr to rn.ke pro
jrifion w.th.n their retpeaive lownfhips, by
bye law, refpefcling- flreell( high'.ways, rrl.r.
keu, and othrr matters of a finilar nature to
be particularly defcribed j ,hc faid bye. laws
lo be fub;ct to th; rcVifion of ,he Superior
court of tl.e dirtrid, and o be annuied fare
by, upoo complaint by any perfon or perfons
lo aggrieved ft notice to the proper ofheers of
corfHwanon, and caufe Ciewn.
On .motion of Mr. Grifwold the houfe
went into a committee of ih whole "on ibe
Jud.c-arv Bill;.thelhoufe difidiPg-Ayel
44 Noes 33. " ,
-Mr.-Rutledge in tfie chir.
TJje bill was read through, when the com
mittee reported progrel'v and attcd and ob.
tamed leave to fa again. . 1
The repoit of ike committee of Revifal
and unfiniflied bufmefs to rontinue for two
years the Sediiiori law, was taken up.
...w..vi. w, niaac 10 rcter it to a com.
M llhitnr rniun.lnr liiil'iiin. ......!..'
and judicial piwet to inluie tu fl fVIi re f- Il,t"non'l ,0' re,r refPfS 'r ihe memory of
pcu.,viiie thgQermneiu.Wds under r V "emD"
the iuaiduufiip of (late laws, thole laws e epgroncd-bill "conmtMng Ceofie
tUre might eilt a fpirit hoitile to the JKjrl0" r'- 'he biM
, general fctnerninent, or at any rate indif. ' Mr. Dawfon moved to i:tommit it Lofl,
. pofcd 10 give It proper piotec'tioii'Tuis ye4jl Noe. ' "
wH one Trenfbn, among oihers, for the ' ' Mr R'ndo,pb moved 10 refer th bill ( a
provihan, of the confl tii' ion, confirmed 'C,J(.1 fmiitec Ufl, Ayes 3a. ..
d carricl iit effeft by the ofls'of Ma. ,r Spi'ght and Mr. Davit thfn'aC-ncd
' ihiid atwl Virgii.i.i, and ls tl.e aO 'oT '" re,rVni for ong agstt the I iir.
. Co.igrer.. ' t ' ' ' Tl.e q-ieflton w4, then taken Wlheiafugi
i'he !. 0 hflhe gentleman wa, ?o de.of ,,,e b'11 Carried, Yea. 45 Noel 57.
feat alltl.ee ac"M nrd nil thefe an .nsc 0n mouon of Mr. Harper the title w.-s
uei.tsiii fuhvetficu rf tint troviHon wl,HV'lc,ed J 99 to.reai An act loertct
IU MiAiwAiiilUA fade, and ot lbi wuwUum fcr GeorgciWathirgtcn.'
Made the order' of the day for Tuefday, .
-A.b4loukiog appipHo-fof the-year
1001 was read twice and t,frttA .
fimttee of the whole houfe on Mondav n-i
MeffM. Davi., Now, inuClaiborae were
ex cured from f-'rving on tfce committee ap
rt.inied to invefligiie the.oHicial coi.JuU of
VVi'iihrpp Sa'graiit, .
iM.iDivU moved ilutihe committfe of
i) and Means be direued to ei.q iir' into
ike expediency of itiooimin m
tuckey and ihe N. W. Tcmtory to pay peaH
TSe 'loufe rcWvcd into a ronfimltjee of
convenience, fo far from h
would he injured by it for" that the plan of
having cine court held at Richiuopd, .and an-
other at FrcdeVickfburg, which were not niote
tlnn fevcrty miles apart, would place a largo
portion of the ciiiiens at a' greaiei diflancc ,
from the feats of the courts,' than, they were .
at prefent from Richmond ; which was; be-"
fides ihe ci pital of the flate, and iha dce io"
wfiich the cin?:ns very generally repaned for
the trahfaciion of tlieir ordinary affairs f that '
it beheved tbofe gentlemen who lecbmrnend "
ed this extenfion of the iudiciarv fvfl em. la
lhew the petuliar nccclfity , . and :adyao tigca jj
Ul II,
' Thofe who ODDOfed the motion nhOrVrd
that it beiamt ihe government of the United
jaies 10 organize the. judiciary in filch a way .
as to infurc an obedient to its laws; and 10 :
iiifure'ihe faithful rBllect.dn of "revenue Tihat
ihis Uil'wbjccl could only be attained by the
inflitution of federal ccurts, not fo remote from
each ottter, as to prevent the convenient at. .
tendance of profrcutois, forties, witneffe.,
andjurois at ihe feats of tRe couits ; that" ihe
recovery of duties dt-lived frorp this fource
could only be made before the federal courts,
and if the places at which infractions of tha
revetiua laws took place ,were very remote.,
however, ardent the pa'iiotifm of ihe citizen,
they could not be expected 10 encounter ih
great expcnceand lofs of time that would be .
lequiied. in attending a court three or four
hundred miles diflant; ihat ihe moll folidV.
objctlionio an extenfion Kf the courts was
their cxpence ; that in Taft the exienGoa
would brobably be an economical arrange.
Jiient, as ihe facility trJ" recovering dues to the
j public would-be incrcafed, and with It the
produUtvenefs ol ihe revenue ; and a confi
derable funj Would be faved jp the f xpences,
defrayed by ihe public, t)f a grJt.d jury, which
from its tery nature mud be drawo from all '
the.pirn 'of etch flaie, by ihe connatted fits
of the diflricl from which ihey wer taken ;
and that the fame remark would appry in a
fmaller degree; to commorj jurors, witne(T, ..
profecuton, Ac. that fo far lroaihe flaie
ment made by gentlemen being correfl,- it was
undejflood diatTeveral fuits in which tl.e
public was interefted. had been nrotrafled for '
fevrral terms 1 thn iU kiifini. tWrarA
have been brought before the federal coutt
tf Virginia, was the mod condufive tvidence
of the anconvenieacei ltiendififl' the preleat
P'"t wncrciy oiPg loine, remote niuatipu
oPiTie grtater'part vf ihe diTzensJ iftejTwere
.J ...) .T r a 1 f
, . " ' -
trdjced to prefer art appeal to the flare, ir
pre icrcnce 10 ue federal courts, .
It wa further declared In h vfrv Jnnklfd . ,
on rotiflituiional ground,, whether Congrefs
could delegate judicial towcrs to the Itate
Conns ; and if ihcjr could, it was a delicate '.
tjucinun now iar iiate judges were amenattic
10 ihe Uaited State, lor a faithful dilcharge
cf their duiv, inafmuih, i if they X'v,tu
' ; .w,.u ' Ine uni'ti iJiatenhev were not ,
tOttltitttior.al fubiffli of hmrnt bt
csr jrtf i Ih-'f'iC'anj fate, tb jra tu'M.
m
1
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a T . ... f mm 4
1
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