of the harbor at Cincinnati, and the construction of a channel way between the same and the cities of Covington and Newport, to render the more accessible the military depot, and for the protection of the public property at the latter place. The said bill was read the first time: when Mr. Stephen Adams objected to the second reading of the said bill SYeas, And decided in the negative, Nays, The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the members present, Those who voted in the affirmative are- Mr. Amos Abbott John Quincy Adams Edward D. Baker James Black John Blanchard Jacob Brinkerhoff Francis A. Cunningham Jefferson Davis Columbus Delano James Dixon Stephen A. Donglass Jacob Erdman John H. Ewing Edward H. Ewing George Frica Mr. William S. Garvin Meredith P. Gentry Mr. John P. Martin David S. Reid James A. Seddon Mr. Robert Dale Owen Isaac Parish Augustus L. Perrill James Pollock Frederick P. Stanton Andrew Stewart George Sykes Bannon G. Thibodeaux Mr. Joseph Vance Mr. David Wilmot Mr. William Wright The said bill was then read a second time, and referred to the Committee on Commerce. On motion of Mr. Thomasson, Resolved, That the Committee on Revolutionary Pensions inquire into the expediency of providing by law to pension the surviving officers and soldiers of the Illinois regiment, and those under General Wayne, during the Indian wars, at the close of the Revolution. Mr. George W. Jones offered the following resolution: Resolved, That the Clerk of this House be, and he hereby is, directed to distribute the extra copies of Lieutenant Frémont's reports, ordered to be printed by the last House, among the members of the present House. The said resolution was read; and Mr. Jones moved the previous question, which was seconded; and the main question was ordered: when A motion was made by Mr. Washington Hunt, that the said resolution be laid upon the table. And the question being put, It was decided in the negative, The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the members present, Those who voted in the affirmative are Resolved, That the Committee on Roads and Canals be, and it is hereby, instructed to inquire into the expediency of making an appropriation to complete the canal round the Muscle shoals, in the Tennessee river and, also, inquire whether it is more expedient to complete said canal, or to improve the channel in the bed of said river; and that said committee have leave to report by bill or otherwise. Mr. Andrew Johnson offered the following resolutions: Resolved, That rotation in office, in the opinion of this House, is one of the cardinal tenets in a republican form of government, and ought never to be violated on any pretence whatever; and should be practised upon by all administrations, regardless of their party names. Resolved, That eight years, in the opinion of this House, is the longest term any individual ought to be permitted to remain in office, whose appointment is conferred upon the President of the United States and the heads of departments, either by the constitution or by law; and at the expiration of said term of service they should be considered ineligible to reappointment. Resolved, That, in the opinion of this House, the appointment of persons to office should be made upon the basis of representation from the several States in the Congress of the United States; that is to say, the whole number of persons to be appointed to office should be divided by the whole number of Representatives, giving to each congressional district in the Union its fair ratio of officers under the federal government. Resolved, That, in the opinion of this House, every congressional district in this Union is more than competent to furnish its full quota of officers, upon the principle as laid down in the foregoing resolutions, who would be honest, capable, and faithful to the constitution of the United States. Resolved, That, in the opinion of this House, immediately after all the offices shall be filled, upon the principle as laid down in these resolutions, the President and heads of departments should divide the whole number of congressional districts into four equal divisions, or as near so as may be practicable, classing them 1, 2, 3, 4; the offices belonging to the district falling into the first class, shall be vacated at the expiration of eight years; those falling into the second class, shall be vacated at the expiration of six years; those falling into the third class, shall be vacated at the expiration of four years; those falling into the fourth class, shall be vacated at the expiration of two years; so that one-fourth of the whole number of officers thus appointed would be retiring from office every two years, and a new set coming in to fill the vacancies thus occasioned. Resolved, That, in the opinion of this House, in the selection of individuals to fill the offices under the federal government, due regard should be had to the farmers and mechanics of the country, so as to give them their fair proportion of said offices. Resolved, That, in the opinion of this House, the people, the principles of the constitution, the spirit of the times, and justice, all demand at the hands of the President and heads of departments, so soon as may be practicable, to carry into full and fair effect the principles and doctrines as laid down in the foregoing resolutions. On motion of Mr. George W. Jones, Resolved, That the Committee on the Judiciary be instructed to inquire into the propriety of repealing the fourth section of the bill making appropriations for the civil and diplomatic service of the year ending the 30th June, 1846, passed at the second session of the 28th Congress, and report by bill or otherwise. On motion of Mr. Stanton, Resolved, That the Committee on Naval Affairs be instructed to inquire into the expediency of so reorganizing the bureaus of the Navy Department as to have a separate bureau of ordnance, and also one of hydrography; with liberty to report by bill or otherwise. Mr. Delano offered the following resolution: Resolved, That the Clerk be directed to procure five thousand additional copies of Captain Frémont's report for the use of the members of this House, provided they can be procured without any charge for the composition. The said resolution was read, and Mr. Delano moved the previous question. Mr. George W. Jones moved that the said resolution be laid table: which motion was decided in the negative. upon Mr. Rathbun moved, at twenty minutes past 2 o'clock, p. m., that the House adjourn: which motion was disagreed to. The previous question, moved by Mr. Delano, was then seconded; and the main question was ordered and put, viz: Shall the resolution pass? And decided in the negative, SYeas, The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the members present, Those who voted in the affirmative are Daniel M. Barringer Jacob Brinkerhoff Jacob Erdman Edwin H. Ewing Mr. Meredith P. Gentry William F. Giles Martin Grover So the resolution was rejected. On motion of Mr. Harper, Mr. William P. Thomasson John W. Tibbatts Mr. Joseph J. McDowell David A. Starkweather William W. Woodworth William L. Yancey Archibald Yell Jacob S. Yost. Resolved, That the Committee on Roads and Canals inquire into the expediency of erecting a bridge over the Ohio river, from Wheeling, Virginia, to the island in said river, at or near where the National road crosses said river. On motion of Mr. Tilden, Resolved, That the Committee of Ways and Means be instructed to inquire into the expediency of printing ten thousand extra copies of the pension laws. In pursuance of previous notice, Mr. Vinton asked, obtained leave, and introduced a joint resolution (No. S) to amend the constitution of the United States: which was read a first and second time, and committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union. |