2d Session.

TENNESSEE AND HOLSTON RIVERS.

FEBRUARY 5, 1831.

Read, and laid upon the table.

Mr. BLAIR, from the Committee on Internal Improvements, to which the subject had been referred, made the following

REPORT:

The Committee on Internal Improvements, who were instructed by a resolution of the House of Representatives of the 24th December last, "to inquire into the expediency of procuring to be made by the Board of Engineers of the United States a survey of the rivers Tennessee and Holston, and an estimate of the improvements on the same, from the place commonly called the Suck, on the Tennessee river, to the town of Knoxville, on the Holston river," have had the subject under consideration, and report:

That, of the importance of the proposed improvement, they cannot suppose that there can be a difference of opinion. Its commercial advantages would be beneficially felt by five of the States of this Union, and would be essentially important to the whole Union in case of war, that section of country being the source from whence men and munitions of war, as well as provisions, must be drawn, for the defence of the country bordering on the Gulf of Mexico Of that opinion were the legislative and executive branches of the Federal Government, when, at the last Congress, an appropriation of four hundred thousand acres of the public lands in the State of Alabama were appropriated to the improvement of that river within said State. The Holston being one of the largest tributaries of the Tennessee river, and intersecting in its course the whole eastern part of the State of Tennessee, which, for fertility, is almost unsurpassed, the committee can see no reason for an examination of the former which does not equally apply to the latter river, and likewise up to the head of navigation; they have, therefore, thought it expedient to substitute Kingsport, on the Holston river, as the ascending point, instead of Knoxville, and recommend the survey and estimates to that point. The committee, from a full conviction of the utility (in a national point of view) of the improvement of said rivers, and from the fact that they intersect the most interior part of the Union, and one which is least favored with commercial outlets, recommend the adoption of the following resolution, there being no act of legislation necessary to accom

plish said object, inasmuch as the Secretary of War, under the general appropriation for defraying the expenses of the necessary surveys for works of internal improvement, will be enabled to effectuate the object; therefore,

Resolved, That, in the opinion of this committee, it is expedient that a survey be made of the rivers Tennessee and Holston, from the Suck, on the former, to Kingsport, on the latter; and that a report of the most eligible mode, together with an estimate of cost, be presented to the next Congress.

2d Session.

CLARISSA B. HARRISON.

FEBRUARY 5, 1831.

Mr. IRVIN, from the Committee on the Public Lands, made the following

REPORT:

The Committee on the Public Lands, to which was referred the petition of Mrs. Clarissa B. Harrison, widow of the late John C. Symmes Harrison, deceased, report:

That the said John C. Symmes Harrison, in the year 1819, was appointed Receiver of the land office at Vincennes, in the State of Indiana, which office he held until the year 1829, when he resigned it.

From the statement hereto annexed, from the General Land Office, of the differences between the United States and Mr. Harrison, it appears that on the 30th June, 1830, he was indebted to the Government the sum of $12,803 63.

He claimed that he was entitled to a credit of $1,500, paid for clerk hire in making out the accounts of his predecessor in office; that he was entitled to a credit of $2,015 04, paid for the defence and repairs of property of the United States, for which he was one of the trustees; and that he ought to be credited the sum of $1,989 50, for expenses incurred in transporting the public moneys to the place appointed for their deposite.

The depositions submitted to the committee fully establish the fact that Mr. Harrison did pay about the sum of $1,500 for clerk hire; it also appears, from the letter of the late Commissioner of the General Land Office of the 30th of September, 1829, that the Secretary of the Treasury determined that $1,433 of the above sum was a reasonable allowance for clerk hire, but from some cause, unknown to the committee, the credit was never given. It is the opinion of the committee that the account ought to be credited the sum of $1,433, paid for clerk hire by the late Receiver.

With respect to the item of 82,015 04, it appears that the United States owned a steam mill, and the lands attached to it, at Vincennes, for the superintendence of which John Bartolet, R. Bunton, and J. C. S. Harrison were appointed trustees. Mr. Harrison paid for repairs to this property, for taxes, counsel fees, cost bills, and money advanced for the purchase of a part of the property, the above sum of $2,015 04, for which, in the opinion of the committee, he ought to receive a credit.

If these two sums of $1,433 and $2,015 04 are deducted from the sum of $12,803 63, there will then be due to the United States $9,355 59. There is no proof before the committee that would justify a further deduction from this sum.

Mr. Harrison was allowed the sum of $746 61 for the transportation of the public moneys, and for which he has received a credit; if he is entitled to more, there is no proof of the fact. He died in October last, without having effected a final adjustment of his account at the Treasury Depart

ment.

The committee do not entertain a doubt that Mr. Harrison did make a loan to an individual of a very considerable sum of money, under the expectation of receiving a draft therefor on the Treasury of the United States, which sum has never been repaid to him. He was not justifiable in making this loan; and, although it proved to him a most serious misfortune, it ought not, under any circumstances, to be passed to his credit.

The petitioner is the daughter and only child of the late General Pike, who fell at the battle of York, in Upper Canada, during the late war; and from her statement, and other evidence furnished the committee, they are satisfied that she received no inheritance from her father, except his sword, and perhaps a few books.

She states that all the property which her husband left, were it exposed to public sale, would not produce a sum sufficient to pay the debt due to the United States, and that she and her children (six in number) would be left without the means of support. Thus situated, she appeals to the liberality of Congress, and asks that she may be relieved on account of the successful and faithful services of her late father.

The committee deem it unnecessary to say any thing in relation to the character and services of General Pike; they are known to the nation, and form a part of the history of the times in which he lived.

After the death of Commodore Perry, an act was passed by Congress, on the 2d day of March, 1821, making provision for the support of his family. By that act an annuity of $400 was given to his wife, and $150 to each of his four children, during their minority.

On the 2d day of April, 1828, an act was passed by Congress for the relief of Mrs. Brown, widow of the late Major General Brown. By that act, the Secretary of the Treasury was directed to pay to her a sum equal to the pay and emoluments and allowances of her late husband, from the time of his death until the 31st day of December next after the passage of that act.

Commodore Perry and General Brown lived to enjoy the honors and increased emoluments justly awarded to them for their gallant and faithful services to the country. Not so with General Pike; he died on the field of battle and in the hour of victory, leaving nothing to his family but the claims he had upon the gratitude of his country.

The committee are of opinion that the petitioner is as much entitled to relief as were the families of General Brown and Commodore Perry, and have, for that purpose, herewith reported a bill.

To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States: The petition of Clarissa B. Harrison, widow of the late J. C. S. Harrison, RESPECTFULLY SHOWETH:

That it appears from the books of the Treasury that there is a considerable balance due from her deceased husband to the United States; and she understands that suits have been, or are about to be commenced for its recovery,

as well against the representatives of her late husband as his securities. That, although she cannot deny that a part of the balance claimed is justly due to the United States, there are items to a considerable amount, which were contained in the account presented by her husband to the Treasury De partment, which were not allowed, and which she thinks just and reasonable. A copy of said account is herewith presented, with the items noted which she prays may be allowed. In relation to the balance which may be then due, your petitioner thinks that she has some claims to the lenity of Congress, from the following statement of facts. The sum with which her late husband would be justly chargeable after deducting the amount of the items above referred to, was obtained from him by a person who had held a highly confidential office under the Government, who, by the exhibition of a letter from one of the officers of the Treasury, to support his own declaration to that effect, induced her said husband to believe that a large balance was due to him from the Government, for which he was about to obtain a draft upon the office of Receiver at Vincennes. That, although there was a considerable balance due to the said individual, it fell far short of what he alleged to be due to him, and for that balance he obtained a draft, not upon the office at Vincennes, but upon another office; and that of this sum the husband of your petitioner only received a part. That shortly after the perpetration of this act, the individual alluded to was called to answer for it to his Maker, leaving little or no property out of which the friend he had injured could be remunerated. That the facts in this case are well known at Vincennes, and never in the slightest degree affected the reputation of the late husband of your petitioner, as is fully proved by the unexampled public respect which was lately paid to his memory by the citizens of that place. Every exertion in his power was made by the husband of your petitioner to repay the sum of which he had thus been defrauded, to the United States; and at the time of his death he was endeavoring to sell his real property for that purpose; and there can be no doubt, if Providence had spared his life, that it would soon have been accomplished. To your petitioner, however, with six orphan children to provide for, the task will be more difficult. If the whole property left by her husband is disposed of at a public sale, it will not be sufficient to pay the debt, leaving herself and children without the means of support. Thus situated, she has no resource but to appeal to the lib rality of the representatives of the American people; and she respectfully conceives that she has some claims to their favorable consideration. To his daughter and only child, General Pike left no inheritance but his claims upon that country which he had so long, so faithfully, and so successfully served, and in whose cause he at length expired, in the arms of victory. Your petitioner will offer no evidence of the services of her father from his earliest youth to the period of his glorious death; they are to be found spread upon the annals of the nation, and engraven upon the hearts of his fellow-citizens.

All which is respectfully submitted.

Boone County, December 9, 1830.

CLARISSA B. HARRISON.