Resolved, That the payments for lands purchased either at public or private sale, may be made as heretofore in public securities, and shall be made in the following manner, and under the following conditions, viz:
1st. At the time of purchase, every purchaser shall deposit one-twentieth part of the amount of purchase-money; to be forfeited, if, within three months, one-fourth of the purchase-money, including the said twentieth part, is not paid.
2d. One-fourth of the purchase-money to be paid as aforesaid, within three months, and the other three-fourths in three equal payments, within two, three, and four years, respectively, after the date of the purchase.
3d. No interest to be charged in case of punctual payment; but interest at the rate of six per cent. a year, to be charged from the date of purchase, on any part of the purchase-money which shall not have been paid at the time, respectively, when the same shall have become due.
4th. A discount at the rate of eight per cent. a year, to be allowed on any of the three last payments, which shall be paid before the same shall have become due.
5th. If any tract shall not be completely paid for within one year after the date of the last payment, the tract to be sold in such manner as shall be provided by law; and after paying the balance due to the United States, including interest, the surplus, if any, to be returned to the original purchaser.
Ordered, That a bill or bills be brought in, pursuant to the said resolutions; and that Mr. Harrison, Mr. Brace, Mr. Gordon, Mr. Davis, Mr. Lyman, and Mr. Gallatin, do prepare and bring in the same.
Tuesday, February 25.
Case of Jonathan Robbins.
The House having resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole on the Message of the President respecting Jonathan Robbins, a short debate took place whether the committee should take up the business of the resolution first proposed by Mr. Bayard, or those subsequently offered by Mr. Livingston. Mr. Bayard seemed inclined to withdraw his motion, but the committee seeming of opinion that both resolutions were within their jurisdiction, and that they might proceed on either, the question was taken whether the committee would proceed on the resolutions of Mr. Livingston and carried in the affirmative.[49] Messrs. Bayard, Rutledge, Otis, &c., voting in favor of the question, and Messrs. Livingston, Nicholas, &c., against it.