The Congressional Globe, Volume 13, Part 1: Twenty-Eighth Congress, First Session Page: 74
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74
CONGRESSIONAL GLOBE.
attend the committee. He wished to hear some
reason stated for conferring the power.
Mr. CLINTON said the resolution was precise-
ly in the same terms with a resolution -which pass-
ed the House at the long session of the last Con-
gress. By having the power to send for certain
clerks of the public departments, the committee
would be enabled to save the expense of long co-
pies of papers and the expense of a permanent
clerk.
The resolution was adopted.
The resolution offered by Mr. Burke yesterday,
that the House proceed, on Thursday, the 4th day
of January next, to the election of postmaster to the
House of Representatives, was taken up.
Mr. HOLMES moved to lay the resolution on
the table.
Mr. BURKE demanded the yeas and nays upon
this motion; which were ordered, and, being taken,
resulted as follows—yeas 72, nays 84:
YEAS—Messrs. Adams, Barringer, Barnard, Beardsley,
Belser, Edward J. Black, James A. Black, Milton Brown,
Campbell, Carroll, Catlin, "Reuben Chapman, Clingman,
Clinton, Coles, CoUamer, Cranston, Garrett Davis, Rich-
ard D. Davis, Dcberry, Dellet, Dickey, Dickinson, Flor-
ence, Foot, Criddings, Willis Green, Grinnell, Grider,
Hardin, Harper, Holmes, Hubbell, Hudson, Washington
Hunt, James B. Hunt, Joseph R lngersoll, Irvin, Jenks,
Perley B. Johnson, Daniel P. King, Kii-kpatrick, McClel-
land, Mcllvaine, Marsh, Morse, Moselev, Patterson, Pey-
ton, Elisha K. Potter, Pratt, Charles M". Head, David S.
Reid, Khett, Rogers, Sample, Saunders, Sentei, Severance,
David L. Seymour, Simpson. Slidell, Albert Smith, Ste.
phens, Thomasson, Tilden, Tyler, Vance, Vanmeter, Vin-
ton, While, and Winthrop—172.
NAYS—Messrs. Anderson, Benton, Bidlaclc, James Black,
Blackw ell, Bossier, Bower, Bowlin, Bo> d, Jacob Brinkerhoff,
Brodhead, William J. Brown, Burlington, Burke, Cald-
well, Cary, Cobb, Cross, Cullom, Dana, Daniel, John W.
Davis, Dawson, Dean, Dillingham, Douglass, Duncan,
Farlee, Ficklm, Foster, French, Frick, Byram Green, Hale,
Hamlin, Haralson, Hays, Henh, Hernck, Hoge, Hopkins,
Hughes, Charles J. lngersoll, Cave Johnson, Andrew
Johnson, Kennedy, Preston King, Labranche, Leonard,
Lucas, Lumpkin, .vlcCauslcn, McCiernand, McConnel), Mc-
Dowell, Mathews, Joseph Morris, Norns, Parnienter,
Payne, Puidv, Hathbun, Almon H Head, Reding, Russell,
Bt. John, Thomas 11. Sejmour, Simons, Thomas Smith,
Robert Smith, Stcenrod, Stetson, John Stewait, Stiles,
Stone, Sykes, Taylor, Tibbatts, Wellei, Weiitwortll,
Wheaton, Williams, Wilkms, and Joseph A Wright—84.
So the motion to lay on the tabic being negatived,
the question recurred on the adoption of the resolu-
tion.
The question was then put in seconding the pre-
vious question, and carried—ayes 04, noes 57.
The miun question having then been ordered with-
out a division—
Mr. BURKE called for the yeas and nays on that
question, being on the adoption of the resolution,
which were accordingly ordered, and being taken,
resulted in—yeas 83, nays 68, as follows:
YEAS—Messrs.* Anderson, Benton, Bidlack, Jas. Black,
Blackwcll, Bossier, Bouer, Bowlin, Boy d, Jacob Biinker-
hoil, Brodhead, William J. Blown, Buttington, Buike,
Caldwell, Cobb, Cullom, Dana, Daniel, John \V\ Davis,
Dawson, Dean, Dillingham, Douglass, Duncan, Ellis, 1ar-
lee, Kicklln, Foster, i' reach, Byram Green, Hale, tkimlm,
Haralson, Hays, Henley, Hernck, Hoge, Hopkins, Houston,
Hughes, Hungerford, Jameson, Cave Johnson, Kennedy,
Preston King, Leonard, Lucas, Lumpkin, McCauslen, i\ie-
Clemand, A,el onneil, McDowell, McKay, Mathews, Jo-
seph Morris, Norns, Parmenter, Payne, Purdy, Hathbun,
Almon II. liead, Reding, Iiussell, St. John, Thomas II. Ke)-
mour, Simons, Thomas Smith, Robert Smith, Stecmod,
Stetson, John Stewait, Stiles, Stone, Sjkes, Taylor lib-
batts, M eller, Wentvvoith, Wheaton, Williams, Wilkms,
and Joseph A. Wright~b3.
NAYS—Messrs. Adams, Barringer, Barnard, Beardsley,
Belser, Edward J. Black, Milton Brown, Campbell, Catlm,
Reuben Chapman, Clingman, Clinton, t oles, Collamer,
Cranston, Gailett Davis, .Richard V. Davis, Dcberry, Del-
let, Dickey, Dickinson, Floience, Foot, Frick, Uiddmgs,
Gilmer, Willis Green, Grinnell, Gilder, Hardin, Harper,
Holmes, Hubbell, Pludson, \V aslliiigton Hunt, J.B.Hunt,
Joseph R. lngersoll, livm, Jenks, Poiley B. Johnson, Dan-
iel P. King, McClelland, Mcllvair.e, Marsh. Morse, Mose-
ley, Patterson, Peyton, Elisha it. Potter, Choiles M. Read,
David S. Reid, Rogers, Sample, Saunders, Scnter. Sever-
ance, David L. Seymour, Slidell, Albert Smith, Stephens,
1 homasson, Tilden, Tyler, Vance, Vanmeter, Vmton,
White, and Wmthrop—68.
So the House determined to go into the election of
a postmaster on the 4th day of January next.
BOUNTY LANDS.
The resolution offered by Mr. Hamlin—calling on
the Secretary of War to communicate to the House
the names of the persons who are entitled to bounty
lands for services during the last war, and who have
not obtained warrants for the same; also the names of
the persons who have obtained their land warrants,
but who have not received patents for them, to-
gether with the places of residence and places of en-
listment of the soldiers so entitled,—coming up for
consideration—
Mr. CAVE JOHNSON was opposed to the reso
lution, on the ground that the publication of these
names would not be for the benefit of the widows and
children of the soldieris entitled to these bounty
lands, but for the benefit of a tribe of speculators
and agents who were seeking to enrich themselves at
their expenB®!
Mr. HAMLIN regretted that the gentleman from
Tennessee had thought fit to oppose this resolution,
because he believed that it was calculated to per-
form good service, and operate in a manner, very
contrary to the gentleman's suggestions. There
were many persons in the Eastern States who were
entitled to bounty lands, but were unable to make
good their claims for the want of proper information,
which was only in the hands of the Government.
The object of this resolution was to enable the
heirs of persons who had such claims to know
directly what they were entitled to, and how to
make good their claims.
This resolution embraced two classes of persons
only—those who had not obtained their warrants,
and those who, having obtained their warrants, had
not taken out their patents. This information the
Secretax'y of War could furnish the House in a few
hours' labors and it would be so valuable and useful
that he was surprised at anir gentleman opposing; it.
Mr. RATHBUN moved to lay the resolution
on the table; but the motion was rejected.
Mr. HOPKINS called for the previous question;
but the call was not sustained by the House.
Mr. CAVE JOHNSON called for the yeas and
nays; but, a sufficient number not rising, they were
not ordered.
Mr. THOMASSON observed that it was but a
few days ago, when a motion was made to prinfa
report from the War Department, containing tlie
names of persons having claims against the Govern-
ment, that he voted in favor of that motion. His
impression then was, that the document contained
information which would be useful to him, as he
received many officers' and soldiers' claims from his
constituents which he was requested to prosecute at
the department. For this reason he was anxious
that the document should be printed; but he had
since received information which had induced him
to change his opinions. On a late occasion, he called
at one of the public departments to obtain informa-
tion in relation to a claim that he was requested to
prosecute; and, though he gave the name of the per-
son, the clerk refused him the information, in ac-
cordance, as he said, with the invariable practice of
the department. On conversing with his friend from
Tennessee [Mr. Cave Johnson] on this subject,
that gentleman gave him the reason why the de-
partment refused to give information of this kind;
and that was, that the making these claims public
would benefit, not the widows and children of claim-
ants, but the speculators and agents who are always
watching for opportunities to prey upon such per-
sons. Under these circumstances, he was unwilling
to depart from the long-settled practice of the Gov-
ernment, which he. had no doubt was the result of
experience, though he was not prepared to vouch
for the correctness of it.
Mr. HALE hoped the resolution would pass.
He held it to be both the duty and the policy of the
Government to be just; and he believed there was
nothing to be gained by interposing objections to
the publication of all the information in the posses-
sion of the Government, to enable those who have
just claims to enforce them. It was not the policy
of the Government to interpose any objection to
the fullest and freest communication of all the in-
formation which will enable those who have
righteous claims to show their merits. The claims
of officers and soldiers of the last and the revolu-
tionary wars should be heard with great indulgence
and favor by this House; the poor pittance which
the Government pays to the widows and orphans
of those soldieis, for the blood shed in the country's
behalf, should not be grudgingly paid; nor should
the information be locked up m the archives of the
Government, that would enable the claimants to es-
tablish their just claim. If a little more care and
scrutiny could be employed to protect the treasury
against claims of a more questionable character, he
thought it might be judiciously exerted; and if this
House would call upon the departments to show
how much had been paid out on claims presented
and over and over again rejected, it would be
seen that there had been enough thus paid out to
gladden the hearts of the widows and orphans of
those who had fought the battles of the country,
He did, however, trust that all the jealousy of this
Howe and of the departments would not be «o
excited as to defeat these meritorious claims of the
widows and orphans who came herein their weak-
ness and thftir poverty, asking the Government to
give them thstl which belonged to them. Relieving
that by the adoption of this resolution, riothing biit
the truth would be published, and that no claims
but those of justice and humanity could be added to
those made against .the Government, by such publi-
cation, and that no "facilities would be afforded for
fraudulent claimants, he sincerely hoped theHou&fc
would pass the resolution introduced by the gen-
tleman from Maine.
After a brief conversation between Messrs.
BEARDSLEY and CAVE JOHNSON,
Mr. HAMLIN wished simply to call the atten-
tion of the House to the resolution as it now read.
It asked for information on two specific points: first,
it asked for the names of those persons who were en-
titled to bounty lands, and who had not obtained
their warrants: it also askfed for the names of those
who had obtained their warrants, but have not ta-
ken out their patents; and, in offering this resolu-
tion, he wished to say that he did it at the instance
of persons whom he knew to be personally interest-
ed through their ancestors. Now, he asked, what
proper objection had been offered by either the gen-
tleman from Tennessee or the gentleman from Ken-
tucky. If he had gathered the force of their views,
they did not convey to him a single suggestion tend-
ing in the least to create embarrassment in the pass-
age of this resolution. The gentleman from Ken-
tucky [Mr. Thomasson] had, on the contrary, given
him one of the best reasons why the resolution
should be passed; that was, that the gentleman from
Kentucky had called upon the departments, and
from their books he could not learn the names^of
those who were interested in these very land claims
against the Government. If the gentleman from
Kentucky was right, he had afforded the best reason
for the adoption of the resolution, and he (Mr. H.)
hoped the House would adopt it.
Mr. THOMASSON explained. The head of one
of the bureaus informed him that, in one in-
stance, there were Seven different claimants for the
same bounty land, and the party who obtained it
turned out to be one who had no right to it.
Mr. HAMLIN would ask what that had to do
with this resolution? If the Government held out by
its laws that it was willing to reward those who had
periled their lives, was it proper that the evi-
dence should be withheld which woCdd show to
whom it was due? and would the gentleman from
Tennessee [Mr. C. Johnson] stand there, as a miser
over his treas#B, and refuse that very relief which
was offered? There were but two classes' of claim-
ants whose cases this resolution would meet, and
those classes vere not at all numerous; and if the
additional information, which would show the place
of residence and of enlistment of the claimant, was
published, there could not be any frauds practised,
and all objections would be obviated. He agreed
with the gentleman from New Hampshire, [Mr.
Hale,] that it was the duty of Government to fur-
nish to the community whatever evidence was in its
possession, that those really interested might be able
to derive the benefits which the Government held
out to them. But was it to be the policy of this
Government to say to a certain class of meritorious
citizens, We will give you this bounty land; and
the same moment, and in the same breath, turn
round and say, We will withhold from you the very
information which will enable you to enjoy the ben-
efits we offei? He asked if this was not "to keep the
word of promi^p to the ear, and break it to the
hope?" He hoped the resolution would be passed.
If he correctly understood the law, he believed all
these claims would expire in two years from the
last session of Congress; and should they, there-
fore, be justified in keeping from those that were in-
terested, the evidence that would enable them to sus-
tain their claims within the allotted time?
Mr. CAVE JOHNSON explained the course
pursued by the department in withholding the in-
formation alluded to from persons who were not di-
rectly interested as claimants, and stated that claim-
ants, or their propeily-authorized representatives,
could procure all the information they required. This
policy was pursued for the purpose of frustrating
the designs of speculators, whose frauds in relation
to the Vlrginia land claims were the means of great
loss to the Government, and to the people who
were rightfully entitled to that bounty.
Mr. HOPKINS was of opinion that the passage
of this resolution, by giving publicity to the infor-
mation in the possession of the Government, wou!4
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United States. Congress. The Congressional Globe, Volume 13, Part 1: Twenty-Eighth Congress, First Session, book, 1844; Washington D.C.. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth2367/m1/98/: accessed April 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.