Republic of Texas House of Representatives Morning Session, January 11, 1842

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Tuesday Morning, Jan. 11

House met—present—Messrs. Speaker, Brown, Bower, Cooke, Daniels, Dancy, Dennis, Fowler, Grimes, Head, Hewett, Hunter, Jones of Galveston, Kuykendall, Landrum, Latimer, McConnell, Niebling, Parker of Fort Bend, Parker of Houston, Pattillo, Pennall, Porter, Raymond, Roberts, Smith, Usher, Van Zandt, Woods.

Mr. Smith presented the petition of Jonathan Bird, for authority to locate certain tracts of land around Bird's Fort, for the use and occupancy of the settlers at that place.

The Military Committee asked to be discharged from consideration of petitions of Michael Ziller, Joseph H. Rogers, William Perry, John Tucker, Andrew Brugher and George B. Erath, which they returned to the House. Adopted. Reported favorably on petition of William Snodgrass.

The Naval Committee reported the claim of Thomas Hanson back to the House, and asked to be discharged from its further consideration.

The Committee on Post Offices and Roads recommended a Bill to authorize the Secretary of State to discontinue mail routes, on certain conditions.

The Senate informed the House that they had refused to adopt the report made by their Committee of Conference on the Fee Bill.

Mr. Raymond introduced a Bill for increasing the compensation of Chief Clerks of Departments to nine hundred dollars, and assistant Clerks to eight hundred and fifty dollars. Mr. Raymond made some remarks in support of the Bill; said he had made calculations, and had found the present salary entirely incompetent to pay their necessary expenses, and he thought Congress ought to make additiona allowances to them. He moved a suspension of the rule, so as to pass the Bill to a 2d reading. Lost.

Mr. Robinson presented a certificate of the Auditor, in relation to some dues for printing, which were referred to Printing Committee.

Mr. Daney moved a reconsideration of the vote of last evening, adopting report of Committee of Conference on the Fee Bill, which was reconsidered and report withdrawn.

Mr. Wynns moved a reconsideration of the vote passing Impost Bill, which was carried. Ayes 17— noes 14.

Naval Committee made a report, relative to the furniture of the Zavala, stating their opinion that the secretary of War and Navy, under the direction of the President, had ample power to institute inquiry into the matter, and requesting to be discharged from its consideration.

On motion of Mr. Cooke, the Bill for the protection of the northern and western frontier, was taken up.

Nearly all the morning was taken up in consideration of the Bill, and sundry amendments made, and the bill was finally ordered to be engrossed.

Ayes,— Messrs. Speaker, Bower, Brown, Caldwell, Cooke, Dancy, Darnell, Daniels, Dennis, Forbes, Fowler, Grimes, Head, Hewett, Hunter, Jones of Galveston, Lattimer, McConnell, Morris, Parker of Houston, Porter, Raymond, Smith, Usher, Williamson, and Wynns.—25.

Noes,— Daniels, Landrum, Parker of Fort Bend, Patillo, Pennall, Roberts, and Van Zandt.—7.

Mr. Cooke moved that the rule be suspended and the Bill passed, which was carried.

On motion of Mr Van Zandt. Joint Resolution for relief of William Bryan, was taken up, debated, amended, rule suspended and passed.

The Committee of Impeachment, James S. Mayfield, Chairman, reported that it was inexpedient to furnish Judge Hansford with the testimony taken before the Committee of Examination, because at the time, they were acting as a Grand Inquest, and because the evidence was not taken down fully.

Communication of the President, enclosing a request for another clerk to the General Post Office, was read. The President said, he had no personal interest in applications of this character, but he thought it advisable to give the assistance asked for. House adjourned.